CUSTOM DIALOG BOXES

[Glint]

Hi Guys,
I am really inspired by the idea of creating custom dialog boxes. So I came
accross this code through this forum, and I am in love with it.
Unfortunately, I have problems adapting it to my needs. This is the code
which creates a box that displays for as many seconds as it is set with a
timer, and it works great:

Public Sub msgForm(ByVal Message As String, _
Optional ByVal title As Variant, _
Optional ByVal duration As Single, _
Optional strFontName As String, _
Optional intFontSize As Integer)
Dim f As Form
Dim lbl As Label, cmdYes As CommandButton, cmdNo As CommandButton
Dim dblWidth As Double
Dim myName As String
Dim savedForm As Boolean

' used for error handling
'
savedForm = False

' turn off screen repainting so that we don't see the
' form being created
'
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
Application.Echo False

' make a simple blank form
'
Set f = CreateForm
myName = f.Name
f.RecordSelectors = False
f.NavigationButtons = False
f.DividingLines = False
f.ScrollBars = 0 ' none
f.PopUp = True
f.BorderStyle = acDialog
f.Modal = True
f.ControlBox = False
f.AutoResize = True
f.AutoCenter = True

' set the title
'
If IsMissing(title) Then
f.Caption = "ECKANKAR AREA ADMIN"
Else
f.Caption = title
End If


' add a label for the message
'
Set lbl = CreateControl(f.Name, acLabel)
lbl.Caption = Message
lbl.BackColor = 0 ' transparent
lbl.ForeColor = 0
lbl.Left = 100
lbl.Top = 100
lbl.FontName = "Arial"
lbl.FontSize = 14
'If strFontName <> "" Then lbl.FontName = strFontName '...rejecting
parameters
'If intFontSize > 0 Then lbl.FontSize = intFontSize '...rejecting
parameters
lbl.SizeToFit
dblWidth = lbl.Width + 600
f.Width = dblWidth + 200
f.Section(acDetail).Height = lbl.Height + 600

Set cmdYes = CreateControl(f.Name, acCommandButton)
cmdYes.Caption = "Yes"
cmdYes.ForeColor = -2147483630
cmdYes.Top = lbl.Height + 100
cmdYes.Left = 200
cmdYes.ForeColor = vbBlue
cmdYes.FontSize = 12
cmdYes.FontBold = True
cmdYes.SizeToFit
' cmdYes.OnClick = cmdYesClick


' display the form (first close and save it so that when
' it is reopened it will auto-centre itself)
'
DoCmd.Close acForm, myName, acSaveYes
savedForm = True
DoCmd.OpenForm myName
DoCmd.MoveSize , , dblWidth
DoCmd.RepaintObject acForm, myName

' turn screen repainting back on again
'
Application.Echo True

' display form for specifed number of seconds
'
If duration <= 0 Then duration = 10
Dim startTime As Single
startTime = Timer
While Timer < startTime + duration
Wend

' close and delete the form
'

DoCmd.Close acForm, myName, acSaveNo
DoCmd.DeleteObject acForm, myName
Exit Sub

ErrorHandler:
Application.Echo True
Dim i As Integer
For Each f In Forms
If f.Name = myName Then
DoCmd.Close acForm, myName, acSaveNo
Exit For
End If
Next f
If savedForm Then
DoCmd.DeleteObject acForm, myName
End If

End Sub

I HAVE PROBLEMS IN 3 AREAS.
1. The first problem is that when I call the procedure like this (for a
situation where my message is defined by strMsg):

msgForm(strMsg, "PUT TITLE",10,"ARIAL",12)

I get error message "Expected:=". In fact the only way to make it work is
limit my parameters to the message only. Infact, this is the reason I placed
an actual title, fontname and fontsize directly into the code, thereby
reducing its functionality. How do I do this properly so that I can call the
procedure with different parameters whenever I want?

2. The second problem is that I do not know how to make the form stay until
the user clicks it off, like a normal dialog box. When I remove the timer
portion of the code, the form just blinks for a microsecond and it is gone.

3. The third problem is related to the second above: I need to put code on
the OnClick event of the buttons that will be on the form. How do I achieve
this?

 

[UpRider]

1. syntax is CALL msgForm(strMsg, "PUT TITLE",10,"ARIAL",12)
2. change code:
Application.Echo True

' display form for specifed number of seconds
'
If duration > 0 Then
' If duration <= 0 Then duration = 10
Dim startTime As Single
startTime = Timer
While Timer < startTime + duration
Wend
' close and delete the form
DoCmd.Close acForm, myName, acSaveNo
DoCmd.DeleteObject acForm, myName
End If
Exit Sub

ErrorHandler:

3. No help here

In regards to number 2; if you don't delete the from after you are through
with it, when you call the routine again, it will make a second form, then a
third form, etc.

HTH, UpRider

 

[Glint]

Thanks for your help, UpRider.
Problem 1 has been successfully solved.
However, I am not quite sure I get the code change you suggest for Problem
2. I find that a new form is still saved when I don't specify a duration,
although it now stays for as long as I want. Can you please look again?

 

[UpRider]

Well, as I stated in my reply, you will need code to delete the form when
you are thru with it. This is related to item 3, how to implement event
procedures for the controls in the temporary form. If you can solve that, a
command button on the form could call a function in a module to close and
delete the form.

Personally, I think this approach to forms use is convoluted and
unnecessary, at least in my experience. Perhaps you have special needs, or
the geek in you just wants to make it work. :: )

HTH, UpRider

 

[Glint]

Thanks again, UpRider.
I guess I have to take your advice, at least for now.