Run a program inside a GUI?

[Gui]

Aye guys, title really says it. Let's say you have the Default Computer Calculator. Is it possible to run that Calculator inside a GUI?

Just curious.

GUI

[BobN]

This is how i do it..

if you're trying to open by hitting a button then put..

If $msg=$button1 Then

RunWait ("Calc.exe")

EndIf

That's if you want the calc button to be $button1

[FinalVersion]

@BobN

That would just run Windows Built in Calculator, I believe he is asking to run a program literally inside a GUI, and I doubt it's possible.

[GEOSoft]

Not unless you can figure out how to run it as an embedded object and I doubt that is possible with Calc. Someone else may have an idea but I don't think so.

[MHz]

Try this example

#Include <WinAPI.au3>

; create the AutoIt Gui
$hWndParent = GUICreate('AutoIt Gui')
GUISetState()

; run Calc
Run('calc')
Sleep(500)
WinWait('Calc')

; get the handle of the Calc window
$hWndChild = WinGetHandle('Calc')

; set child (Calc) to parent (AutoIt Gui)
_WinAPI_SetParent($hWndChild, $hWndParent)

While GUIGetMsg() <> -3
WEnd

Perhaps gives you something to work with.

[martin]

Try this example

#Include <WinAPI.au3>

; create the AutoIt Gui
$hWndParent = GUICreate('AutoIt Gui')
GUISetState()

; run Calc
Run('calc')
Sleep(500)
WinWait('Calc')

; get the handle of the Calc window
$hWndChild = WinGetHandle('Calc')

; set child (Calc) to parent (AutoIt Gui)
_WinAPI_SetParent($hWndChild, $hWndParent)

While GUIGetMsg() <> -3
WEnd

Perhaps gives you something to work with.

Whenever I have used that method I get 2 problems.

The first is that the child is not redrawn correctly, so I solve that by adding the style $WS_CLIPCHILDREN to the parent.

The second problem is that when the parent is dragged, Windows seems to loose track of where the child is and you can no longer drag the child if you move the parent far enough. (If the new position for the child caption overlaps the previous position then you can drag the child if you click in the overlapping area.)

So I solve that by moving the child twice, ie away and back, and then Window's 'memory' of the child position seems to get refreshed.

If there is a better way I would like to be told. (I possibly have been told and forgot though.)

expandcollapse popup

#Include <WinAPI.au3>
#include <constants.au3>
#include <windowsconstants.au3>
#include <guiconstantsEx.au3>

; create the AutoIt Gui
$hWndParent = GUICreate('AutoIt Gui')
GUISetState()

; run Calc
Run('calc')
Sleep(500)
WinWait('Calc')

; get the handle of the Calc window
$hWndChild = WinGetHandle('Calc')

; set child (Calc) to parent (AutoIt Gui)
;first set the style for the parent
$style = _WinAPI_GetWindowLong($hWndParent,$GWL_STYLE)
$style = BitOr($style,$WS_CLIPCHILDREN)
_WinAPI_SetWindowLong($hWndParent,$GWL_STYLE,$style)
_WinAPI_SetParent($hWndChild, $hWndParent)

Global Const $WM_EXITSIZEMOVE = 0x0232
GUIRegisterMsg($WM_EXITSIZEMOVE,"WMEXITMOVE")
Global $calpos
While GUIGetMsg() <> -3

WEnd


Func wmexitmove($h, $m,$w,$l)
    Local $calcpos = wingetpos($hWndChild)
    Local $rp = dllstructcreate("int;int")
    dllstructsetdata($rp,1,$calcpos[0])
    dllstructsetdata($rp,2,$calcpos[1])
    _WinAPI_ScreenToClient($hWndParent,$rp)
    winmove($hWndChild,"",dllstructgetdata($rp,1)+1,dllstructgetdata($rp,2));away
    winmove($hWndChild,"",dllstructgetdata($rp,1),dllstructgetdata($rp,2));back
    return $GUI_RUNDEFMSG

EndFunc

[BobN]

OH maybe he wants a calculator function built into the GUI Via Koda etc..

If so , I'm not sure =/

[GEOSoft]

I read it that he wants another app (probably not Calc) embedded in an AutoIt GUI. If he's trying to do that so he can skin the app then a simple search of Example scripts would have lead him here.

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=32494&view=findpost&p=233842

The problem with this type of post is they try to use generalities to hide what they are really attempting to do and then we have to polish our crystal balls to figure it out.

[Gui]

Wow i'm dumb, forgot to subscribe to the thread. No wonder I got no warnings! Ah, so guys thanks all for your help , but Windows Calculator was an example.

I'm talking about literally running a program in a GUI. The original idea was that you would a program in a GUI, let's say Windows Calculator. Everything the same, except it's litterally inside the GUI, put there. ( So to speak, the calculators GUI is now your AutoIt GUI.) Hopefully, that's a little more clear. Then, you'd make a sort of mouse icon that moved, but didn't control your actually computer mouse. Then that mouse would carry out functions, clicking, etc.