LB_GETCOUNT (Megatron, RobDog, MartinLiss)

Martin will you please delete the other post of mine with this title -- I could not delete.

----------------------

Attached is a program I'm working on to correct Microsofts Toolbar Customize Method.

For some reason LB_GETCOUNT will not return a count?

Any ideas or other approached appreciated?

Thanks
David

I wasn't able to run the project because it couldn't load the
imagelist and toolbar, but it looks like in the dblclick procedure
your doing a lockwindowupdate and then you are doing the
sendmessage to get the lb_count. I think it may fail because the
lb is locked? Try sendmessaging before the lockwindowupdate.

HTH

I deleted the other thread.

Thanks for responding RobDog.

Have tried both with and without lockwindowupdate.

"With" was latest attempt.

Is it your system with Toolbar and Imagelist?

The handle must be wrong... Try this :

Replace

VB Code:

hWnd = FindWindow("ListBox", vbNullString)

with

VB Code:

Dim listbox As Long
         listbox = FindWindowEx(hWnd, 0&, "ListBox", vbNullString)

and change hwnd to listbox accordingly farther down.

For the right listbox, use :

VB Code:

listbox2 = FindWindowEx(hWnd, listbox, "ListBox", vbNullString)

and then use listbox2 to lock, get count or whatever you need :)

manavo11:

1. Thanks for deleting thread.
2. Thanks for idea re FindWindowEx.

----------------------------

Using Spy++ your way returns the left listbox handle not right BUT also returns a count of "4" which is the original count of tool buttons in the right -- (????) -- but since count taken after "Reset" count should be "7" NOT 4.

Also interesting is that toolbar buttons belong (parent is) the Form NOT the listbox.

Have redone code incorporating you idea along with some debug routines.

Any interest in helping me solve this? If so, post response and will post updated code.

Thanks
David

My first guess, like manavo11 said, is that you're using an incorrect handle.

Which ListBox are you trying to get the handle of?

Or better yet, see if you can upload the project again, as I couldn't get it to work.

Thanks for responding Megatron.

As coded the first button is automatically transferred from the right to the left.

The objective is at startup to:

1. Add all needed buttons to the toolbar
2. Transfer at startup selected buttons so they do not show to left listbox, which leaves them available to end user when involking toolbar and segregates those currently showing from those not. IHMO this is how MS meant to use the Customize method.

3. Setting toolbars to (Visible = False) does not allow user to select and using "<--Remove" causes them to be deleted NOT transferred.

David

I ran your code, and LB_GETCOUNT seems to be returing the correct results.

Where's the problem? Is it the fact that "Copy" is still in the left list box?

Thanks for looking at code Megatron:


Remember the objective during App startup is:

Quote:

---

1. AT StartUp, Add all needed buttons to the toolbar (these will initially appear in the right listbox because of the Toolbar Add Method).

2. AT Starup, using the API, transfer buttons, you do NOT want to be visible in the toolbar from the right to the left listbox.

---------------------

AFTER startup, when the end user involkes the Customize method he should see buttons currently showing on the toolbar in the right listbox and those NOT showing but available in left listbox.

IHMO this is how MS meant to use the Customize method.

---

Currently the API code JUST finds the first button "Copy" and transfers it from right to left. This is because the Reset button was pressed using SendKey which by default selected the first button.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SELECT ANY BUTTON using the API (by name, key or index) and transfer it from right to left.

NO code is included to do this (e.g "Print" button) as I could not get Spy++ to even find any button in either listbox.

ALSO, the button count should be 7 not 4 as 7 buttons are in the right listbox when LB_GETCOUNT is executed.

Hm, I'm starting to understand it now.

Essentially, you require a method to transfer a ListItem of your choice (Copy, Print, etc.) to the listbox of your choice? (Either right or left)

This might get a little tricky for 2 reasons

1) They use graphics
2) We might have to write code to synchronize the modified listboxes with the toolbar display.

It will be easier to instead "guide" VB into performing the operations for you. By "guide" I mean, selecting the appropiate item in the listbox, and invoking the code from the Add/Remove buttons via SendKeys or SendMessage.

This "guide" approach simplifies the process by allowing VB to manage the underlying coding. All you have to do is select your desired ListItem in the ListBox, then use SendMessage or SendKeys to execute the Add/Remove buttons.

Quote:

---

It will be easier to instead "guide" VB into performing the operations for you. By "guide" I mean, selecting the appropiate item in the listbox, and invoking the code from the Add/Remove buttons via SendKeys or SendMessage

---

This is the approach I'm trying. My first attempt (see first post with attached zip) was API, but decided "SendKeys" as easier.


HOWEVER to use SendKeys-- you still need to ID the listbox button which is where the PROBLEM IS?

