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CResizableSheet and CResizablePage

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27 Oct 2001CPOL 409.2K   8.7K   96   121
Two CPropertySheet/CPropertyPage derived classes to implement resizable property sheets or wizard dialogs with MFC

CResizableSheet(Ex) and CResizablePage(Ex)

These four classes handle resizable property sheets, wizards and the wizard 97 style dialogs, and are now fully based on my ResizableLib class library (see article).

The user will have the ability to resize the dialog, with consequent rearrangement of child windows. You can control the minimum and maximum size allowed, as well as the maximized size and position of the dialog. The size grip is displayed by default, but you may turn it off. Automatic Save/Restore the dialog's size and position, along with the active page, is also supported.

Conversion of a previously existant property sheet or wizard should be very simple.

I will talk about non-Ex classes for the rest of the article, but the same concepts applies for Wizard 97 dialogs.

The Sample Applications

This is a view of the sample dialog at minimum size as a property sheet and in wizard mode:

Property sheet with smaller size and proportional resizing Wizard mode with help button and minimal size

Note that the minimum width is not the default. You may see how to do this in the next section.

This is a screenshot of the resizable version of Wizard97 sample project coming with Visual C++.

A resizable Wizard 97 dialog

Usage - Step by Step

Add the ResizableLib to your project's workspace, as explained in the relative article.

Create a property sheet or wizard dialog and do the relative associations with MFC classes, for example using the Property Sheet component, or take one you have already made which you want to be resizable. You don't need to change any window style to have the dialog resizing.

Include 'ResizableSheet.h' in the property sheet associated header file.

Search and replace all CPropertySheet occurences with CResizableSheet in both your .cpp and .h files, just as if your property sheet class was derived from CResizableSheet instead of CPropertySheet.

Include 'ResizablePage.h' in the property pages associated header file.

Search and replace all CPropertyPage occurences with CResizablePage in both your .cpp and .h files, just as if your property page classes were derived from CResizablePage instead of CPropertyPage.

The same applies for wizard dialogs, of course.

Your property sheet header file should appear like this:

// MyPropertySheet.h : header file
//

#include "MyPropertyPages.h"

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// CMyPropertySheet

#include "ResizableSheet.h"

class CMyPropertySheet : public CResizableSheet
{
    DECLARE_DYNAMIC(CMyPropertySheet)

// Construction
public:
    CMyPropertySheet(CWnd* pWndParent = NULL);

// ( other stuff )
// ...
}

In your OnInitDialog override you may change the initial settings of your property sheet, such as the minimum size and automatic save/restore, that can optionally set also the active page.

BOOL CMyPropertySheet::OnInitDialog() 
{
    CResizableSheet::OnInitDialog();
    
    // set minimal size
    CRect rc;
    GetWindowRect(&rc);

    SetMinTrackSize(CSize(GetMinWidth(), rc.Height()));

    // enable save/restore, with active page
    EnableSaveRestore(_T("Properties"), TRUE, TRUE);

    return TRUE;
}

Your property pages header file should appear like this:

// MyPropertyPages.h : header file
//

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// CMyPropertyPage1 dialog

#include "ResizablePage.h"

class CMyPropertyPage1 : public CResizablePage
{
    DECLARE_DYNCREATE(CMyPropertyPage1)
// ...
}

// and so on for the other pages ...

In each page's OnInitDialog override you only have to set a layout for your controls. You specify where to attach the top-left and bottom-right corners by horizontal/vertical percentage or using predefined constants.

BOOL CMyPropertyPage2::OnInitDialog() 
{
    CResizablePage::OnInitDialog();
    
    // preset layout
    AddAnchor(IDC_LIST1, TOP_LEFT, CSize(50,70));
    AddAnchor(IDC_PICTURE1, CSize(50,0), CSize(100,70));
    AddAnchor(IDC_GROUP1, CSize(0,70), BOTTOM_RIGHT);
    AddAnchor(IDC_CHECK1, CSize(0,85));
    AddAnchor(IDC_RADIO1, CSize(100,85));
    AddAnchor(IDC_COMBO1, CSize(100,70));
    AddAnchor(IDC_BUTTON1, BOTTOM_RIGHT);

    m_ctlEdit1.AddString(_T("Just a single item to test the "
        "listbox behavior with very long lines..."));
    m_ctlEdit1.SetHorizontalExtent(300);

    return TRUE;
}

You are ready to rebuild your project and you will have a resizable property sheet or a wizard dialog just as you wanted.

