gamedevlists-windows — List for discussing game development on the Windows platform

[GD-Windows] CreateDialog failure

[Pierre T. <p.t...@wa...>]

Hi,

I create a dialog using something like :

handle =3D CreateDialog(
      hInstance,
      MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_DIALOG1),
      hWnd,
      NULL);

But returned handle is null, which means (I guess) something went wrong.

So I tried :

  DWORD Er =3D GetLastError();

Then retrieving the error string using FormatMessage (using the code =
snippet from the MSDN). But it doesn't help since error code is 0 and =
the translated string says there was no error.

Hmm. What do I do now ?
What are the usual reasons for CreateDialog to fail ?

In case it's important, the call takes place in a DLL dynamically loaded =
by a 3DS MAX plug-in, and hInstance and hWnd used to create the dialog =
are the ones from the MAX plug.

Pierre

[GD-Windows] OT:DirectX Game Engine

[Weston F. <we...@ml...>]

<I hope this isn't too far off topic here, If it is please forgive me>

I'm looking for suggestion on which 3D Engine to use in my Game.. If you =
know of any that are decent ones that support DirectX (hoping for DX7 =
and above) please email me off list.

Thanks
Weston Fryatt
we...@ml...   =20

Re: [GD-Windows] set display mode - refresh rate problem

[Ken P. <ke...@dr...>]

G'day!

There's no mention of it in the ChangeDisplaySettings but if you look up 
the DEVMODE structure it has this:

dmDisplayFrequency
Specifies the frequency, in hertz (cycles per second), of the display 
device in a particular mode. This value is also known as the display 
device's vertical refresh rate. Display drivers use this member. It is 
used, for example, in the ChangeDisplaySettings function. Printer drivers 
do not use this member.
When you call the EnumDisplaySettings function, the dmDisplayFrequency 
member may return with the value 0 or 1. These values represent the display 
hardware's default refresh rate. This default rate is typically set by 
switches on a display card or computer motherboard, or by a configuration 
program that does not use display functions such as ChangeDisplaySettings.


While that implies that 0 or 1 are valid, it doesn't guarantee it's safe 
unless the enumeration returns a 0 or 1.  I suppose you could try the mode 
and show it for 10-15 seconds, then ask the user if it was visible. You'd 
only have to do it once with a config utility (tho offer the option to 
re-run the config if they change hardware) and save your safe values.  It's 
not an uncommon thing in Display Settings config utilities.

Stay Casual,

Ken

At 07:54 AM 8/19/2002, Ivan-Assen Ivanov wrote:
>Hello,
>
>It turned out we do the wrong way something as simple as resolution switching,
>enumerating the display modes at the desired resolution,
>then switching to the last of them - which, if you have a good
>videocard on a crappy non-configured monitor, results in
>out of synch black screen.
>
>I found something with Google about supplying
>ChangeDisplaySettings with "0" or "1" instead of hertz value
>for the refresh rate, which supposedly sets some kind of "default",
>but I can't find any official documentation on it.
>
>How do you handle display mode switching?
>
>regards,
>Assen
>
>
>
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RE: [GD-Windows] set display mode - refresh rate problem

[Jon W. <hp...@mi...>]

> then switching to the last of them - which, if you have a good
> videocard on a crappy non-configured monitor, results in
> out of synch black screen.

I get the hertz rate of the monitor when the app starts, and then when 
I switch resolution, I try to find the same rate at the new resolution, 
or one that's lower.

Cheers,

				/ h+

[GD-Windows] set display mode - refresh rate problem

[Ivan-Assen I. <as...@ha...>]

Hello,

It turned out we do the wrong way something as simple as resolution switching,
enumerating the display modes at the desired resolution,
then switching to the last of them - which, if you have a good
videocard on a crappy non-configured monitor, results in
out of synch black screen.

I found something with Google about supplying 
ChangeDisplaySettings with "0" or "1" instead of hertz value
for the refresh rate, which supposedly sets some kind of "default",
but I can't find any official documentation on it.