Any ideas why:

1. LB_GETCOUNT returns 4 rather than 7 ?
(SendKeys "Reset" occurs AFTER the Add Method to add the 3 additional buttons and BEFORE the count is taken

2. Why Spy++ can't find the listbox "TEXT" associated with the image?

1. I'll have to check this again

2. Remember this is still a generic ListBox class (just a little more fancy). They do not have separate windows for the individual list items.

Let me how another look at his

I see what you mean now. LB_GETCOUNT doesn't seem to update until after you dismiss the "Customize" dialog, and bring it up again.

I'll work at this a little while longer

Here's what I have so far.

• LB_SETCURSEL is used to set the current selection in the listbox.
• BM_CLICK is used to click the "remove" button, which invokes the necessary code to transfer the selected item from the right listbox, to the left.
• The whole SaveToolBar, RestoreToolBar bit at initialization seemed rather unnecessary, so I removed them from the project (you can always uncommet them)

You might even want to rewrite some of the SendMessage lines into procedures.

Let me know if you have any problems with it.

(P.S: My code is a mess)

Thanks Megatron.

Will take a look hopefully tomorrow (our Thanksgiving so don't know if I get any time).

Can't recall if Canada's Thanksgiving is tomorrow or +/- week.
Either way, have a happy Holiday.

David

Thanks, and same to you

(About 5-6 weeks ago for me, though)

Hi Megatron:

Played with your example and looks *** GOOD ***.

Only thing left is to trap the WM_ACTIVATE message so
that at startup the Customize form can be invoked using
the .Customize method and then a message to Close the Customized form.

This way ALL buttons will be available to user after StartUp, with
those showing in the toolbar on the right and those available to
the user to change the toolbar on the left.

As I recall, WM_ACTIVATE, in this instance will require a SystemWide hook.

----------------------

I found it interesting that the key to the listbox was:

VB Code:

SendMessage hListBox2, LB_SETCURSEL, -1, 0
 
 
FYI a call to "GetListBoxItems" after executing above line will now return
the correct string which provides a text listing of all items (buttons).

----------------------------------------

David

Yes, a hook is the way to go, but I don't think it has to be system wide (will get back to you on it).

Here's something else I was thinking of. What if you were to write your code into a function, and just execute this function everytime you invoke the "Customize" method of the toolbar. To simplify further, write a wrapper function that does both.

I.e.

VB Code:

Sub CustomizeEx( tbr As ToolBar )
    tbr.Customize
    Call MyCustomFunction()
End Sub

Give that a shot, and if it fails, use hooks.

Hi Megatron:



One big problem is when you trigger Customize like tbr.Customize all code stops on this line as the Customize form now has the focus.

A double click allows you to trap the Customize handle so processing can continue.

--------------------------------------

I was thinking of something similiar but still working on the details. Something like:

1. Rather than calling the function at startup, call the function the first time the customize method is triggered. Use a static variable (probably global) and at first call add and transfer (Right to Left LB) the available buttons. Prior to closing the Customize form save the button names (or keys).

2. While the App is active, any time Customized is triggered, all buttons should show properly, both those on the toolbar (right listbox) and available (left LB) -- will double check this tomorrow.

3. Still working on how to load the Customized form after the first time the App is run

David

Attached is a revised sample.

1. Checked on the form and once toolbar buttons manipulated, the Customize form keeps them as set during execution even if the Customize form loses focus.

2. Doesn't appear system wide hook is needed. Using a module variable (see example) appears to solve problem.

3. All that is still needed in Sample is way to save and reload toolbar as designed by user.

David.

Attached is sample that includes Save and Load Toolbar Buttons.

Only other thing I found is that a direct call to tbrActions_Click
for whatever reason causes FindWindow NOT to return a handle to the Customize form.

Have to quit for now, but plan to try WM_NC Double Click (need to look up) to see what happens rather than using the direct call.

Any other feedback, corrections, improvements appreciated.

David

Hi Megatron:

Got It --- See Attached.

Will post clean code day or two to CodeBank with 1/2 credit to you unless I see post this thread with a better solution.

If you prefer to post to codebank, OK with me as I just want solution, could care less about credit.

Thanks
David

Looks good. Glad everything worked out.

And I don't even know how to use the code bank, so it's probably better if you submit it.

Here's cleaned up version. Looks good.

------------------------

Spoke a little too soon. Ran into problems saving toolbar configuration on QueryUnload. Replicating of Doubleclick on toolbar works to trigger call to "Save" routine, but "Customize" form doesn't load from DBLClick so so handle returns "0".

Any ideas?

Just some initial reactions:

When I double-click the toolbar, the customize dialog closes, but if I do it a second time, it re-opens and stays.

