general and specific GUI questions

[revonatu]

Hi,

I have a quite complex script and now I would like to define the initial parameters and directories via a GUI.

The first question is: Which GUI mode is best for my purposes? I don't understand in detail what the difference is. I tend to OnEvent mode as I only need the GUI at the beginning.

Edit: Ok, only in loop mode the file selection works. One question solved. But how do I pause my script and start it after I am done with the GUI?

This is my code so far:

#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <File.au3>
#include <FileConstants.au3>
#include <StringConstants.au3>
#include <Date.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

Local $AutoIt_GUI   = GUICreate("ATCOR4 - Initial Settings", 500, 400)                                                  ; title, width and height
Local $idLabel0     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Wellcome to this ATCOR4 automation. Please choose your preferences.", 30, 10) ; text and position (left, top)
Local $idButton1    = GUICtrlCreateButton("*.meta file", 30, 50, 60)
Local $idLabel1     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("select the meta file with start and end time", 120, 55, 300, 60)
Local $idButton2    = GUICtrlCreateButton("*.pos file", 30, 80, 60); name, position and width
Local $idLabel2     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("select the pos file with flight geometry", 120, 85, 300, 60)
Local $idCombo1     = GUICtrlCreateCombo("Operation Type", 30, 150, 100)
GUICtrlSetData($idCombo1, "GUI|.inn file", "Operation Type")
Global $OperationMode = '"' & GUICtrlRead($idCombo1) & '"'

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)                                                   ; display this GUI

 Local $idMsg = 0
    ; In this message loop we use variables to keep track of changes to the GUI controls
    While 1
        Switch GUIGetMsg()
            Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
                ExitLoop
                Exit
            ;Case $GUI_EVENT_MINIMIZE
                ;MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "Dialog minimized", 2)
            ;Case $GUI_EVENT_MAXIMIZE
                ;MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "Dialog restored", 2)

            Case $idButton1
                Local $MetaOpenDialog = FileOpenDialog("Select the meta file...", @ScriptDir & "\", "Meta (*.meta)")
                $metaPath = $MetaOpenDialog
                GUICtrlSetData($idLabel1, $MetaOpenDialog)
            Case $idButton2
                Local $PosOpenDialog = FileOpenDialog("Select the pos file...", @ScriptDir & "\", "Pos (*.pos)")
                $posPath = $PosOpenDialog
                GUICtrlSetData($idLabel2, $PosOpenDialog)

        EndSwitch
    WEnd

Thanks in advance for any hints and suggestions (the shorter the code the better).

Edited April 21, 2015 by revonatu

[MikahS]

The buttons work for me as expected.

[revonatu]

Yes, some things work, but why does the Window not close when pressing the x Button in the upper right corner? How do I get back to my script and how do I pause it for the time the GUI is open. WinWaitActive and -Close?

[MikahS]

When are you not able to close your GUI? As, I was able to when it started and after hitting both buttons. 

[revonatu]

I don't know why but now it worked indeed. Maybe I included some needed package for other reasons.

I would still like to know if the loop mode is best for my case. Could I use the event mode as well? If yes, how?

After not doing many changes one of my combo boxes (operation mode --> GUI) won"t open a FileOpenDialog anymore. Can you reproduce this? I can"t find an error.

expandcollapse popup

Global $metaPath    = ""    
Global $posPath     = ""    
Global $bsqPath     = ""    
Global $innPath     = ""    
Global $DEMPath     = ""


;#cs GUI Creation ################################################################################################################################
Local $AutoIt_GUI   = GUICreate("Initial Settings", 500, 300)                                                   ; title, width and height
Local $idLabel0     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Wellcome to this automation. Please choose your preferences.", 30, 10)    ; text and position (left, top)

Local $idButton1    = GUICtrlCreateButton("*.meta file", 30, 50, 60)
Local $idLabel1     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select the meta file with start and end time in lines 1 and 2.", 150, 55, 300, 60, 0x0002) ; right-aligned
Local $idButton2    = GUICtrlCreateButton("*.pos file", 30, 80, 60)
Local $idLabel2     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select the pos file with geometry.", 150, 85, 300, 60, 0x0002) ; right-aligned

