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korky

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Not so Common Dialog

As everybody know designers dreams are programmers nightmares...
My application as many other neads to ask the user for a filenames(Save/open) the best way to get one is probably Windows' Common Dialogs everything's already done: Drag'n'drop, contex menus, add new forder...BUT! Our designers didn't like them.
My question is:
Since I have seen it before I wonder if there is a way to use the dialog's client area into my own dialog or will I have to write it all myself?
Any Idea?
Thanks
/Xavier
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caraf_g

"Our designers didn't like them."

I would challenge that. They must have a dang good reason to reject standard Windows functionality or forever hold their peace.

If you wish you can ask them to contribute to this thread and state their reasons. I'll try and talk that silly idea out of their heads ;-)
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ASKER

When I said designers I meant grafic designers.
The reason:
They're ugly!

Avatar of Guy Hengel [angelIII / a3]
I participate the challenge, even if i'm sure that designers won't get convinced in these questions (have one here) ...

Here come the first 5 that came into my mind:
1) In Windows 2000 they look nice(r), don't they?
2) In Applications (not in games/demos) you need standard interface
3) You need performance, graphics need *much* processing time
4) You need stable applications, while defining new dialogs, new bugs may need to be resolved
5) Time=Money: Why develop costy dialogs, where they exists for nothing (+previous comment)

To be continued ...
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ASKER

Well I apreciate all your help... But the Boss has already made his mind... What I nead is technical, not pedagogical help. Do you happen to know if it's possible?
What is not technical about
3) You need performance, graphics need *much* processing time
4) You need stable applications, while defining new dialogs, new bugs may need to be resolved
5) Time=Money: Why develop costy dialogs, where they exists for nothing (+previous comment)

Others points are:
* evaluation: As M$Windows is evalutaing, the interfaces necessary to develop your dialog boxes may change (without beeing noticed of this!)
* The set of Properties for files/folders may (will!) change, and you will need to discover this, instead of using a simple new property of the dialog that comes from M$, they know what they can build into their forms.

All in one, it will cost much time, much money and much nerves to do this.
(I know, and i commented this, that this is an impossible challenge :-)
"When I said designers I meant grafic designers"

That's even worse. They of all people should understand the need for applications to conform to standards.

Let's put it this way. Yes, maybe they're ugly. But if Microsoft addresses the issue, your application will benefit because it uses standard dialogs. If it doesn't, eventually your application will look dated because Microsoft will come up with something altogether more snazzy looking.
AngelIII, absolutely! Korky, why don't you ask your Boss (geez) to participate in this discussion so we can tear shreds off him/her.
Of course it's possible. But, very good point made by AngelIII: TIME = MONEY

In actual fact MONEY = EmTIME^2
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ASKER

Alright! Take a look at
MS J++'s:
"New Project" dialog,
"Existing" tab.

Msdev's:
"Open" Dialog

Visual Basic's:
"Add Form" Dialog
"Existing" tab

and so on....
They all do the same thing:
Use the client area of the OpenDialog
Do you really think they wrote it allover for each app?

I am aware that time = money and that's why I think this technic is the only one that can help... So if you're interested in having my points; that's what you should talk with ME about. Not about time or money and not with my boss!
(:
As My Time= My bosses Money, i quit.
I'm not interested in getting points at any cost.
The only comment i found is, that you may develop an own dialog, if the standart boxes do not provide a functionality. In this, and only this case, you should develop your own Forms.

I know that it is easy with today's Visual X++ to develop any kind of interface, but i know even better how quit a small bug slipped into it....

Bye
I agree that the standards should be upheld, that's what makes it possible for us to even have "Visual" programming languages to use. However, there are those who don't get it.

To create your own file dialog, simply use a drive control, a dir control, and a file list box placed on a form with the properties set as needed. (The VB Help files have examples for all this.)You can even make the form itself ANY shape required through use of API calls. ("Search" for that one here; it's easier than it sounds) Use whatever graphics your boss requires for the form, etc., you can even use image controls instead of command buttons, if so desired. Use Public vars in a standard module so selections can be passed and retrieved from the dialog.
The code involved is very simple, but as forementioned, the time involved may be prohibitive.

Hope this helps, I know how hard designers can be to work with at times.

See 'ya,
Foyal
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VBGuru
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ASKER

Tanks for you help but that's not what I was looking for...
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ASKER

Yes and it helped. thanks!
/Korky
For all others:
A problem is no problem if it hasn't a solution...