How do you handle display mode switching?

regards,
Assen

Re: [GD-Windows] Disabling windows key, etc. reference

[Javier A. <ja...@py...>]

brian hook <bri...@py...> wrote:

> I found this MSDN article which covers how to disable task switching,
> etc. under Win2K/XP/NT:
>
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/09/CQA/default.aspx

That's a nasty thing to do, and hopefully works ONLY if you run the game
with admin privileges.

  Javier Arevalo
  Pyro Studios

[GD-Windows] Disabling windows key, etc. reference

[brian h. <bri...@py...>]

I found this MSDN article which covers how to disable task switching, 
etc. under Win2K/XP/NT:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/09/CQA/default.aspx

[GD-Windows] internationalization

[Daniel V. <vo...@ep...>]

Does anyone know how to get from a language id returned from say
GetUserDefaultLangID to a three letter language abbreviation like ENU, ENS,
HUN, ...?

Thanks,

-- Daniel, Epic Games Inc.

RE: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing

[Brian S. <bs...@mi...>]

My MSDN (July 2001, guess I need to update) says:

	The process handle passed to SymInitialize can be=20
	any unique value, except in the case=20
	when fInvadeProcess is TRUE.=20

This is why you might see sample code from John Robbins that just uses
"(HANDLE)1" as the first argument; if he's setting fInvadeProcess to
false, it doesn't really matter what value he uses.

It also says:

	hProcess=20
	[in] Handle to the process for which symbols are=20
	to be maintained. If the application is a debugger,=20
	use the process handle for the object being debugged,=20
	otherwise use the GetCurrentProcess function=20
	to obtain the process handle.=20
	Windows 95/98/Me: Use the process identifier, not=20
	the process handle.=20

That last bit is key.  On 2000 and XP, you can use GetCurrentProcess()
to get a pseudo-handle to the process or you can call OpenProcess(...as
below...) to get a real handle to it.  Both should work AFAIK.

On 95/98/Me, you would instead use (HANDLE)GetCurrentProcessId().  This
doesn't mean that the process ID is a substitute for the process handle,
this is just a quirk of dbghelp (again AFAIK).  (and Windows Me is a 9x
variant, Colin accidentally lumped it in with 2k and XP)

I sent Colin some code that handles all these variations, but I
unfortunately only have it on at home - on my Macintosh :).  Feel free
to ping him for a copy, or I can post it to the list later if it would
be helpful...

--brian

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Timur Davidenko [mailto:ti...@cr...]=20
> Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:26 AM
> To: Gam...@li...
> Subject: RE: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing
>=20
>=20
> Actually mine MSDN (VS.Net) says:
>=20
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> ------------
> SymInitialize
> BOOL SymInitialize(
>   HANDLE hProcess,    =20
>   PSTR UserSearchPath, =20
>   BOOL fInvadeProcess =20
> );
>=20
> hProcess=20
> [in] Handle to the process for which symbols are to be=20
> maintained. If the application is a debugger, use the process=20
> handle for the object being debugged, otherwise use the=20
> GetCurrentProcess function to obtain the process handle.=20
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> ------------
>=20
> and i use GetCurrentProcess() and everything works...
> so i dont sure why you use this GetCurrentProcessId() and it=20
> works, may be on win2k processId will be equal to process handle.
>=20
> _________________
> Timur Davidenko.
> Crytek Studios (www.crytek.com)
>=20
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Colin Fahey [mailto:cp...@ea...]
> > Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 3:32 AM
> > To: Colin Fahey; Gam...@li...
> > Subject: Re: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> > 2002 August 7th
> > Wednesday
> >=20
> >=20
> > In the e-mail I posted three seconds ago, I wrote:
> > =
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=

> >=20
> > [5] It is absolutely critical to use the proper HANDLE to
> >   indicate the process in all of the symbol handler functions.
> >   You must determine your platform, and then:
> >=20
> >   [a] Under Windows 98, use the following HANDLE:
> >=20
> >          ::OpenProcess(PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, FALSE,=20
> > ::GetCurrentProcessId());
> >=20
> >   [b] Under Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me, use the=20
> > following HANDLE:
> >=20
> >          (HANDLE)GetCurrentProcessId()
> >=20
> > =
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=

> >=20
> > But I mixed up [a] and [b]!  The HANDLE's should be swapped!
> >=20
> > Yes...It is "absolutely critical" to use the proper handle... ;-)
> >=20
> > So much for my "public service" effort!
> >=20
> > --- Colin

RE: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing

[Andrew G. <ag...@cl...>]

No such function exists because that type of functionality is very OS
dependent.

