Need help with ProgressOn() size calculations, etc

[Mbee]

SUMMARY: I do NOT want to create a GUI for my app, but instead I want to use the built-in ProgressOn() function.   However, I need help calculating and adjusting the size of the built-in ProgressOn window.   Please do NOT ask me to use AutoIt's GUI functions!

DETAILS:

I have developed a working, non-GUI AutoIt utility that includes the standard progress bar using ProgessOn().  However, the width of the "subtext" parameter in that function call I'm using is variable and can theoretically reach 259 characters. Therefore, if and when I need to increase the width of the progress bar window to try to accommodate as much of that string as possible (without exceeding the width of the screen), I need to be able to calculate the actual number of pixels that the subtext string will consume.

I found Melba23's great >StringSize function, but while I'd like to use it for this purpose, it requires parameters that I have no idea how to determine and specify!  StringSize() wants the following values that I don't know: Font size in points, font weight, font attribute, and font name.  You see, I can't find any AutoIt functions that return these values from the ProgressOn() window or controls (or any other window or control, for that matter).  If the ProgessOn() function were much more fully documented, I could read up and simply enter those values manually in the code, but it's definitely not fully documented (nor is the source code available, since AutoIt isn't open source, not even for that one function - but how I dearly wish I could see it! )

Now, I've found the following thread extremely useful: >[sOLVED] ProgressOn(): Can I set the SIZE of the window? It shows a work-around for adjusting the size and getting basic access to the controls, which is completely mandatory for my needs.  But that is definitely not enough, because I cannot calculate what size it should be for the variable-length "subtext" string without something like Melba23's StringSize(), but I cannot use StringSize() because I don't know the values of the arguments I listed above are. So I'm stuck!

To answer the possible question about why I don't use the GUICtrlCreateProgress() function described in the link above, the answer is twofold: (1) The utility I developed not only doesn't need a GUI, it would be extremely clumsy to have one; and (2): I spent some time trying to use GUICtrlCreateProgress(), but I failed because that function isn't capable of being used alone outside of a complete GUI interface (which is not only counter-productive, but I'm also not yet up to speed creating GUIs with AutoIt so far).

Kindly help me out with this dilemma, please.

I apologize for the long post, but I've always found that being forced to put my questions very clearly in writing helps myself as well as the reader (at least those with good attention spans  )...

Edited February 18, 2014 by Mbee

[Bert]

uggg...

word wall.

Please shorten your post to just what you need to know and cut the other stuff out. When you do long post like this you will most likely get ignored for it annoys the person reading it. Remember - when you want help in the forum: it isn't about you. It is about the person you want to help you.  If anything post a SIMPLE example of your code that shows your problem. That works well when explaining a code problem.

possible solutions:

1. limit the amount of text shown. If the string is longer that the limit then simply trim the string first.

2. Use a carriage return in your string to allow for long strings.

3. Have the text be displayed in a text box with a scroll bar.

4. Hard code the font used in the progress bar.

Edited February 18, 2014 by MBALZESHARI

[BrewManNH]

You can find all of that information in the help file under GUICtrlSetFont.

[Mbee]

uggg...

word wall.

Please shorten your post to just what you need to know and cut the other stuff out. When you do long post like this you will most likely get ignored for it annoys the person reading it. Remember - when you want help in the forum: it isn't about you. It is about the person you want to help you.  If anything post a SIMPLE example of your code that shows your problem. That works well when explaining a code problem.

possible solutions:

1. limit the amount of text shown. If the string is longer that the limit then simply trim the string first.

2. Use a carriage return in your string to allow for long strings.

3. Have the text be displayed in a text box with a scroll bar.

4. Hard code the font used in the progress bar.

 

That's very harsh. I've been instructed for decades now that bar far, the best practice is to explain what is needed in full detail.  I'm sorry you don't like details, but is it possible that is your personal preference?  I will change it to put a quick summary at the top, but two responses here already have misunderstood almost entirely what I'm asking for.  I do not believe that is because of it's length, but because few programmers are willing to read more than a few words, which is certainly not my fault.

In reply to your possible solutions:

(1) The text in question will be the name of one of perhaps hundreds of folder names, which will usually be of reasonable length, but can be up to 255 chars long.  Chopping the folder name at some arbitrary point would be nearly useless.

(2) The carriage return idea is marginal, but I agree that there's some value there.  Thank you.

As for 3 & 4, you have clearly failed to read my OP with any care, since I'm trying to use the ProgressOn() function, which does NOT allow you to use a scroll bar -or- let you specify a font.

[Mbee]

You can find all of that information in the help file under GUICtrlSetFont.

 

It seems that I can't actually do that, since I am using the built-in ProgressOn() function. Therefore, I cannot use GUICtrlSetFont() because the control was not created by myself with a GUICtrlCreate() call, so I can't pass it the "control identifier (controlID) as returned by a GUICtrlCreate...() function".

If I'm mistaken about that, please explain.  Thank you.

[BrewManNH]

So make your own GUI with a progress bar and label, or use the one in my signature if you need to know how. It's not hard to create something like that, and the built-in function is fairly limited as to customization.

[Bert]

That's very harsh. I've been instructed for decades now that bar far, the best practice is to explain what is needed in full detail.

 

No it isn't meant to be. I'm telling you to remember your audience. Many people want simply and clear, not long winded and going off on tangents (like you expressing wanting to read the AutoIt source code for example)

Can you explain why (your business need) you want the window to change size for each file copied? Is there any reason why the window can't be one size that isn't just a preference on your part? I'm asking for it seems to me you are making it much more difficult that it needs to be.  I re-read your post again - You say you don't need a GUI:

 

The utility I developed not only doesn't need a GUI, it would be extremely clumsy to have one;

 

So why are doing exactly what you say you do not need? Again, you write out a long winded post and you are VERY confusing with lots of un-needed information.