faster version of controltip to display tooltip text

"Grading Comment:
ma sha'a allah
i pray for you
thank you very much"

You are welcome.

mx

lebans is WAY overkill for what I want.  about 20 pages of code, and a lot of API calls.

Cool-tips approach does not work when you mouse hovers over a command button, which is what I actually desire.

If MS Access allowed application.ontime, I could do something like the attached.

But, Ontime does not exist in Access, so that approach will not work.

Anybody else have any good ideas?

Bob

Dim lastTool
Function tooltipper(ctlForm, ctlname)
If lastTool = ctlForm & ctlname Then Exit Function
lastTool = ctlForm & ctlname
 
Call clearLastToolTip
Dim cmd
 
Call tooltipperDoit(ctlForm, ctlname)
cmd = "tooltipperdoit ' & ctlfrom & " ', & '" & ctlname & "'"
Application.ontime TimeValue("00:00:03"), "clearlasttooltip"
End Function
 
Sub tooltipperDoit(ctlForm, ctlname)
Dim myMe, myCtl
Set myCtl = Forms(ctlForm)
 
Debug.Print ctlname & Now()
Set myMe = myCtl.Controls(ctlname)
' MsgBox myctl.FormName
With myCtl.[myToolTip]
    .Caption = myMe.ControlTipText
    .Top = myMe.Top - 300
    .Left = myMe.Left
End With
End Sub
 
Sub clearLastToolTip(ctlForm, ctlname)
Dim myCtl
Set myCtl = Forms(ctlForm)
myCtl.[myToolTip].Visible = False
End Sub
                                              

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Rob,
I believe you can simulate the "hover" effect for your buttons by calling the 2 mouse move events shown below.

Private Sub MyToolTip_MouseMove(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
MyToolTip.Caption = "This is a tool Tip" 'Place your tool tip here
End Sub

Private Sub YourForm_MouseMove(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
MyToolTip.Caption = "" 'Replace the tool tip with a blank string here
End Sub

Puppydog,  the "Yourform_mousemove" idea helped, and my tooltipper is nearing completion.

It works well when myform.Text6.onmousemove  = [event procedure] which then calls  Tooltipper(Me,"Text6")

But, I want to skip writing an event procedure.  Instead I want to set  myform.text6.onmousemove
to be   "=tooltipper([me],"text6").      

Unfortunately, the above code does not work, and I am beginning to think it is impossible.

Any ideas?

I still wish I could figure out syntax for tooltipper([me]...).

But, the attached database seems to work pretty well, and handles command buttons fine.

Unfortunately, ActiveControl  does NOT point to the control the mouse is hovering over.

Without that, no matter how hard i tried, =tooltipper2(0) did not work so I gave up.

Now, each control has onmousemove set to =tooltipper2("control name")

I still hope somebody can improve on this approach.

Option Compare Database
<<STANDARD MODULE>>
 
Option Explicit
Dim cnt As Long
Dim currentTooltip As Control
Dim currentTooltipName As String
 
Function tooltipperoff()
' If TypeName(currentTooltip) = "Label" Then currentTooltip.Visible = False
On Error Resume Next
currentTooltip.Visible = False
currentTooltipName = ""
 
End Function
 
 
Function tooltipper(ControlOrForm As Variant, ctlNameOrZero) ' if you don't pass a ctlName the first parameter must be not be a form
' PUT THE FOLLOWING CODE IN Form_YourForm  module
'      Function tooltipper2(x)
'      Call tooltipper(ActiveControl, x)
'      End Function
 
' THEN IN EVERY CONTROL THAT NEEDS A FASTER TOOLTIP, INSTALL THE FOLLOWING ONMOUSEMOVE FUNCTION
'      =tooltipper2("cmd10")
'  EVENTUALLY, I HOPE TO ALLOW THE FOLLOWING TO WORK
'     =tooltipper2(0)
'  BUT, FOR NOW, THE ONLY RELIABEL APPROACH IS TO PASS THE CONTROL NAME "cmd10"
'     =toolTipper2("cmd10")
'
 