If you need the callstack reread the mails on this subject that were =
just
sent, they're full of pointers about how to do what you want.

Andrew Grant-
Climax Brighton=20



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Per L=F8vmo [mailto:Per...@ep...]
> Sent: 14 August 2002 09:33
> To: Gam...@li...
> Subject: RE: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing
>=20
>=20
> As an extra question on this topic. Does any of you know of a=20
> c-function
> that gives you the current stack, so that I can find out what=20
> the call stack
> is and print it for tracing ???
>=20
> Per
> "Allys are enemys too strong to be defeated, yet to weak to=20
> defeat you."
>=20
>=20

RE: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing

[<Per...@ep...>]

As an extra question on this topic. Does any of you know of a c-function
that gives you the current stack, so that I can find out what the call stack
is and print it for tracing ???

Per
"Allys are enemys too strong to be defeated, yet to weak to defeat you."

RE: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing

[Timur D. <ti...@cr...>]

Actually mine MSDN (VS.Net) says:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-
SymInitialize
BOOL SymInitialize(
  HANDLE hProcess,    =20
  PSTR UserSearchPath, =20
  BOOL fInvadeProcess =20
);

hProcess=20
[in] Handle to the process for which symbols are to be maintained. If =
the application is a debugger, use the process handle for the object =
being debugged, otherwise use the GetCurrentProcess function to obtain =
the process handle.=20
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-

and i use GetCurrentProcess() and everything works...
so i dont sure why you use this GetCurrentProcessId() and it works, may =
be on win2k processId will be equal to process handle.

_________________
Timur Davidenko.
Crytek Studios (www.crytek.com)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Colin Fahey [mailto:cp...@ea...]
> Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002 3:32 AM
> To: Colin Fahey; Gam...@li...
> Subject: Re: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing
>=20
>=20
>=20
> 2002 August 7th
> Wednesday
>=20
>=20
> In the e-mail I posted three seconds ago, I wrote:
> =
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=

>=20
> [5] It is absolutely critical to use the proper HANDLE to
>   indicate the process in all of the symbol handler functions.
>   You must determine your platform, and then:
>=20
>   [a] Under Windows 98, use the following HANDLE:
>=20
>          ::OpenProcess(PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, FALSE,=20
> ::GetCurrentProcessId());
>=20
>   [b] Under Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me, use the=20
> following HANDLE:
>=20
>          (HANDLE)GetCurrentProcessId()
>=20
> =
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=

>=20
> But I mixed up [a] and [b]!  The HANDLE's should be swapped!
>=20
> Yes...It is "absolutely critical" to use the proper handle... ;-)
>=20
> So much for my "public service" effort!
>=20
> --- Colin
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> -------------------------------------------------------
> This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek
> Welcome to geek heaven.
> http://thinkgeek.com/sf
> _______________________________________________
> Gamedevlists-windows mailing list
> Gam...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gamedevlists-windows
> Archives:
> http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum_id=3D555
>=20

RE: [GD-Windows] demo scene? party organizers?

[Philip T. <pt...@mi...>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Javier Arevalo [mailto:ja...@py...]=20
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 5:56 AM
To: Gam...@li...
Subject: Re: [GD-Windows] demo scene? party organizers?

Rich <leg...@xm...> wrote:

> Is anyone here familiar with the demo scene?  I imagine the answer is
> yes.

I was active a few years ago, just an active observer now.

