Dynamic Graphics without Flicker (GUICtrlCreateGraphic, GUICtrlSetGraphic)

[RichardL]

I realised that I'd never used AutoIt to draw anything, and assumed that it didn't have pixel, line, circle etc.  I looked in the help and found GUICtrlCreateGraphic and  GUICtrlSetGraphic - wow, fantastic.  Then I tried something dynamic and saw the flicker problem, which makes it useless for most things I'd want to do.  There are several forum topics about the flicker, usually recommending using other graphic methods.  There's one >topic with a post by Detefon  that has the answer, but without sufficient recognition.

With the $WS_EX_COMPOSITED option the flicker is gone, and the 'wow fantastic' status is restored. (I've only tested on XP, and there are threads that indicate that it may flicker on W7.)

The code below is the help example from GUICtrlCreateGraphic,
 + the bezier graphic from the GUICtrlSetGraphic help
 + a label by each graphic to make it easier to see which code makes each graphic.
 + a dynamic bar derived from Detefon's bar.
 

expandcollapse popup

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <StaticConstants.au3>
#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

Global $MAXGr = 6, $del
Global $a[$MAXGr + 1] ; 0 and $MAXGr entries not used to allow GUICtrlDelete result

Example()

Func Example()
    Local $msg, $inc, $i
    Local $sec, $prev_sec = -1

    $gr = CreateChild()

    $i = 1
    $inc = 1
    ; Loop until the user exits.
    Do
        $msg = GUIGetMsg()

        If $msg = $del Then
            GUICtrlDelete($a[$i])
            $i = $i + $inc
            If $i < 0 Or $i > $MAXGr Then Exit
        EndIf
        If $msg > 0 Then MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "clicked", $msg & @CRLF & $a[5], 2)

    $height = 5
    $sec = @SEC
    $bar_a = $sec

    If $sec <> $prev_sec Then
        If $sec = 0 Then
            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xD0E3D3, 0xD0E3D3)
            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_RECT, 1, 1, 59, $height * 3 -1  )
        Else
            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xDE8D69, 0xDE8D69)
            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_RECT, 1, 1, $bar_a, $height)

            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xBE371C, 0xBE371C)
            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_RECT, 1, $height , $bar_a, $height)

            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0x540404, 0x540404)
            GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_RECT, 1, $height * 2, $bar_a, $height)
        EndIf
        GUICtrlSetGraphic($gr, $GUI_GR_REFRESH)
    $prev_sec = $sec
    EndIf

    Until $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
EndFunc   ;==>Example

Func CreateChild()
    GUICreate("My Draw", Default, Default, Default, -1, -1, $WS_EX_COMPOSITED)
    $del = GUICtrlCreateButton("Delete", 50, 165, 50)

    GUICtrlCreateLabel("G1", 20, 35, 30, 15)
    $a[1] = GUICtrlCreateGraphic(20, 50, 100, 100)
    GUICtrlSetBkColor(-1, 0xffffff)
    GUICtrlSetColor(-1, 0)

    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xff0000, 0xff0000)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_PIE, 50, 50, 40, 30, 270)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0x00ff00, 0xffffff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_PIE, 58, 50, 40, -60, 90)

    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_ELLIPSE, 100, 100, 50, 80)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0x00ff00, 0xc0c0ff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_RECT, 350, 200, 50, 80)
    GUICtrlCreateLabel("label", 65, 100, 30)
    GUICtrlSetColor(-1, 0xff)

    GUICtrlCreateLabel("G2", 220, 45, 30, 15)
    $a[2] = GUICtrlCreateGraphic(220, 50, 100, 100)
    GUICtrlSetStyle(-1, $SS_NOTIFY)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0, 0xff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_PIE, 50, 50, 40, 30, 270)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0x00ff00, 0xffffff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_PIE, 58, 50, 40, -60, 90)

    GUICtrlCreateLabel("G3", 220, 135, 30, 15)
    $a[3] = GUICtrlCreateGraphic(220, 150, 100, 100, 0)
    GUICtrlSetBkColor(-1, 0xf08080)
    GUICtrlSetColor(-1, 0xff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xff00)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_RECT, 50, 50, 80, 80)


    GUICtrlCreateLabel("G4", 20, 185, 30, 15)
    $a[4] = GUICtrlCreateGraphic(20, 200, 80, 80)
    GUICtrlSetState(-1, $GUI_DISABLE)
    GUICtrlSetBkColor(-1, 0xffffff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_MOVE, 10, 10)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_LINE, 30, 40)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xff00)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_LINE, 70, 70)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xff0000)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_LINE, 10, 50)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xffff00)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_LINE, 10, 10)


    GUICtrlCreateLabel("G5", 150, 0, 30, 15)
    $a[5] = GUICtrlCreateGraphic(150, 15, 50, 50, 0)
    GUICtrlSetBkColor(-1, 0xa0ffa0)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_MOVE, 20, 20) ; start point
    ; it is better to draw line and after point
    ; to avoid to switch color at each drawing
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0x0000ff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_DOT, 30, 30)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_LINE, 20, 40)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0xff0000)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_DOT, 25, 25)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_LINE, 40, 40)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_DOT, 40, 40)

    GUICtrlCreateLabel("G6", 110, 245, 30, 15)
    $a[6] = GUICtrlCreateGraphic(110, 260, 230, 130)
    GUICtrlSetColor(-1, 0) ; to display a black border line
    GUICtrlSetBkColor(-1, 0xc0c0ff)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_HINT, 3) ; to display control lines and end points

    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_COLOR, 0, 0xff); fill in blue
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_MOVE, 120, 20) ; start point
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_BEZIER, 120, 100, 200, 20, 200, 100)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_BEZIER + $GUI_GR_CLOSE, 100, 40, 40, 100, 40, 20)
    GUICtrlSetGraphic(-1, $GUI_GR_LINE, 60, 30) ; start point


    GUICtrlCreateLabel("G7", 280, 0, 30, 15)
    $gr = GUICtrlCreateGraphic(280, 15, 61, 16)
    GUICtrlSetColor(-1, 0) ; to display a black border line



    GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)
    Return $gr
EndFunc   ;==>CreateChild

[Vincor]

Tried briefly on W7 x64 - no flickering with $WS_EX_COMPOSITED, some flickering when removing it. Wow