Dim hoveredTextBox As Control, ctlName As String, ctlForm As Form
Select Case Left(TypeName(ControlOrForm), 4)
    Case "Form"
        Set ctlForm = ControlOrForm
        ctlName = ctlNameOrZero
    Case Else
        Set ctlForm = ControlOrForm.Parent
        If ctlNameOrZero = 0 Then
            ctlName = ControlOrForm.Name
        Else
            ctlName = ctlNameOrZero
        End If
    End Select
    
 
If ctlName = currentTooltipName Then Exit Function
 
Set hoveredTextBox = ctlForm.Controls(ctlName)
Set currentTooltip = ctlForm.Controls("myToolTip")
currentTooltipName = ctlName
 
If ctlName = "0" Then MsgBox "a control in " & ctlForm.Name & " needs to call tooltipper2('control name')"
 
 
If ctlForm.OnMouseMove = "" Then ctlForm.OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"
If ctlForm.Detail.OnMouseMove = "" Then ctlForm.Detail.OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"
' MsgBox ctlName
With currentTooltip
    .Visible = True
    .Caption = hoveredTextBox.ControlTipText
    On Error Resume Next
    .Top = hoveredTextBox.Top + hoveredTextBox.Height
    If Err Then
        .Top = hoveredTextBox.Top - 300
    End If
    On Error GoTo 0
    .Left = hoveredTextBox.Left
End With
End Function
                                              

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Hi Rob,
Looks good! The only thing that comes  mind is that you might want to come up with a recursive procedure that would allow you to recurse the code for a subform.  below is an example that might give you some ideas that you could apply to your app.

Public Sub YourSubName(frm As Form)
'the procedure call from any form looks like this:  Call YourSubName(Me)

    On Error GoTo Error_Routine
   
    Dim ctl As Control
    Dim strForm As String
    Dim x As Integer

    strForm = frm.Name
   
For Each ctl In frm.Controls
    If ctl.Name <> "btnYourButton" Then
            Select Case ctl.ControlType
                Case acComboBox, acListBox, acTextBox
                    If Forms!YourMainform!btnYourButton.Caption = "View (Horizontal)" Then
                        If InStr(ctl.Tag, "View1") > 0 Then
                            ctl.Visible = True
                        'If InStr(ctl.Tag, "View2") > 0 Then
                        '    ctl.Visible = False
                        End If
                    ElseIf Forms!YourMainform!btnYourButton.Caption = "View (Vertical)" Then
                        If InStr(ctl.Tag, "View1") > 0 Then
                            ctl.Visible = False
                       ' ElseIf InStr(ctl.Tag, "View2") > 0 Then
                       '     ctl.Visible = True
                        End If
                    End If
               Case acSubform                     'recursive code
                    Set frm = Forms!YourMainform!YourSubformControl.Form
                    Call YourSubName(ctl.Form)
           End Select
       End If
Next ctl
Exit_Continue:
        Exit Sub
Error_Routine:
        MsgBox "Error# " & Err.Number & " " & Err.Description
MsgBox "test " & x & " " & ctl.Name
        Resume Exit_Continue

End Sub
 

Maybe I understand, and maybe I don't.

Clearly, the code you posted came from one of your applications that dealt wih other issues.
I think you are suggesting that I modify it to something like the attached.

I also think you are suggesting the code be a "One Shot" where I run the PrepareForm sub once while designing my target form, then save the result.  

Could you please tell me if my interpretation of your comments is correct?

In anycase, this has been a fun project, which could be extended quite a bit.  I wish I had the time to devote more efforts.

For instance, the target form would need further modifications such as adding the following code to each Form_ xxx  module.  If we use PerpareForm as a One Shot, that could be a manual step. But perhaps the PreparForm routine could add tooltipper2 automatically?  If so, the PrepareForm might be run on Form load.

Or maybe would could even set up  class module that intercepts the events from ALL forms automatically?  I have done that kind of thing in Excel, but never in MS Access.

But, all those things are more work than I can afford, so I will be closing this questions soon.



'      Function tooltipper2(x)
'      Call tooltipper(ActiveControl, x)
'      End Function


...... possible modifications .....
 