For further details, see the next section.

Class Reference

The property sheet class inherits from CResizableLayout, CResizableGrip, CResizableMinMax, CResizableState and obviously from CPropertySheet.

Image 4

The property page class inherits from CResizableLayout and obviously from CPropertyPage. The other classes are not needed.

Image 5

CResizableSheet::CResizableSheet

CResizableSheet()
CResizableSheet(UINT nIDTemplate, CWnd* pParentWnd = NULL)
CResizableSheet(LPCTSTR lpszTemplateName, CWnd* pParentWnd = NULL)

CResizablePage::CResizablePage

CResizablePage()
CResizablePage(UINT nIDTemplate, CWnd* pParentWnd = NULL)
CResizablePAge(LPCTSTR lpszTemplateName, CWnd* pParentWnd = NULL)

The first form is the default constructor.

The second and the third forms are needed to reproduce the construction scheme of a CPropertySheet/Page derived class. Since the dialog resource template is needed by the CPropertySheet/Page constructor, you have to call one of these forms of the CResizableSheet/Page constructor. This is the reason why replacing one class with the other will work.

CResizableSheet::EnableSaveRestore

void EnableSaveRestore(LPCTSTR pszSection, BOOL bRectOnly, BOOL bWithPage = FALSE)

Enables automatic save/restore on dialog's open/close operations. The first argument is the same as in CWinApp::WriteProfileString. If bRectOnly is TRUE, the minimized/maximized state is not saved/restored. The last argument is a flag for restoring the active page (active page is always saved). Should be called after all the layout settings.

If you want details on how these settings are stored, look at CWinApp::SetRegistryKey, CWinApp::m_pszProfileName, CWinApp::m_pszRegistryKey on MFC documentation.

CResizable???::???

Implemented in the various base classes, see ResizableLib article.

Member functions to set/reset maximized size and position may seem rather useless, since you don't have a maximize box in the window's caption. I left them because I think it should be possible to enable caption buttons, playing a little with window's styles.

Conclusion

I hope these classes can make some programmers' life a little easier. I also want to thank Jerzy Kaczorowski for his unique support during the port of CResizableDialog code to property sheets.

Integration with ResizableLib is now complete. This required a partial rewriting, but I hope it will benefit of all the improvements made to the library (and the bugs too).

The CVS tree is now on Source Forge.

Updates

28 Jul 2000

Initial public release.

27 Oct 2000

Fixed bug with stacked tabs.
Controls that need refresh now display correctly.
Replaced internal structure with a CArray.

13 Mar 2001

Fixed a bug with radio buttons and group boxes (thanks to Matt Philmon)
Changed copyright note

11 Jun 2001

New implementation and integration with ResizableLib

15 Jul 2001

Updated to new ResizableLib release
Complete integration with the library, now using new callback anchors
Added support for 'Wizard 97' style dialogs

28 Oct 2001

Version 1.1 (CVS Tag: SF_1_1)
Fixed a bug with CTRL+Tab while navigating Wizard dialogs
Added static build configurations to all projects

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Technical Lead RoboTech srl
Italy Italy
Paolo began programming at the age of 9 with a glorious Olivetti M24 (i8086) and GW-BASIC, then he played a bit with Turbo C, Turbo Pascal and Assembly (using the MS-DOS Debug). Quick BASIC and Visual Basic shortly followed, until he learned C++ in College. He tought himself MFC and Windows programming, along with some DHTML and Javascript.

Always attracted by low-level programming and Assembly, he started to appreciate the joys of templates and STL while working for his Master Thesis. For seven months he was playing with airplanes and automatic control at the Unversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he first met QNX and embedded systems.

In his job experience he learned Java to develop user interfaces and graphical editors, and re-discovered the Eclipse IDE that he had used in its early versions with the QNX SDK. He also deepened his knowledge of Linux and embedded systems, microcontrollers firmware and embedded voice recognition, while also practicing electronics design.