> I'm starting to organize a demo scene party to be held in Salt Lake
> City no earlier than 2003.  I'm interested in contacting other party
> organizers to gain from their experiences.  In particular I'd like to
> contact the organizers of any of these demoscene parties:

Wow the return of the american demoscene! That's going to create some
interest, despite the argument you got yourself into in the scene
newsgroups
last week (the whole thread was hilarious, not a surprise in csipd).
Possible steps to take:

 - Post in comp.sys.ibm.pc.demos - many people read.
 - www.pouet.net and www.ojuice.org
 - I know a few people in the US who are still interested in the scene,
my
brother among them, so I could try to get you a list. One of them used
to
compile a contact list of former sceners who are now working in the
games
industry. He usually arranges a meeting at E3 every year, but I have
unfortunately been unable to join them the past two years. Similar thing
happens at the GDC I think.

>Yes, the last 2 years the DOG has had a presentation at GDC.

 - Siggraph last year had some form of "Demoscene Outreach Event" or
something similar - I could search the name of the guy in charge, my
brother
knows him.

>Yes, Vincent Scheib is point man for the DOG, see
http://www.scene.org/dog


IIRC the main problems when organizing a demoparty in the US were:

 - US sceners are noisy but scarce, and the concept seems fairly alien
to
most people there.
 - distances to travel are very long.
 - people were not allowed to sleep at the partyplace, or have computers
&
music playing at night, for that matter (a "legal fines" part in the
budget
is typical in european parties).

If someone is curious to see what a medium-size demoparty looks like, I
got
a few pics from the last Euskal Party in San Sebastian (Spain) last
summer:
www.iguanademos.com/Jare/EuskalX

This is fairly offtopic so I won't follow this up in the list.

  Javier Arevalo
  Pyro Studios




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Re: [GD-Windows] demo scene? party organizers?

[Javier A. <ja...@py...>]

Rich <leg...@xm...> wrote:

> Is anyone here familiar with the demo scene?  I imagine the answer is
> yes.

I was active a few years ago, just an active observer now.

> I'm starting to organize a demo scene party to be held in Salt Lake
> City no earlier than 2003.  I'm interested in contacting other party
> organizers to gain from their experiences.  In particular I'd like to
> contact the organizers of any of these demoscene parties:

Wow the return of the american demoscene! That's going to create some
interest, despite the argument you got yourself into in the scene newsgroups
last week (the whole thread was hilarious, not a surprise in csipd).
Possible steps to take:

 - Post in comp.sys.ibm.pc.demos - many people read.
 - www.pouet.net and www.ojuice.org
 - I know a few people in the US who are still interested in the scene, my
brother among them, so I could try to get you a list. One of them used to
compile a contact list of former sceners who are now working in the games
industry. He usually arranges a meeting at E3 every year, but I have
unfortunately been unable to join them the past two years. Similar thing
happens at the GDC I think.
 - Siggraph last year had some form of "Demoscene Outreach Event" or
something similar - I could search the name of the guy in charge, my brother
knows him.

IIRC the main problems when organizing a demoparty in the US were:

 - US sceners are noisy but scarce, and the concept seems fairly alien to
most people there.
 - distances to travel are very long.
 - people were not allowed to sleep at the partyplace, or have computers &
music playing at night, for that matter (a "legal fines" part in the budget
is typical in european parties).

If someone is curious to see what a medium-size demoparty looks like, I got
a few pics from the last Euskal Party in San Sebastian (Spain) last summer:
www.iguanademos.com/Jare/EuskalX

This is fairly offtopic so I won't follow this up in the list.

  Javier Arevalo
  Pyro Studios

Re: [GD-Windows] Outlook Express crash

[Ivan-Assen I. <as...@ha...>]

> You're not going to like my answer, but my suggestion is to find
> a mail client that follows the standards and that actually works.
> 
> Eudora, Pegasus, The Bat, Poco, Netscape are all credible mail
> programs; each has advantages. I use The Bat because it has excellent
> scripting and filtering, but it's weird in other ways.

I *hate* Outlook Express and its lack of scripting. Once in a few months
I get bitten by the "I need to change my e-mail client NOW" bug and waste
half a day in downloading weird clients. At the end of the day, I stick
to Outlook Express.