Public Sub PrepareFormForTooltipper(frm As Form)
'the procedure call from any form looks like this:  Call YourSubName(Me)

    On Error GoTo Error_Routine
   
    Dim ctl As Control
    Dim strForm As String
    Dim x As Integer

    strForm = frm.Name
   
For Each ctl In frm.Controls
    If ctl.Name <> "btnYourButton" Then
            Select Case ctl.ControlType
                Case acComboBox, acListBox, acTextBox
                        if ctl.onmousemove = "" and ctl.controltip <> "" then
                             Ctl.onmousemove = "=tooltipper2(" & Chr(34) & ctl.name & chr(34) & ")"
                        End if             
               Case acSubform                     'recursive code
                    Set frm = Forms!YourMainform!YourSubformControl.Form
                    Call YourSubName(ctl.Form)
           End Select
       End If
Next ctl
Exit_Continue:
        Exit Sub
Error_Routine:
        MsgBox "Error# " & Err.Number & " " & Err.Description
MsgBox "test " & x & " " & ctl.Name
        Resume Exit_Continue

End Sub
 

Rob,
My comments were only intended to address the following:
1.  The idea of making your Tooltipper recursive with respect to a subform
2. Give you an example of how to call the Tooltipper Routine using the Me object
3. Give you other ideas.

My comments were not intended to convey to you the idea of running the Tooltipper once for each form.  In fact, I believe the tip should be displayed each time the control has focus if the user has indicated (via a button or checkbox) that he wants tooltips to be visible. ...to this end you might want to experiment with conditional formatting....perhaps changing the background color of the control that has focus (active control), and then use the presence of a certain color to trigger the ToolTip...there are many different roads you could take....if only there were enough time!

I agree that that my tool tips should display each and every time a mouse goes over the control. But, I think you misunderstood two minor points:

1. my wish to pass Me to a subroutine was not about  how to do it from Vba. I was asking how to do it in form design view using the onMouseMove property WITHOUT coding an event procedure.

2. You said "the tip should be displayed each time the control has FOCUS".  As you know, mousemove is totally different from focus, with the key difference being that it does not change the ActiveControl. It is this key difference that caused cool-tool-tips to fail when I tried to put it into onmousemove.  

You may not have noticed, but I have fixed that in my routine. Putting =tooltipper2("ctlName") into onmousemove property causes tool tips to pop up UPON HOVERING.  

On the other hand, =tooltiper2("ctlName") also works well in the ongotfocus property.  It postpones the pop up until the user actually clicks on the control.

So, my routine works in both kind of events whereas the cool-tool-tips techniques only works in the gotfocus and lostfocus routines.

Using gotfocus has some advantages (text boxes work nicely with no need for cpu intensive mousemove subroutines ) and some disadvantages (command buttons don't work).  Weighing advantage versus disadvantages requires human thought for each control, so a recursive call would require artificial intelligence to pick properly.

So, for now, I think I will leave well enough alone, and not go the recursive route or make any futher improvements.


So, thanks for your help, and I am closing the problem.  

And, this might  clarify my issue with passing Me directly from the onMouseMove property.

I wanted the control's design to say
syntax1    on mouse move:  =tooltipper([me],"ctlName")


I "resolved" that issue by putting the tooltipper2 function into each and every form_myform.x. module that needed my feature.  That way, the control's design could say
syntax2    on mouse move:  =toolTipper2("ctlName")

If I could get syntax1 to work, I would NOT require any tooltipper2 functions, and I would not have to modify any form_myform.x. module.
 

Hi Rob,
You said <<<<<<I wanted the control's design to say
syntax1    on mouse move:  =tooltipper([me],"ctlName")>>>>>

Try this:
_________________________________________________
..............Module Code..............................
Public Function Tooltipper(frm As Form, ctl As Control)
XXXXXXXXXXX  Your module code XXXXXXXXXXXXX
End Function

..............Calling Form Code in Mouse Move event .........................
Dim frm As Form
Dim ctl As Control
Set frm = Me        'if me doesn't work, try Me.Form  or try Screen.ActiveForm
Set ctl = Me.ActiveControl

frm.OnMouseMove = tooltipper(frm, ctl)

No!, frm.OnMouseMove is a string, so that code can't work.

