Bay Six Software

[Brent]

I have some ideas of what features I want to put in WMLiberty 2.0. I'd be interested in what you all want or need, so please speak up if you care.

I plan to add some functions that I hope will make WMLiberty easier to use and more powerful. I also plan to possibly deprecate some functions or remove them outright.

Things to add:

• OnMessage an alias of deprecated SetWMHandler
• OnCommand simplifies using WM_COMMAND events
• OnNotify simplifies using WM_NOTIFY events
• EnableMDI converts an existing window into an MDI window
• GetVersion alias of deprecated WMLibertyVersion

Things to remove:

• SetWMRangeHandler
• CreateMDIClient
• CreateMDIClientEx
• RegisterMDIChildClass
• RegisterMDIFrameClass

[Kcproductionz]

I like that OnCommand stuffs, I always had trouble with trapping those stuffs.

[Brent]

Additionally, I would like to add a means of doing "accelerators," window- or application-specific key combinations that translate into WM_COMMAND messages. These are usually associated with menu items and most apps add something like "Ctrl+X" to the menu items' text. This function might be named OnAccel.

[Kcproductionz]

I havent really used accelerators in any of my applications not done in LB. But I see how they would be useful, I think it would be a great addition.

[Brent]

I was just reminded about WMLiberty's difficulty in dealing with WM_CTLCOLOR* messages which require the handler function to return an HBRUSH. The problem occurs when you want to give a control different colors at different times. I plan for v2.0 to allow more flexibility in returning values from the handler. But it may be nice to have (a) specialized function(s) for this purpose. I'd be interested in how much demand there could be for such a feature.

[BASICwebmaster]

I would love to see the above-mentioned features. I would love the hot-key feature, but my suggestion would be:

[Brent]

An additional feature I'm sure some people would really like is some sort of awareness of LB's debugger. I might add a SetTrace function to turn on, turn off, or set some level/state. This is just a vague notion, though.

[bshipps64]

Brent,
A while back I attempted to use WMLiberty to capture keypresses while another application has input focus in order to perform some processing prior to that application's receiving of the keypress message (or possibly even prevent it from receiving the message). I believe you had advised me WMLiberty did not have such a capability at the time. Will version 2.0 be able to perform systemwide hooks?

The application in this instance was one in which a background process would monitor for a specific DOS program to have input focus then prevent the Caps Lock key from functioning when it is.

-Cassio

[Tasp]

Give the DLL the ability to monitor network thoughput.

I know it's cheeky but I looked at creating a DLL for this purpose but can't even start, and thought Brent's got a great DLL already wouldn't it be even greater if it could do this aswell!

[Brent]

Hello Tasp, and welcome to the forum!

It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to put that in a DLL, but I think it's not a feature for WMLiberty. If I remember correctly, there isn't anything in that particular API that relates to window messages or GUI elements of any sort. I want to keep WMLiberty as small and easy-to-use as possible.

Thanks

[Tasp]

Indeed Brent you are correct, the API doesn't affect a window in any way.

Maybe there should be WMLibertyNetwork DLL! I'm ever hopeful.

[carlo]

Dear Brent :

great idea upgrading WMLiberty!

I am particularly interested in improving handling of WM_NOTIFY and WM_COMMAND.

Moreover, introducing a way to change (easily) colors of controls AFTER they are created would be great.

Thanks for what you are doing for LB community.

Carlo

[Guest]

Brent, I would appreciate it if you didn't remove all the MDI stuff, unless you have a working and just as good solution/workaround/other DLL, because I like this function. Thanks.

[Brent]

I plan to keep some MDI capabilities, but the calls to do it will likely change. My hope is to make it easier to use with native windows and controls.

[Guest]

OK.