Either they can't handle gracefully a folder with 
20 000 messages (my [algo] archive) - e.g. The Bat, or 
can't import seamlessly my Outlook Express folders - e.g. PocoMail,
or take up 35 MB of memory and boot in something like 20 seconds -
e.g. Mozilla.

Last time I tried Outlook [non-Express], it took on the order of 20 minutes
to import my Outlook Express folders. Later it turned out that it had
uploaded them, all 400 MB, to IMAP folders on our Exchange server!

This neverending joy of alternate mail clients makes me stick to Outlook
Express as the least evil. I guess some of the OE users (victims) share
my reasons for this.

Regards,
Assen

[GD-Windows] demo scene? party organizers?

[Rich <leg...@xm...>]

Is anyone here familiar with the demo scene?  I imagine the answer is
yes.

I'm starting to organize a demo scene party to be held in Salt Lake
City no earlier than 2003.  I'm interested in contacting other party
organizers to gain from their experiences.  In particular I'd like to
contact the organizers of any of these demoscene parties:

    NAID '95
    NAID '96
    Spring Break '98
    Spring Break '99
    Coma '99
    Coma '00
    Coma 3

-- 
Ask me about my upcoming book on Direct3D from Addison-Wesley!
Direct3D Book <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/>
    izfree: Open source tools for Windows Installer
	    <http://izfree.sourceforge.net>

Re: [GD-Windows] Outlook Express crash

[Kent Q. <ken...@co...>]

You're not going to like my answer, but my suggestion is to find
a mail client that follows the standards and that actually works.

Eudora, Pegasus, The Bat, Poco, Netscape are all credible mail
programs; each has advantages. I use The Bat because it has excellent
scripting and filtering, but it's weird in other ways.

I know many people -- including developers -- who use Outlook and/or
Outlook Express, and both programs constantly do things that their
users don't understand. This is just another example. All of the ones
above work fairly well, and more importantly, they're not mysterious.

  Kent

Monday, August 12, 2002, 10:07:28 AM, gamedevlists-windows-admin wrote:

> I have a rather annoying problem since last week.

> In short, I get some mails that make Outlook Express crash *before*
> displaying the mail, and in any case before removing it from the mail
> server.

> Which means that :
> - I run Outlook Express
> - it checks the mails, crashes, exits
> - same story if I run it again (the usual text saying "hey I've crashed so I
> don't display last email just in case" doesn't show up, since basically it
> never even displayed the offending mail once)

> That's annoying because it means, uh, I can't read my mails anymore. I
> currently have to go directly to the mail server to kill the guilty mail.

> The crash looks like that, even if that probably doesn't help:
> http://www.codercorner.com/Msimm.jpg

> I tried changing the encoding and various options in Outlook, with no luck.

> Any idea ? I'm bored to death.

> Pierre

> PS : and of course the crashing mail is some f*****g spam for some business
> crap program, with no apparent way to remove my address from their mailing
> list.




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-- 
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ken...@co...
http://www.cognitoy.com

RE: [GD-Windows] Outlook Express crash

[Andrew G. <ag...@cl...>]

Business spam sucks...

Don't you just hate it when people fill your mailbox with things that are
totally unrelated to what you expect to get?


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pierre Terdiman [mailto:p.t...@wa...]
> Sent: 12 August 2002 15:07
> To: gam...@li...
> Subject: [GD-Windows] Outlook Express crash
> 
> 
> I have a rather annoying problem since last week.
> 
> In short, I get some mails that make Outlook Express crash *before*
> displaying the mail, and in any case before removing it from the mail
> server.
> 
> Which means that :
> - I run Outlook Express
> - it checks the mails, crashes, exits
> - same story if I run it again (the usual text saying "hey 
> I've crashed so I
> don't display last email just in case" doesn't show up, since 
> basically it
> never even displayed the offending mail once)
> 
> That's annoying because it means, uh, I can't read my mails anymore. I
> currently have to go directly to the mail server to kill the 
> guilty mail.
> 
> The crash looks like that, even if that probably doesn't help:
> http://www.codercorner.com/Msimm.jpg
> 
> I tried changing the encoding and various options in Outlook, 
> with no luck.
> 
> Any idea ? I'm bored to death.
> 
> Pierre
> 
> PS : and of course the crashing mail is some f*****g spam for 
> some business
> crap program, with no apparent way to remove my address from 
> their mailing
> list.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------
> This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek
> Welcome to geek heaven.
> http://thinkgeek.com/sf
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> Archives:
> http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum_id=555
> 

[GD-Windows] Outlook Express crash

[Pierre T. <p.t...@wa...>]

I have a rather annoying problem since last week.