Besides, if what I wanted to do was possible, it would be available in design view without using vba.

To continue to clarify, look at the attached JPG so you can really understand what I am trying to do.

Rob,
frm.OnMouseMove a string? No way......Look at my  Dim and Set statements......frm and ctl are declared and set as objects that have properties and methods.  if I needed to convert frm to a string I would use the .Name property of frm, which would return the object name as a string>>>>>frm.Name.  Hope that clarifies it for you.

 

see attached

Puppydogbuddy, I know you are rated as a genius in MS Access, and you have helped me before.

So, I suspect the problem is that I am not communicating my issue very even after several attempts.

But, if you look carefully at the big red arrow in the first JPGs I posted, I think it will start to make sense.  

The red arrow points to     "on mouse move . . . . . . =tooltipper([me],"text8")

But, you have to understand that the red arrow is pointing to text8.onmousemove which is a property that is a STRING. It contains text that happens to look like vba code.  That string is probably never compiled, I think MS Access has an interpreter that parses it at the appropriate time. Since it is not actually compiled, that may explain why putting [me] or me or Me does not work.  The details of that are a little vague, but I am 100% certain that your suggested code of
frm.OnMouseMove = tooltipper(frm, ctl)  WILL NOT WORK.

Rob,
A string does not have properties and methods;an object has properties and methods.  Instead of using debug.print which outputs a string, try using intellisense: type  Me. (for example) and you will see the properties and methods exposed for declared and initialized object variables.

Also, see this link that I just found for Mouse Positioning, and note the objects that appear in the snippet.
                             http://www.vb-helper.com/howto_position_form_under_mouse.html

Rob,
see also this link:
                   http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-5648718.html

Sorry, but you seem to think I don't understand the basics.  In this particular area, I think I may actually know a little more than you in this particular area.  Your code will not work PERIOD. END OF STORY. NO DEBATE.  Try it yourself and you will see that you get a run time error when you try frm.onmousemove = tooltipper(frm,ctl).  

Anyway, I have found a solution to my problem which dramatically simplifys the rouine.  It was staring us in the face, and both you and I should oth have seen it.  the key is put the following at the big red arrow.

  =tooltipper([text8])    then, there is no need to pass Me  because the control itself has all necessary info

That simple.

This leads to a dramatic simplification of the routine. Everything is done in the standard module.

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Dim currentCtl As Control
Dim currentTooltip As Control


Function tooltipperoff()
Call tooltipper(Nothing)
End Function
Function tooltipper(ctl As Control)
' thanks to http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/trevor/AccFAQ/forms.htm#ctrlUnderMouse
' also see http://www.experts-exchange.com/Microsoft/Development/MS_Access/Q_24852710.html
'
' this makes controltiptext appear much faster for specific controls

If ctl Is Nothing Then
    If TypeName(currentTooltip) = "Label" Then currentTooltip.Visible = False
    Set currentCtl = Nothing
    Exit Function
End If

If currentCtl Is Nothing Then
    Set currentCtl = ctl
ElseIf currentCtl.Name = ctl.Name Then
    Exit Function
End If

With ctl.Parent
    Set currentTooltip = .Controls("myToolTip")
    If .OnMouseMove <> "=tooltipperoff()" Then .OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"
    If .Detail.OnMouseMove <> "=tooltipperoff()" Then .Detail.OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"
End With

With currentTooltip
    .Visible = True
    .Caption = ctl.ControlTipText
    On Error Resume Next
    .Top = ctl.Top + ctl.Height
    If Err Then
        .Top = ctl.Top - 300
    End If
    On Error GoTo 0
    .Left = ctl.Left
End With
   