He graduated in Computer Engineering (Ingegneria informatica) at the University of Pisa, Italy, in December 2003. Currently working for an electronics and robotics company (www.robotechsrl.com).

He lives in Pisa and in Follonica (GR), Italy.

Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralRe: Can't Unzip Property Sheet Demo Pin
Paul Kissel22-May-03 10:43
Paul Kissel22-May-03 10:43 
GeneralShow the buttons of property sheet. Pin
Tomas2-Apr-03 7:39
Tomas2-Apr-03 7:39 
GeneralRe: Show the buttons of property sheet. Pin
Paolo Messina2-Apr-03 9:53
professionalPaolo Messina2-Apr-03 9:53 
GeneralRe: Show the buttons of property sheet. Pin
Paolo Messina3-Apr-03 7:27
professionalPaolo Messina3-Apr-03 7:27 
GeneralRe: Show the buttons of property sheet. Pin
Tomas3-Apr-03 8:03
Tomas3-Apr-03 8:03 
GeneralStrange behaviour: Adding XP Manifest definition Pin
ajhuddy13-Jan-03 13:47
ajhuddy13-Jan-03 13:47 
GeneralRe: Strange behaviour: Adding XP Manifest definition Pin
Artur Löwen27-Feb-03 22:48
Artur Löwen27-Feb-03 22:48 
GeneralRe: Strange behaviour: Adding XP Manifest definition Pin
Paolo Messina27-Feb-03 23:23
professionalPaolo Messina27-Feb-03 23:23 
GeneralCatch enter key Pin
Achilles1-Jan-03 21:31
Achilles1-Jan-03 21:31 
GeneralRe: Catch enter key Pin
Paolo Messina2-Jan-03 5:16
professionalPaolo Messina2-Jan-03 5:16 
GeneralControls dont contain their sizes if an error occurs in a wizard Pin
haroong18-Dec-02 22:41
haroong18-Dec-02 22:41 
GeneralRe: Controls dont contain their sizes if an error occurs in a wizard Pin
Paolo Messina19-Dec-02 0:14
professionalPaolo Messina19-Dec-02 0:14 
Generaldoes it really require all this work Pin
mystro_AKA_kokie15-May-02 12:05
mystro_AKA_kokie15-May-02 12:05 
GeneralRe: does it really require all this work Pin
Paolo Messina16-May-02 6:43
professionalPaolo Messina16-May-02 6:43 
Generallittle bit different behaviour Pin
13-May-02 1:53
suss13-May-02 1:53 
GeneralRe: little bit different behaviour Pin
Paolo Messina13-May-02 5:38
professionalPaolo Messina13-May-02 5:38 
GeneralWizard97 - Bitmap to change dynamically How?... Pin
23-Apr-02 18:29
suss23-Apr-02 18:29 
GeneralRe: Wizard97 - Bitmap to change dynamically How?... Pin
Paolo Messina23-Apr-02 23:06
professionalPaolo Messina23-Apr-02 23:06 
GeneralGreat !! some minor incompatibilities Pin
3-Feb-02 15:17
suss3-Feb-02 15:17 
GeneralRe: Great !! some minor incompatibilities Pin
Paolo Messina4-Feb-02 8:05
professionalPaolo Messina4-Feb-02 8:05 
GeneralUsing CResizableSheet with Create instead of DoModal() Pin
mzakarni25-Nov-01 1:03
mzakarni25-Nov-01 1:03 
GeneralRe: Using CResizableSheet with Create instead of DoModal() Pin
Paolo Messina25-Nov-01 5:58
professionalPaolo Messina25-Nov-01 5:58 
GeneralRe: Using CResizableSheet with Create instead of DoModal() Pin
Paolo Messina25-Nov-01 6:09
professionalPaolo Messina25-Nov-01 6:09 
GeneralRe: Using CResizableSheet with Create instead of DoModal() Pin
mzakarni25-Nov-01 20:55
mzakarni25-Nov-01 20:55 
GeneralRe: Using CResizableSheet with Create instead of DoModal() Pin
23-Apr-02 18:35
suss23-Apr-02 18:35 

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