posted 09-26-2006 12:33 PM         

EGrid
SIGrid
GDImage

What is an EZC file ?

Third Party custom controls can be used in the 4.0 Visual Designer. To do this requires two things:

(1) Copy the control DLL to the same folder as the Designer.

(2) Create an EZC file for that control and copy it to the designers folder too.

The EZC file is simply a text file (you can create one in NotePad) with the file extension .ezc

The file has a specific structure for defining a custom control.

Here is an example:

code:

<<<DESC>>>
	Custom Control #2
<<<END>>>
<<<CLASS>>>
	MY_CUSTOM_CTRL2
<<<END>>>
<<<DLL>>>
	cusctrl2.dll
<<<END>>>
<<<INCLUDES>>>
	#INCLUDE  "cusctrl2.INC"
<<<END>>>
' syntax:    FunctionName|par1
' par1 must be a string in quotes or a numeric value (long)
<<<REGISTER>>>
<<<END>>>
' Property Character|Style|Style Numeric Value
' or
' Property Character|Style Description|Style|Style Numeric Value
' maximum of 30 styles allowed
' Extended styles must have [EX} before value
<<<STYLES>>>
	B|Border|%WS_BORDER|&H800000&
	T|Tabstop|%WS_TABSTOP|&H10000&
	S|Sunken Edge|%WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE|[EX]&H00000200&
	C|Caption|%WS_CAPTION|&H00C00000&
<<<END>>>
<<<USECOLORMSG>>>
	YES
<<<END>>>
<<<USEFONTMSG>>>
	NO
<<<END>>
<<<DEFAULTTEXT>>>
	Hello
<<<END>>>
<<<NOTIFY>>>
<<<END>>>
<<<INITCODE>>>
<<<END>>>
<<<CODE>>>
<<<END>>>

posted 09-26-2006 04:58 PM         

It works well in the Visual Designer and I updated the PB include files for it (which the developer has the previous ones I created on his web site).

I contacted the developer so I can send him the necessary files which he can make available to his customers.

It is a nice HTML viewer control and should work well with EZGUI.

This is also a nice way to embed HTML web pages into your applications, which also means displaying GIF, PNG, JPEG, etc.

posted 09-27-2006 12:30 AM         

I sent them to Patrice (GDImage, Chris (SIGrid) and Elias (EGrid). You can request them from them.

posted 09-29-2006 08:12 PM         

Here is a screen shot of the Designer with an RMChart control
in it:

http://cwsof.com/ez4chart.png

Since RMChart doesn't allow you to create the control using
CreateWindowEx, I had to create a container control for it, so
it could be used in the Designer. The contain control is small
(about 16 KB) and it allows the loading of a RMC file into the
control in the designer.

It should be noted that this technique of using a container control also will allow me to do the same for any other controls, which can not be created using the CreateWindowEx function (required for the Designer).

posted 09-29-2006 11:33 PM         

Is there a reason you are not making these available directly? I really don't see the problem with that, but if there is one, it would be nice to know.

I emailed the author of QHTML and all I got back was a link the the already existing web page about using QHTML and PB. That is one add-on that I'd really like to try.

posted 10-01-2006 04:36 PM         

Chris, Does the form designer counts as a
custom control?

posted 10-02-2006 11:22 AM         

It now works fine with the EZGUI 4.0 Designer and I sent James a copy of the EZC file and some sample code.

As far as me sending you the EZC files directly, the only concern I have is that the EZC file defines constant values based on the include file for the custom control and I don't know if the developers have any problem with me making that available. They may prefer that people only get such info through their official downloads, rather than being published by third parties.

If they have no problem, then I have no problem with it.

For now it is best to simply contact the developer of each control.

Also by doing it this way, it encourages people to visit their web sites, which encourages them to want to support EZGUI. They deserve the traffic it may bring.

quote:

---

Chris, Does the form designer count as a
custom control?

---

Elias,

I am not sure what you are asking ?

posted 10-02-2006 12:24 PM         

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chris Boss:

Elias,

I am not sure what you are asking ?

---

Chris,
I am only reading between the lines here, but I believe that Elias has a visual grid designer as part of his package. Forgive me if I missed the point completely.

posted 10-02-2006 12:46 PM         

That said though, it could be run from the
TOOL's menu as an external tool.

posted 10-02-2006 09:17 PM         

Egrid32 Form designer EXE is the Front end
for the visual designer DLL, but the main
"Control" can be pasted to a dialog, just
as if it was a normal control. Dominic
Mitchell, Already implemented this in
Phoenix and works like a charm.

If you want to take a look at this control
(intended to be used at designer level and
not as part of the created Exe), i would
appreciate it. It would give the ability to
EZGUI users to easily design forms for
Egrid32 also from within EZGUI's GUI.

This said, Egrid32 Form designer is mostly
an Add-on. In was programmed thinking in
3rd party users. Let me know if you want to
give it a try and want info about how to
call the Form designer DLL.

Elias

posted 10-02-2006 10:42 PM         

The only requirements are that the Form Designer control, must be a true window class which can be created using the CreateWindowEx function call and that it be in a DLL.

If your Form Designer can be created using CreateWindowEx, then it should work in my designer.

If you could send me a version (DLL and minimum include file) , I will test it with EZGUI's Visual Designer and create the necessary EZC (control definition) file for it.

email me at: chrisboss@naxs.net

posted 10-03-2006 02:42 AM         

The Egrid32 Form designer can be added as a
normal control, but it should not be hanlded as the rest of the custom controls
(i.e. they are added to a form by selecting
them from a palette of controls.), it is a
"control" that should be called to Configure
Controls...

Kind of like the property dialogs for an
OCX, For example, When you put a control in
a form, the form designer could be invoked
by right-clicking an Egrid32 control in the
form and selecting a command like "Special
Properties", or something like that.

This said, EZGUI should be able to process
notifications of data retrievement, for the form of the Grid, and be able to
automatically include a file to the
resources. Like a plug-in.