Local $idCombo1     = GUICtrlCreateCombo("operation mode", 30, 150, 100)
GUICtrlSetData($idCombo1, "GUI|.inn file", "operation mode")
Local $idLabel3     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select an operation mode and the corresponding input file.", 150, 155, 300, 60, 0x0002) ; right-aligned

Local $idCombo2     = GUICtrlCreateCombo("terrain type", 30, 200, 100)
GUICtrlSetData($idCombo2, "Flat|Rugged", "terrain type")
Local $idLabel4     = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Select a terrain type and in case of rugged terrain a DEM.", 150, 205, 300, 60, 0x0002) ; right-aligned

Local $idBExit      = GUICtrlCreateButton("Exit", 400, 250, 60); name, position (l t) and width
GUICtrlSetColor($idBExit, $COLOR_RED)
Local $idBRun       = GUICtrlCreateButton("Run", 30, 250, 60)
GUICtrlSetColor($idBRun, $COLOR_GREEN)

Sleep(1000)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)   ; display the GUI
WinWaitActive("ATCOR4 - Initial Settings")


    ; In this message loop we use variables to keep track of changes to the GUI controls ========================================================
    While 1
        Switch GUIGetMsg()
            Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE , $idBExit ; when pressed, cancel and exit the script
                GUIDelete($AutoIt_GUI)
            Case $idButton1 ; when pressed, open the meta file selection, save and display the path in Label1
                $metaPath = FileOpenDialog("Select the meta file...", @ScriptDir, "Meta (*.meta)")
                GUICtrlSetData($idLabel1, $metaPath)
            Case $idButton2 ; when pressed, open the pos file selection, save and display the path in Label2
                $posPath = FileOpenDialog("Select the pos file...", @ScriptDir, "Pos (*.pos)")
                GUICtrlSetData($idLabel2, $posPath)
            Case $idCombo1 ; when pressed, save the selection as variable
                $OperationMode = GUICtrlRead($idCombo1)
                  If $OperationMode = "GUI" Then
                     $bsqPath = FileOpenDialog("Select the bsq file...", @ScriptDir, "BSQ (*.bsq")
                     GUICtrlSetData($idLabel3, $bsqPath)
                  ElseIf $OperationMode = ".inn file" Then
                     $innPath = FileOpenDialog("Select the initialisation file...", @ScriptDir, "inn (*.inn)")
                     GUICtrlSetData($idLabel3, $innPath)
                  Else
                     GUICtrlSetData($idLabel3, "The operation mode is not set yet. Please do so to continue.")
                  EndIf
            Case $idCombo2 ; when pressed, save the selection as variable
                $TerrainType = GUICtrlRead($idCombo2)
                  If $TerrainType = "Rugged" Then
                     $DEMPath = FileOpenDialog("Select the DEM...", @ScriptDir, "DEM (*.bsq;*.grd))")
                     GUICtrlSetData($idLabel4, "Rugged, DEM: " & $DEMPath)
                  ElseIf $TerrainType = "Flat" Then
                     GUICtrlSetData($idLabel4, $TerrainType)
                  Else
                     GUICtrlSetData($idLabel4, "The terrain type is not set yet. Please do so to continue.")
                  EndIf
            Case $idBRun ; when pressed, return to script and continue
                ExitLoop

        EndSwitch
    WEnd

WinClose("Initial Settings")

[TheSaint]

You should add in an ExitLoop line after the GUIDelete line for the close event.

GUIDelete only removes the visual elements.

Probably add a GUIDelete line before the ExitLoop line in your RUN button code too.

I would add in error checking for a lot of your code, and test various stages, variable values etc with many a MsgBox to test your code is working as anticipated.

P.S. If you only want the GUI to work momentarily, then investigate embedding it in a function, which you call from your main code at a relevant moment(s). You will get finer control that way.

Edited April 23, 2015 by TheSaint

[revonatu]

Of course! I could have come to that idea by myself. My script is full of error checking but in this case I forgot. There was just a bracket in the filter missing.

Thanks a lot.

I would still like to know if the loop mode is best for my case. Could I use the event mode as well? If yes, how?

Edited April 24, 2015 by revonatu

[kylomas]

revonatu,

I would still like to know if the loop mode is best for my case.

Without a definition of "is best" it is impossible to answer.

kylomas

 

[revonatu]

"best" meaning most time and code efficient