[Release] SKINbedder BETA 2.99999 - Page 5

Blue ZX3 · 07-06-2005, 10:00 PM

Is there by any chance that it would be the fact that I'm using routis instead of iguidence...basically the same thing, kinda?? (I did change the ref to ig in the sb ini file to routis)

cause I still can't get it to embed correctly with RR launching it, only doing it the hard long way..

0l33l · 07-07-2005, 02:30 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Blue ZX3

Is there by any chance that it would be the fact that I'm using routis instead of iguidence...basically the same thing, kinda?? (I did change the ref to ig in the sb ini file to routis)

cause I still can't get it to embed correctly with RR launching it, only doing it the hard long way..

Check the startup file for AutoIt.

Blue ZX3 · 07-07-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by 0l33l

Check the startup file for AutoIt.

how could it be that...if i run sb by itself(outside of RR) then it works greats...

it has something to do with RR starting SB and then tries to embed it...maybe i'll try another skin...i don't know what is making it not to embed properly..

0l33l · 07-07-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Blue ZX3

how could it be that...if i run sb by itself(outside of RR) then it works greats...

it has something to do with RR starting SB and then tries to embed it...maybe i'll try another skin...i don't know what is making it not to embed properly..

Go back to the default skin. For instance the iDrive skin would not embed Sb at all.

tj!2k5 · 07-08-2005, 10:27 PM

hmm, so how far along are you guys with the coding at this point?

0l33l · 07-08-2005, 10:36 PM

Dunno... I was gonna PM RPM today

RPM_VR4 · 07-08-2005, 11:27 PM

Not very far

.

I have integrated the AutoItX dll into Delphi. It doesn't run AutoIt scripts but it does give us new functions (a lot of which we already did through the Windows API or just plain old Delphi).

1) It can run apps. We already do that using ShellEx, but I don't know how to do its "RunWait" command using the windows API, and that is very useful (for allowing the AutoIt script to complete before trying to embed anything [before that I have the AutoIt nag killer not working a lot]). You can't use it's RunWait to launch a .au3 file directly though (unless you pass it as a perameter to the AutoIt3.exe), so I just compil the .au3 to a script .exe and launch that. As a plus, with the compiled .exe included, people won't have to install AutoIt anymore (unless they need to edit the default .au3 that is).

2) It can manipulate INI files (but I'm already pretty happy with using Delphi's built-in TINIFile component... what do you think Ol33l?).

3) Window and Window Controls manipulation (getting handles, sending keys/mouse-commands, and clicking controls). I'm not sure if we should just have the startup script (.au3 compiled to .exe) and a script for some (or all) SKINbuttons, or if we should keep button "commands" in the INI file which would be kinda our own script that would use the AutoItX functions internally after decoding the command=. Thoughts?

Besides trying to figure out AutoIt Vs. AutoItX Vs. Win API & Delphi, I have also been trying to figure out the "buttons for each panel" layout. I have created a "skins" directory as a sub of SKINbedder. Under the skins directory I have each program (ex: iGuidance, TechnoMotive Datalogger, etc.). Under each programs directory I have all of its windows (ex: iGMain, iGGPS, iGEnter, iGMenu, etc.). Inside each of those will be all the button graphics to overlay and an INI file containing what images to use and where to put them. There will also be an INI file in each programs dir containing where each of the panels go, and an INI file in the "skins" directory containing which programs to use and their startup scripts.

...suggestions, requests, feelings?

0l33l · 07-09-2005, 12:02 AM

Too bad the AutoItX DLL doesn't run scripts... that would be awesome... mention that in their forums

We should let people choose if they want to run a compiled EXE or the au3 file. I think 99.9% of people will install AutoIt on their carputers, and the other .1% will just be forced to

2)I think we should make everything XML. The organization would be much easier and more strucutred. Something like this maybe:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<skin>
    <requiredelements>
		<mainwindow>
			<properties>
				<upimage path="main_up.jpg"/>
				<downimage path="main_down.jpg"/>
				<flashbackground path=""/>
			</properties>
		</mainwindow>
    
        <playlist>
            <position left="25" top="50" width="70" height="45"/>
            <properties>
                <fontstandard name="@Arial Unicode MS" size="14" charset="0" bold="true" italic="false" underline="false"/>
                <fontextended>
                    <forecolorselected r="231" g="65" b="108"/>
                    <forecolorunselected r="255" g="255" b="255"/>
                    <backcolorselected r="255" g="0" b="0"/>
                    <backcolorunselected r="91" g="45" b="180"/>
                </fontextended>
                <seperator text=" - "/>
            </properties>
        </playlist>
        <mediawindow>
            <position left="10" top="5" width="50" height="40"/>
        </mediawindow>
    </requiredelements>

I think it would be cool to have the Command= have the option of executing a script

Quote: Originally Posted by RPM_VR4

Not very far

.

I have integrated the AutoItX dll into Delphi. It doesn't run AutoIt scripts but it does give us new functions (a lot of which we already did through the Windows API or just plain old Delphi).

1) It can run apps. We already do that using ShellEx, but I don't know how to do its "RunWait" command using the windows API, and that is very useful (for allowing the AutoIt script to complete before trying to embed anything [before that I have the AutoIt nag killer not working a lot]). You can't use it's RunWait to launch a .au3 file directly though (unless you pass it as a perameter to the AutoIt3.exe), so I just compil the .au3 to a script .exe and launch that. As a plus, with the compiled .exe included, people won't have to install AutoIt anymore (unless they need to edit the default .au3 that is).

2) It can manipulate INI files (but I'm already pretty happy with using Delphi's built-in TINIFile component... what do you think Ol33l?).

