Building a GUI in a Google Chrome Scheme

VA Smalltalk is a "100% VisualAge compatible" IDE that includes the original VisualAge technology and the popular VA Assist and WidgetKit add-ons.

Moderators: Eric Clayberg, wembley, tc, Diane Engles, solveig

Building a GUI in a Google Chrome Scheme

Postby tstalzer » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:46 am

Hi

We got the question from one of our customers that he wants a GUI in a similar style like Google Chrome (OS is Win7 with Aero active). It is not going to be a browser application, but a presentation of data in a tabbed way.

Now, in order to get that working I would make a special notebook class with custom paint routines, try to tweak the OSShell class in order to get the styles copied, etc. All in all - not really trivial, a lot of work but doable.

Is there a better way? Is something like the tabbed view already in place in windows? Ideas?

--Thomas
Attachments
google_Chrome.png
Google Chrome Screenprint
google_Chrome.png (85.34 KiB) Viewed 239 times
tstalzer
[|]
 
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:07 am
Location: Palma de Mallorca - Spain

Re: Building a GUI in a Google Chrome Scheme

Postby TriSebastian » Fri Oct 29, 2010 7:38 am

Hi Thomas!

Well one solution could be drawing custom buttons on an modified shell.

Have a look here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx

You will surely find implementations in other dialects on how to add buttons to a "Costumized Toolbar"

Maybe you should also have a look at the OpenGL VAST Goodie. Here I moded the ToplevelShell for Fullscreen support.
It's not a full implemenation for all layers but you might get an impression on where all the pieces of code to be changed might be...

Good Luck! Looking forward for a new Goodie ;-)
Sebastian
TriSebastian
 
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:40 pm
Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada

Re: Building a GUI in a Google Chrome Scheme

Postby tstalzer » Fri Oct 29, 2010 7:55 am

Hi Sebastian

The MS Link points into the right direction - thanks (Oh boy, this is going to be /(%&(%&/%&/) ***censored *** ;-)

Lets see, if I find time to work on this...

--Thomas
tstalzer
[|]
 
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:07 am
Location: Palma de Mallorca - Spain

Re: Building a GUI in a Google Chrome Scheme

Postby TriSebastian » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:03 am

Good to heard that :-D

Well, It is really fun! And once you have some ide about the widget framework the only real problems are the gc handling/drawing cycles. Events triggered by Windows might drive you crazy the most.
The framework is pretty straight forward and with some codeing in C++ as a template it is quite easy to write a pendant in VAST.

I think you can be glad to have a costumer paying for GUI-Extensions. I wish I had that.

But once again,.... costumers want new look and feel...

By the way! Maybe you should check out if they might also pay a Ribbon integration ;-) Just kidding...

Well' If you need further assistance just let me know. This is really fun!

Sebastian
TriSebastian
 
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:40 pm
Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada


Return to VA Smalltalk 7.0, 7.5 & 8.0

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

cron