In short, I get some mails that make Outlook Express crash *before*
displaying the mail, and in any case before removing it from the mail
server.

Which means that :
- I run Outlook Express
- it checks the mails, crashes, exits
- same story if I run it again (the usual text saying "hey I've crashed so I
don't display last email just in case" doesn't show up, since basically it
never even displayed the offending mail once)

That's annoying because it means, uh, I can't read my mails anymore. I
currently have to go directly to the mail server to kill the guilty mail.

The crash looks like that, even if that probably doesn't help:
http://www.codercorner.com/Msimm.jpg

I tried changing the encoding and various options in Outlook, with no luck.

Any idea ? I'm bored to death.

Pierre

PS : and of course the crashing mail is some f*****g spam for some business
crap program, with no apparent way to remove my address from their mailing
list.

Re: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing

[Colin F. <cp...@ea...>]

2002 August 7th
Wednesday


In the e-mail I posted three seconds ago, I wrote:
==================================================

[5] It is absolutely critical to use the proper HANDLE to
  indicate the process in all of the symbol handler functions.
  You must determine your platform, and then:

  [a] Under Windows 98, use the following HANDLE:

         ::OpenProcess(PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, FALSE, ::GetCurrentProcessId());

  [b] Under Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me, use the following HANDLE:

         (HANDLE)GetCurrentProcessId()

==================================================

But I mixed up [a] and [b]!  The HANDLE's should be swapped!

Yes...It is "absolutely critical" to use the proper handle... ;-)

So much for my "public service" effort!

--- Colin

Re: [GD-Windows] Finding routine that's crashing

[Colin F. <cp...@ea...>]

2002 August 7th
Wednesday

First, I want to thank all of the people on this list
who shared their code and offered suggestions on how
to get a stack trace of the location of a crash.
In particular, I want to thank Brian Sharon for
following up my most recent clarification questions.


I am going to describe my paranoid, and very likely
insane, method for getting the crash trace code to
work:


[1] Under Windows 2000, install Visual Studio .NET, and you
should get the following files:

  [a] c:\program files\microsoft visual studio .net\
       vc7\platformsdk\include\dbghelp.h
     (68,880 bytes; June 9, 2001)

  [b] c:\program files\microsoft visual studio .net\
       vc7\platformsdk\lib\dbghelp.lib
     (23,316 bytes; June 9, 2001)

  [c] c:\program files\microsoft visual studio .net\
       common7\ide\dbghelp.dll
     (486,400 bytes; September 5, 2001)


[2] Copy the files mentioned above to a single folder,
   and copy this folder to your Windows 98 machine.

[3] Under Windows 98, copy the files from the folder
   mentioned in step [2] in to the root of your
   C++ application project folder.

[4] Make sure your C++ source file with the symbol
  handling code has something like this:

    #include <windows.h>

    // The following #define prevents an error
    // in "DbgHelp.h" due to deprecation of
    // functions.  I don't know the "proper"
    // way other than using this #define.
    #define _IMAGEHLP_SOURCE_
   
    #include "Dbghelp.h"

[5] It is absolutely critical to use the proper HANDLE to
  indicate the process in all of the symbol handler functions.
  You must determine your platform, and then:

  [a] Under Windows 98, use the following HANDLE:

         ::OpenProcess(PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, FALSE, ::GetCurrentProcessId());

  [b] Under Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me, use the following HANDLE:

         (HANDLE)GetCurrentProcessId()

  You will use the appropriate HANDLE ([a] or [b]) for all symbol
  handler functions, including the following:

         SymInitialize(...)
         StackWalk(...)
         SymGetModuleInfo(...)
         SymGetSymFromAddr(...)
         SymGetLineFromAddr(...)