If I press the commandbutton first, the customize dialog will always open then close right after. I suspsect it has to do with an ignored error, but I'll investigate this further later today

Megatron:

The way I have it designed is:

1. First double click on toolbar adds the extra buttons and transfers them to the listbox. This way the extra buttons stay in the imagelist control unless needed -- better use memory.

Per your post noticed that the Customize should stay up after
extra buttons loaded. Will check on this.

2. Any subsequent double click just brings up the customized form to allow user to make adjustment.

3. Command1 is being used to test the TBSaveConfig which will be invoked at QueryUnload. This way the user can adjust tools anyway he wants while App is running (Customized save the setup while App running).

4. Save is only needed for the next time the App is run.

4. Thinking may need a WH to trap Customize activating

Okay, so double clicking allows you to trap the creating the Customize dialog, whereas invoking the Customize method directly doesn't, correct?

If so, then yes you're right: one method would be to install a WH_GETMESSAGE hook, and trap the WM_CREATE message.

Quote:

---

Okay, so double clicking allows you to trap the creating the Customize dialog, whereas invoking the Customize method directly doesn't, correct?

---

Yes. Had plan to try a hook later to get above working.

Right now, just wanted to save configuration during QueryUnload. This would get App working.

Thought I had was to try a delay between CLICKs to see if a timing difference has an effect.

Thanks
David

Megatron:

GOT ME STUMPED.

What's going on that when you doubleclick the toolbar with the mouse that the "Customize Form" comes up ----

YET, when you simulate the doubleclick in code you're taken to the tbrActions_DblClick INSTEAD of loading the "Customize Form"??

--------------------------------

Still working on the WH to intercept tbrActions.Customize.

THanks

David

I'm leaning towards a custom message being sent, though theoretically, dispatching the appropiate messages should trigger it (if it exists) indirectly.

Let me chew on this for a bit.

Just as I suspected, there is a customized message being sent indirectly, when the "Customize" method is invoked.

Sending this message, alone, has no effect. Interestingly, not even WM_LBUTTONDOWN/UP or the double-click messages are being processed by the toolbar. This lead me to discover that the toolbar is actually a container for another window. I'll experiment some more with this.

Okay, got it.

This is the handle of the window you want to send it to

Code:

---

hwin = FindWindowEx(tbrActions.hwnd, 0, "msvb_lib_toolbar", vbNullString)

---

Thanks for response Megatron.

Will modifiy code with your post.
Had planned to try and track the message stream this weekend and well as hopefully implement WH_GETMESSAGE for tbr.Customize from a menu.

Quote:

---

there is a customized message being sent indirectly

---

Not sure what you mean by the above?

Are you referring to the parent (container) child relationship of the toolbar?

David

Still fighting this. You probably have looked at this yourself, but if not:

********* Message Stream

'----- Mouse entered Toolbar
<00043> 0000026C S WM_MOUSEACTIVATE hwndTopLevel:00000278 nHittest:HTCLIENT uMsg:WM_LBUTTONDOWN [wParam:00000278 lParam:02010001]
<00044> 0000026C R WM_MOUSEACTIVATE fuActivate:MA_ACTIVATE
<00045> 0000026C S WM_SETCURSOR hwnd:0000026C nHittest:HTCLIENT wMouseMsg:WM_LBUTTONDOWN [wParam:0000026C lParam:02010001]
<00046> 0000026C R WM_SETCURSOR fHaltProcessing:False
'------ Clicked Toolbar
<00047> 0000026C P WM_LBUTTONDOWN fwKeys:MK_LBUTTON xPos:258 yPos:17 [wParam:00000001 lParam:00110102 time:1:41:26.915]
<00048> 0000026C S WM_SETCURSOR hwnd:0000026C nHittest:HTCLIENT wMouseMsg:WM_MOUSEMOVE [wParam:0000026C lParam:02000001]
<00049> 0000026C R WM_SETCURSOR fHaltProcessing:False
<00050> 0000026C P WM_MOUSEMOVE fwKeys:0000 xPos:258 yPos:17 [wParam:00000000 lParam:00110102 time:1:41:27.017]
<00051> 0000026C S WM_MOUSEACTIVATE hwndTopLevel:00000278 nHittest:HTCLIENT uMsg:WM_LBUTTONDOWN [wParam:00000278 lParam:02010001]
<00052> 0000026C R WM_MOUSEACTIVATE fuActivate:MA_ACTIVATE
<00053> 0000026C S WM_SETCURSOR hwnd:0000026C nHittest:HTCLIENT wMouseMsg:WM_LBUTTONDOWN [wParam:0000026C lParam:02010001]
<00054> 0000026C R WM_SETCURSOR fHaltProcessing:False
<00055> 0000026C P WM_LBUTTONDBLCLK fwKeys:MK_LBUTTON xPos:258 yPos:17 [wParam:00000001 lParam:00110102 time:1:41:27.115]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dw85745

Not sure what you mean by the above?