3) Window and Window Controls manipulation (getting handles, sending keys/mouse-commands, and clicking controls). I'm not sure if we should just have the startup script (.au3 compiled to .exe) and a script for some (or all) SKINbuttons, or if we should keep button "commands" in the INI file which would be kinda our own script that would use the AutoItX functions internally after decoding the command=. Thoughts?

Besides trying to figure out AutoIt Vs. AutoItX Vs. Win API & Delphi, I have also been trying to figure out the "buttons for each panel" layout. I have created a "skins" directory as a sub of SKINbedder. Under the skins directory I have each program (ex: iGuidance, TechnoMotive Datalogger, etc.). Under each programs directory I have all of its windows (ex: iGMain, iGGPS, iGEnter, iGMenu, etc.). Inside each of those will be all the button graphics to overlay and an INI file containing what images to use and where to put them. There will also be an INI file in each programs dir containing where each of the panels go, and an INI file in the "skins" directory containing which programs to use and their startup scripts.

...suggestions, requests, feelings?

RPM_VR4 · 07-09-2005, 06:06 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 0l33l

Too bad the AutoItX DLL doesn't run scripts... that would be awesome... mention that in their forums

I did. It can't just run a script though. You can use the Run() or RunWait() to execute an executible file (which could be a compiled script or the AutoIt.exe with the .a3u passed to it as a parameter). BTW: Our previous ShellEx code will run any file as long as it is associated with a program.

Also FYI: All you have to do to compile a .au3 to a .exe is right click it and choose compile. You can also de-compile the .exe back to a .au3 (with comments and all I think).

Quote: Originally Posted by 0l33l

I think we should make everything XML. The organization would be much easier and more strucutred.

I don't really think XML is any better than INI files unless you have a huge tree-structure. So far Command= is the only thing that needs "commatext" and that works pretty well for that. My point of re-structuring was to decrease the length of the INI and organize the images, panels and their settings (as well as the programs) in to their own directories. I'm still thinking about it. I will consider XML, it just doesn't seem to help off the top of my head.

Quote: Originally Posted by 0l33l

I think it would be cool to have the Command= have the option of executing a script

Yes, it will. The question is should it ONLY point to a script, or are we going to support our own script language too (as we currently do with SendKeys and as I planned to do with show/hide/enable/dissable "button groups"). If we do support our own script, how much of the AutoItX commands do I need to include Vs. just letting people point to an AutoIt file if they need to run advanced script commands.

tj!2k5 · 07-09-2005, 08:43 PM

does Skinbedder have the capability to issue Alt-Tab as a command?

RPM_VR4 · 07-09-2005, 09:10 PM

Yes, but I'm not sure it will work for what you want.

SKINbedder can send Alt-Tab to one of its embedded windows. However, it doesn't switch tasks (I just tried it). I'm not really sure why.

"Command=Alt-Tab" sent to embedded notepad.exe will work, but the first thing in the Tab list is always going to be SKINbedder.exe. I also tried "Command=Alt-TabTab" (which will press Alt, press tab twice, and then release Alt) but that beeps at me (???) and for some reason "Comand=Alt-Tab,Alt-Tab" (which will press alt, then tab, then release alt, and then do those 3 things all over again) also chooses SKINbedder (???).

FYI: I could bearly see the Windows alt-tab task-list flash, so windows is intercepting the key presses. I'm not sure why "Alt-TabTab" or "Alt-Tab,Alt-Tab" don't work... they both should!

0l33l · 07-09-2005, 11:45 PM

Yeh, too bad its a limitation

I think we should use just the scripts and send them to autoit as a parameter. I know its easy to do the exe, but why? Its easier not to

I like XML because its sturcutured. INIs become unorganized after a while, trust me *cough*NaviVoice*cough*.

Umm... what were we able to do through our commands? Just sending text? Well, in that case its much easier to let autoIt handle everything.

Quote: Originally Posted by RPM_VR4

I did. It can't just run a script though. You can use the Run() or RunWait() to execute an executible file (which could be a compiled script or the AutoIt.exe with the .a3u passed to it as a parameter). BTW: Our previous ShellEx code will run any file as long as it is associated with a program.

Also FYI: All you have to do to compile a .au3 to a .exe is right click it and choose compile. You can also de-compile the .exe back to a .au3 (with comments and all I think).

I don't really think XML is any better than INI files unless you have a huge tree-structure. So far Command= is the only thing that needs "commatext" and that works pretty well for that. My point of re-structuring was to decrease the length of the INI and organize the images, panels and their settings (as well as the programs) in to their own directories. I'm still thinking about it. I will consider XML, it just doesn't seem to help off the top of my head.

Yes, it will. The question is should it ONLY point to a script, or are we going to support our own script language too (as we currently do with SendKeys and as I planned to do with show/hide/enable/dissable "button groups"). If we do support our own script, how much of the AutoItX commands do I need to include Vs. just letting people point to an AutoIt file if they need to run advanced script commands.

RPM_VR4 · 07-10-2005, 12:17 AM

Well, we still need our stuff to show/hide buttons (unless they will only be showed/hidden when a new panel opens or closes).

The question is, should we allow things such as:
Command=Focus('GPS Info'),Send(Enter)
...which will then use AutoItX to do that stuff.

...or, should we just force people to use:
Command=MenuButton.au3
...and have AutoIt.exe installed?

0l33l · 07-10-2005, 12:24 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by RPM_VR4

Well, we still need our stuff to show/hide buttons (unless they will only be showed/hidden when a new panel opens or closes).

The question is, should we allow things such as:
Command=Focus('GPS Info'),Send(Enter)
...which will then use AutoItX to do that stuff.

...or, should we just force people to use:
Command=MenuButton.au3
...and have AutoIt.exe installed?

Can AutoIt even focus on the GPS info by itself?