Anyhow, these are what I consider to be the critical steps in
getting started with symbol handling and stack tracing.

Here are examples of what you get for various kinds of
"Release" builds:


[1] Default (no debugging info, no program database (PDB)):
-----------------------------------------------------------

FATAL ERROR: Unhandled exception.
             Program address: 0x00401058.
             Offending thread: 0xFFFB678D.
             Exception: Integer divide-by-zero.
             OS info: Windows 98 4.10 (build 1998).
               0x00401058  <CRASH_TRACE>
               0x00401EAB  <CRASH_TRACE>
               0xBFF8B537  <KERNEL32>
               0xBFF8B3E9  <KERNEL32>
               0xBFF89DAC  <KERNEL32>

  NOTE: As you can see, you don't get function names.


[2] Program database (PDB), but no debugging info:
-----------------------------------------------------------

FATAL ERROR: Unhandled exception.
             Program address: 0x00401058.
             Offending thread: 0xFFF9FF69.
             Exception: Integer divide-by-zero.
             OS info: Windows 98 4.10 (build 1998).
               0x00401058  main
               0x00401F0F  mainCRTStartup
               0xBFF8B537  <KERNEL32>
               0xBFF8B3E9  <KERNEL32>
               0xBFF89DAC  <KERNEL32>

  NOTE: In this case you get function names, but no
  line numbers.  (If you have a PDB file for
  kernel32.dll, I suppose you could get function
  names for that module also.)


[3] Program database (PDB), and debugging info
  (Microsoft debugging info format, "Program Database"):
-----------------------------------------------------------

FATAL ERROR: Unhandled exception.
             Program address: 0x00401058.
             Offending thread: 0xFFF84B85.
             Exception: Integer divide-by-zero.
             OS info: Windows 98 4.10 (build 1998).
               0x00401058  main  (crash_trace.cpp, line 17) <CRASH_TRACE>
               0x00401F0F  mainCRTStartup
               0xBFF8B537  <KERNEL32>
               0xBFF8B3E9  <KERNEL32>
               0xBFF89DAC  <KERNEL32>


  NOTE: In this case you can get function names
  and line numbers. (If you have a PDB file for
  kernel32.dll, I suppose you could get function
  names for that module also.)

All of this is really great!  I am really excited by
the prospect of having my release applications essentially
debug themselves when a crash occurs.  Not that my applications
ever crash (except for the contrived example shown above)...
but it's nice to know that if it ever occurs, the app
will supply detailed information.  Maybe the Heisenberg
Uncertainty Principle will lead to pathological cases
in which the mere presence of debugging information in
the application will prevent or cause crashing, but I
will relish the irony!  (I've already experienced the
seriously demented case of an exception handler causing
yet another exception!)

Thanks again!  You know who you are.

--- Colin
cp...@ea...
www.colinfahey.com

RE: [GD-Windows] Image formats (was [Algorithms] Scrolling starfield)

[Matt N. <mat...@ni...>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: brian hook [mailto:bri...@py...]=20
> Sent: 31 July 2002 16:11
> To: gam...@li...
> Subject: Re: [GD-Windows] Image formats (was [Algorithms]=20
> Scrolling starfield)
>=20
>=20
> > What formats are people using for images these days? We're currently
> using
> > TGA which "suffices" but isn't great due to Adobe less than=20
> embracing
> the
> > concept of alpha channels.
>=20
> Photoshop 7 completely and utterly broke TGA support, but you can=20
> supposedly go back and get the TGA exporter from PS6 and copy=20
> up to PS7=20
> and it starts working again.
>=20
> This is OT, but damn, Adobe has the most piss poor attitude I've ever=20
> seen.  When this TGA screwup was brought to their attention, their=20
> response was three fold:
>=20
> - testers should have pointed it out to them, hence it's not=20
> their fault
>=20
> - no one mentioned that alpha was being used "that way" (for games)
>=20
> - using alpha channel "that way" is clearly against the spec,=20
> and game=20
> developers are relying on "broken" behaviour (i.e. TGA=20
> support in PS up=20
> through PS6), so it's really their fault
>=20

Isn't the way the alpha channel is used for games also the way alpha =
channels in PNGs work on the web? Now that Mozilla supports PNGs with =
alpha correctly I'd have thought that it would be quite an important =
thing for Photoshop to support properly. Perhaps pointing this out to =
them might give them more incentive to fix things?