End Function


Sub CreateSetCtlUnderMouse(pfrm As Form)
' the following makes it easier to set a bunch of controls
' select the objects you want to have this done to using [Shift] + Click, then open the code window, and in the immediate window type:
'   CreateSetCtlUnderMouse Me
Dim ctl As Control, i As Integer
  For i = 0 To pfrm.Count - 1
    Set ctl = pfrm(i)
    If ctl.InSelection Then
      ctl.OnMouseMove = "=Tooltipper([" & ctl.Name & "])"
    End If
    Set ctl = Nothing
  Next

End Sub

sorry for  the typos.  It is late and I am going to bed

Rob,
Congratulations on pursuing this to the point that you have come up with a much more efficient and simplified way to handle tooltips.  I would hope you know more about the intimate details of the application than I do.  Since I have never used this approach to tooltips, my role here was to provide you with some ideas and technical support.

I think we misunderstood each other about some things....for example, I never intended to convey that frm.onmousemove was the exact syntax....I was merely trying to convey that the object variable approach using VBA, not only was workable, but was the preferred path to follow.

your original>>>>   on mouse move.... =tooltipper([me],"text8")
my suggestion>>   frm.OnMouseMove = Tooltipper(frm, ctl)
your final>>>>>     ctl.OnMouseMove = "=Tooltipper([" & ctl.Name & "])"

Slightly improved version

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Dim PreviousCtl As Control
Dim PreviousTooltip As Control


Function tooltipperoff()
' turn off previous tooltip and restore previous control's onmousemove
    If TypeName(PreviousTooltip) = "Label" Then
        If PreviousTooltip.Visible Then PreviousTooltip.Visible = False    ' if condition prevents properties screen from flickering
    End If
    Set PreviousCtl = Nothing
End Function
Function tooltipper(ctl As Control)
' thanks to http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/trevor/AccFAQ/forms.htm#ctrlUnderMouse
' also see http://www.experts-exchange.com/Microsoft/Development/MS_Access/Q_24852710.html
'
' this makes controltiptext appear much faster for specific controls
If PreviousCtl Is Nothing Or TypeName(PreviousCtl) = "Object" Then
    Set PreviousCtl = ctl  ' first time the mouse enters control
ElseIf PreviousCtl.Name = ctl.Name Then
    Exit Function           ' mouse continutes to be in the control
End If
' If ctl.Name = "Text9" Then Stop
With ctl.Parent
    Set PreviousTooltip = .Controls("myToolTip")
    If .OnMouseMove <> "=tooltipperoff()" Then .OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"
    If .Detail.OnMouseMove <> "=tooltipperoff()" Then .Detail.OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"
End With

With PreviousTooltip
    .BackColor = vbYellow
    .BackStyle = 1 ' normal
    .Width = 2700
    .Visible = True
    .Caption = ctl.ControlTipText
    .Left = ctl.Left
    On Error Resume Next
    .Top = ctl.Top + ctl.Height
    If Err Then .Top = ctl.Top - 300
    On Error GoTo 0
End With
   
End Function

puppydogbuddy:  I agree with your last comments.

Also, I again have to thank you for your excellent link to cool-tool-tips.  Without that link, I don't think I would have solved my problem.  And, your idea of recursion is not a dead issue, I have a few ideas that may eventually use it.

That's what is great about experts exchange, two minds are better than one. As long as we have persistance and tenacity,  good things can happen.

So long for now, till we meet again.

Bob

OK, Bob.....and congrats again on building a better mousetrap!

When mouse is hovering over a control, MouseMove was executing about 200 times a second. In my old code, the 1st execution did some work and the remaining hundreds of executions simply did an Exit Function.

In today's version the 1st execution "temporarily turns off onmousemove", then restores it when the hover ceases.  The hundreds of wasted executions are gone, so much less computer time will be wasted.

Sometime in the future, I hope to programmatically add the "myToolTip" label to the form, so the programmer does not need to do so.

But, no more improvements will be posted here.  I doubt if anybody but me is interested in this anyway.

