How to Make a Builder that Adds a Custom VCR Control to a Form

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0 and 3.0b

SUMMARY

This article shows you how to make a builder that adds an instance of the VCR class to your form allowing the user to customize it with the .ico files that come with the Professional version of Visual FoxPro.

MORE INFORMATION

The following procedure creates a builder that uses a graphical option- group control to allow the user to pick a navigation button style. After the user selects a style, the builder creates an instance of the VCR class on the form. The VCR class is in the Buttons.vcx file located in the Vfp\Samples\Controls directory.

Make sure that you've completed a full installation of the Professional edition before using the following procedure to create the builder.

Step-by-Step Procedure to Create the New Builder

1. Type the following command in the Command window to create a form class, and modify it in the Visual Class Designer:

   CREATE CLASS navbutton AS form OF nvbuild.vcx

2. Set the following properties for the class:

      Property      Value
      ---------------------------------------
      BackColor     192,192,192
      Height        250
      Left          260
      Top           144
      Caption       Navigation Button Builder
      MinButton     .F.
      MaxButton     .F.
      Width         375
      WindowType    1-Modal
   
   

3. Add an OptionGroup control to the form, and set the following properties:

      Property      Value
      -------------------
      ButtonCount     9
      Height        148
      Left           15
      Top            17
      Width         148
   
   

4. From the properties sheet, select Option1, and set the following properties. Repeat this step for Option2, Option3, Option4, Option5, Option6, Option7, Option8 and Option9.

      Property        Value
      ------------------------
      Caption
      Style        1-Graphical
      Height          44
      Width           44
   
   

5. From the properties sheet, select the following objects and set their properties to the indicated value. All of the .ico files are located in the Samples\Graphics\Icons\Arrows directory off the main Visual FoxPro directory.

      Property        Value
      ------------------------
      Option1
      Left                 5
      Top                  5
      Picture       arw01rt.ico
   
      Option2
      Left                52
      Top                  5
      Picture       arw03rt.ico
   
      Option3
      Left                99
      Top                  5
      Picture       arw06rt.ico
   
      Option4
      Left: 5
      Top: 51
      Picture       arw02rt.ico
   
      Option5
      Left                52
      Top                 51
      Picture:      arw05rt.ico
   
      Option6
      Left                 99
      Top                  51
      Picture       arw07rt.ico
   
      Option7
      Left                  5
      Top                  98
      Picture       arw04rt.ico
   
      Option8
      Left                 52
      Top                  98
      Picture       arw08rt.ico
   
      Option9
      Left                 99
      Top                  98
      Picture       point04.ico
   
   

6. Add a command button to the form, and set its caption to OK. Add the following code to its Click event:

   SET CLASSLIB TO SYS(2004)-"samples\controls\buttons.vcx" ADDITIVE

         DO CASE
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 1
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW01"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 2
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW03"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 3
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW06"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 4
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW02"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 5
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW05"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 6
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW07"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 7
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW04"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 8
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\ARW08"
         CASE THISFORM.OptionGroup1.Value = 9
           THISFORM.Tag=SYS(2004)-"samples\graphics\ICONS\ARROWS\POINT"
      ENDCASE
   
      = ASELOBJ(aContainer,1)
      aContainer[1].ADDOBJECT("Myvcr","vcr")
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.Height=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.Width=185
   
      * Up button
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdTop.Height=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdTop.Width=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdTop.Caption=""
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdTop.picture = ThisForm.Tag- ;
          IIF(RIGHT(ThisForm.Tag,5)="POINT","05","UP")-".ICO"
   
      * Left button
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdPrior.Height=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdPrior.Width=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdPrior.Caption=""
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdPrior.picture = ThisForm.Tag- ;
          IIF(RIGHT(ThisForm.Tag,5)="POINT","02","LT")-".ICO"
   
      * Right button
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdNext.Height=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdNext.Width=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdNext.Caption=""
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdNext.picture = ThisForm.Tag- ;
          IIF(RIGHT(ThisForm.Tag,5)="POINT","04","RT")-".ICO"
   
      * Down button
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdBottom.Height=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdBottom.Width=40
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdBottom.Caption=""
      aContainer[1].Myvcr.cmdBottom.picture = ThisForm.Tag- ;
          IIF(RIGHT(ThisForm.Tag,5)="POINT","03","DN")-".ICO"
   
      THISFORM.Release
   
   

7. Add another command button to the form, and set its caption to Cancel. Add the following command to its Click event:

   THISFORM.Release

8. Add the following command to the Init event of the form:

   PARAMETERS uP1,uP2,uP3

9. Save the class. To register this builder, add a new record to the Builder.dbf table located in the Wizards directory, and enter the following values into the appropriate fields:

      NAME       Navigation Button Builder
      DESCRIPT   Applies a set of customized navigation buttons onto a form
      TYPE       FORM
      CLASSLIB   NVBUILD.VCX
      CLASSNAME  NAVBUTTON
   
   

10. Copy Nvzbuild.vcx and Nvbuild.vct to the Wizards directory.

Steps to Use the New Builder

To use the builder, create a new form, and then either:

• Right-click the form, and select Builder.

  -or-

• Click the Builder icon in the Properties sheet.