Matt.

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.380 / Virus Database: 213 - Release Date: 24/07/2002
=20

Re: [GD-Windows] Detecting mouse exiting window?

[Javier A. <ja...@py...>]

Nicolas Romantzoff <nic...@fr...> wrote:

> 1. To capture the mouse on first WM_MOUSEMOVE received by window
> (mouse enters) 2. To get each single mouse move message afterward..
> Test if its outside of window..     If inside => 2
>     If outside => 3
> 3. Release mouse capture => 1

If you want to go ahead with that scheme, good luck... Remember:

 - Handle the WM_CAPTURECHANGED message
 - Check against the client rect so the the window controls (minimize, etc)
work.
 - Release the mouse whenever the window (NOT the app - might be a child
window) loses focus.
 - Make sure that all windows special keys work properly while the mouse is
captured - not sure if mouse capture affects that.
 - Whenever in doubt, Release the mouse - if it's on the window you'll
recapture it when it moves again.
 - Many other things I'm sure will go wrong.

The polling solution may be a hack but at least it's a compliant way to
overcome a limitation of Win95.

  Javier Arevalo
  Pyro Studios

RE: [GD-Windows] Detecting mouse exiting window?

[Nicolas R. <nic...@fr...>]

I guess the idea is:

1. To capture the mouse on first WM_MOUSEMOVE received by window (mouse enters)
2. To get each single mouse move message afterward.. Test if its outside of window..
    If inside => 2
    If outside => 3
3. Release mouse capture => 1

Nicolas.



-----Original Message-----
Brian Sharon
Sent: lundi 5 aout 2002 18:45
Subject: RE: [GD-Windows] Detecting mouse exiting window?

If your app captures the mouse all the time, it makes it pretty hard for
the user to click on other windows...

Capturing the mouse seems most useful for processing things like custom
buttons and drag-and-drop behaviors, where you need to get mouse down
messages and mouse up messages in pairs.  When they mouse down, you
capture the mouse; when they mouse up, you release it.

--brian

RE: [GD-Windows] Detecting mouse exiting window?

[Brian S. <bs...@mi...>]

If your app captures the mouse all the time, it makes it pretty hard for
the user to click on other windows...

Capturing the mouse seems most useful for processing things like custom
buttons and drag-and-drop behaviors, where you need to get mouse down
messages and mouse up messages in pairs.  When they mouse down, you
capture the mouse; when they mouse up, you release it.

--brian

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Julien Koenen [mailto:ma...@ju...]=20
> Sent: Monday, August 05, 2002 9:36 AM
> To: gam...@li...
> Subject: Re: [GD-Windows] Detecting mouse exiting window?
>=20
>=20
> Could you explain your Problem with this approach a little=20
> bit more precise
> ?
>=20
> Thanks
>=20
> Julien Koenen
>=20
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Javier Arevalo" <ja...@py...>
> To: <gam...@li...>
> Sent: Monday, August 05, 2002 9:09 AM
> Subject: Re: [GD-Windows] Detecting mouse exiting window?
>=20
>=20
> > Julien Koenen <ma...@ju...> wrote:
> >
> > > You can Capture the Mouse-Cursor.
> > > Than you will get all Mouse-Move-Messages and you can check if the
> > > Mouse-Pos is still in your Window.
> >
> >
> > I strongly advise against this. It will hurt you later with=20
> usability
> > problems when the user wonders why his mouse doesn't seem to work
> properly.
> >
> >   Javier Arevalo
> >   Pyro Studios