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Dim ThisCtl As Control
Dim PreviousTooltip As Control


Function toolTipper(ctl As Control)
'
'  This program will improves on microsoft's controltip application.
'  right now, it simply makes the tooltip appear much faster (instead of 5 seconds after the mouse hover starts)
'
'  eventually, this can be easily enhanced.  For instance different controltips could show in each user's native language.
'  or perhaps a two level help system. Hover over a control and level 1 help appears. click on the control and more verbose help appears.
'
'  to run this,
'  1 install this code into a standard module,
'  2. put the following function calls into onMouseMove for each desired control
'            =toolTipper([controlName])
'  3. if you have many desired controls, see CreateSetCtlUnderMouse for a way to do them all at the same time._
'
' thanks to http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/trevor/AccFAQ/forms.htm#ctrlUnderMouse
' thanks to http://blogs.msdn.com/access/archive/2009/08/24/cool-tool-tips-a-better-control-tip.aspx
' thanks to puppydogbuddy at http://www.experts-exchange.com/Microsoft/Development/MS_Access/Q_24852710.html
'

Select Case TypeName(ThisCtl)
    Case "Nothing", "Object"
    Case Else
        If ThisCtl.Name <> ctl.Name Then
            Call toolTipperoff  ' Mouse is no longer hovering over ThisCtl, so turn it off
        Else
            MsgBox "this should never happen"
            Exit Function
        End If
End Select

' Set ThisCtl = ctl  ', ====== this must NOT be done here. first we must check if .controls("myToolTip") exists

ctl.OnMouseMove = "" ' turn off mouse move for as long as the mouse is inside this control
                    ' the mouse move will be restored in tooltipperoff
With ctl.Parent
    On Error Resume Next
    Set PreviousTooltip = .Controls("myToolTip")
    If Err <> 0 Then
        MsgBox "" _
            & vbCrLf & ctl.ControlTipText _
            & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & "The tooltip above will not be shown again because " _
            & "'" & ctl.Parent.Name & "' does not have a Label named 'myToolTip'." _
            & "Contact the programmer to resolve this problem." _
            & ""
        Exit Function
    End If
    On Error GoTo 0
    Set ThisCtl = ctl
    If .OnMouseMove <> "=tooltipperoff()" Then .OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"
    If .Detail.OnMouseMove <> "=tooltipperoff()" Then .Detail.OnMouseMove = "=tooltipperoff()"

End With

With PreviousTooltip
    .BackColor = vbYellow
    .BackStyle = 1 ' normal
    .Width = 2700
    .Visible = True
    .Caption = ctl.ControlTipText
    .Left = ctl.Left
    On Error Resume Next
    .Top = ctl.Top + ctl.Height
    If Err Then
        Err.Clear
        .Top = ctl.Top - 300
        If Err Then
        On Error GoTo 0
            .Top = ctl.Top
        End If
    End If
    On Error GoTo 0
End With
   
End Function

Function toolTipperoff()
' turn off previous tooltip and restore previous control's onmousemove
    If TypeName(PreviousTooltip) = "Label" Then
        If PreviousTooltip.Visible Then PreviousTooltip.Visible = False    ' if condition prevents properties screen from flickering
    End If
    If Not ThisCtl Is Nothing And TypeName(ThisCtl) <> "Object" Then
        ThisCtl.OnMouseMove = "=Tooltipper([" & ThisCtl.Name & "])"
        Set ThisCtl = Nothing
    End If
End Function

Sub CreateSetCtlUnderMouse(pfrm As Form)
' the following makes it easier to set a bunch of controls
' select the objects you want to have this done to using [Shift] + Click,
' then open the code window, and in the immediate window type:
'   CreateSetCtlUnderMouse Forms("tstForm")
Dim ctl As Control, i As Integer
  For i = 0 To pfrm.Count - 1
    Set ctl = pfrm(i)
    If ctl.InSelection Then
      ctl.OnMouseMove = "=Tooltipper([" & ctl.Name & "])"
    End If
    Set ctl = Nothing
  Next

End Sub

Bob,
You would be surprised at how many people are interested in the  improved tooltipper that you have created!  Thanks for sharing your methodology and code.

Well, you are probably just being kind and if so, thank you very much.

But, if anyone is really interested in using this code, they should post a "what is the status?" message here before copying my code.  

I have noticed a few other issues that I have postponed indefinitely. But I might give them higher priority if I know someone really cares.