[Visualpython-users] feature request: window styles

[Rob S. <sa...@ph...>]

I am about to try the latest beta...
...but from peeking at the source, I thought I'd make a feature request
that I hope isn't too hard to implement.

In 4.0beta2's winrender_surface.cpp render_surface::create(),
there is a variable "style" which specifies the window parameters

(line 436)
if (!fullscreen)
   style = WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_CLIPCHILDREN | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS;

My suggestion: allow the VPython program to select some alternate
combinations of such properties at creation time.

A while back I had fooled around with my 2003-10-05 installations.
By trial and error, I made some alternative cvisual.dlls :

	style = WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_CLIPCHILDREN | WS_CLIPSIBLINGS;
	style = WS_DLGFRAME    | WS_POPUP;
	style = WS_POPUP; // frameless
	style = WS_DLGFRAME    | WS_POPUP; // border-only
	style = WS_POPUPWINDOW; // frameless with move/close
	style = WS_POPUPWINDOW | WS_CAPTION ; // bordered with move/close style =
WS_POPUP | WS_THICKFRAME; // bordered resizable
	style = WS_POPUPWINDOW | WS_THICKFRAME; // bordered resizable with
move/close
	//WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW gave the minimize/maximize/close options
	style = WS_POPUPWINDOW | WS_THICKFRAME; // bordered resizable with
move/close, topmost

At one point, I remember fooling around with a partially-transparent
scene... but I can find those files now.

Of course, one will lose some ability in moving, resizing, minimizing,
maximizing, and terminating with the mouse.  But there are alternate ways
to control this (e.g. via the taskbar, via a third-party program AutoIt),
if necessary.

Why do this?
I think some multi-scene applications (like in my relativity animations at
http://www.phy.syr.edu/courses/modules/LIGHTCONE/LightClock/ ) look nicer
and possibly more professional looking (better suited to screen capturing)
without the title bar, buttons, and borders.


rob salgado