Are you referring to the parent (container) child relationship of the toolbar?

David

---

Yes. Inside the toolbar, there is another window that's processes double-click messages into invoking the "Customize" method, hence the reason why sending messages to the actual toolbar, itself, will not work, because we want to send to the internal window (not the parent window).

The code I supplied earlier will get the handle of this internal window. Send your mouse-events to it, and the customize dialog should appear.

Have tried all three differerent classes that have shown up below:

VB Code:

Private Sub DBLClickToolbar()
 
   'Get the Form Handle
   hForm = FindWindow(vbNullString, "howto_hidden_toolbar_buttons")
   If hForm Then
   
      'Get the Toolbar Handle
      hToolbar = FindWindowEx(tbrActions.hwnd, 0, "msvb_lib_toolbar", vbNullString)
'      hToolbar = FindWindowEx(hForm, 0, "Toolbar20WndClass", vbNullString)
'      hToolbar = FindWindowEx(hForm, 0, "ToolbarWindow32", vbNullString)
      If hToolbar Then
 
         Whatever ..............
 
End Sub

Yes, "msvb_lib_toolbar" is the one you want.

Send your messages to that window, and the customize dialog will be displayed.

Been working on this toolbar problem on and off all week with an HCBT hook.

Not working.

QUESTIONS

Before I abandon HCBT and look at HGETMESSAGE can you explain
how you decide which HOOK to use, or is this trial/error and experience?

Do you know any place (SDK does NOT give the detail I want) that would provide specific information such as below for each of the 15 hook types.


****************************

My assessment for the toolbar would be:

1. Try and hook when the buttons are being created and/or placed
into the listboxes so that I could redirect them to the listbox of choice.
My guess is that the buttons would be added AFTER the customize form
as well as the listboxes exist, but before ShowWindow.



Based on the following HCBT does not appear to allow me to hook into where I need to hook. Here's what I've determined with HCBT.


Re: HCBT_CREATEWND

-----------------
I can get each Class hwnd, and Class name on the
Customize form, BUT at this point the text of the
control (such as "Reset") is NOT available other than through
the CREATEWND structure.
---> My conclusion is that HCBT_CREATEWND hooks just after class and window creation. BUT SINCE THE BUTTONS ARE ADDED AFTER CREATION
BUT BEFORE ACTIVATION, do I need to do this by looking for each Button being put into the listbox??? Tried by AddExtraButton routine here but
keep locking up.

------------------

For example:

HCBT_CREATEWND
Button 1796 --> Debug.Print Left$(lpClassName, 15); wParam
"" --> GetWindowText
HCBT_CREATEWND
Button 1800
""
HCBT_CREATEWND
Static 1804
""
HCBT_CREATEWND
ListBox 1808
""

Re: HCBT_ACTIVATE

---------------
This just returns the "Customize" Form and "Form1"
My conclusion here is that this hooks just before ShowWindow.
---> You would think this would be a good place to modify the Customize form
but so far my attempts have yielded "Method Customizee of object IToolbar failed"
and a lockup.

---------------

HCBT_ACTIVATE
#32770 1780 --> Debug.Print Left$(lpClassName, 15); wParam
Customize Toolbar --> GetWindowText

HCBT_ACTIVATE
ThunderForm 1752
howto_hidden_toolbar_buttons

******************************

I, personally, like use WH_GETMESSAGE, but if you're using a WH_CBT (Computer based training, FYI) hook, you're interested in the HCBT_CREATEWND notification. This will be sent just prior to the window creation.

And you're right: Chances are, the buttons have not even been created yet (the window, itself, isn't created yet) so you won't be able to get their handles at this point. All buttons are probably be created in the WM_CREATE event of the parent window, so it's safe to obtain handles for these buttons in the WM_ACTIVATE event. In order to gain access to this event, subclass the window.

Each time a button is clicked, it sends a WM_COMMAND message to the parent form, with the lParam parameter containing the handle of the button pressed, and the high-order bits containing a BN_CLICKED notification code. Catch these, and you should be good to go.

What is it you're trying to do again? Check when a specific button is clicked?

Still plan to look at WH_GETMESSAGE hook once I finish understanding CBT.

----------------------------------------------------------
What is it you're trying to do again? Check when a specific button is clicked?
----------------------------------------------------------

With the Hook, I am looking at another approach to acccomplish the objective -- if I can do what I want.

PREVIOUSLY:

1) We were able to load new buttons and transfer them from the right to the left listbox so the buttons would be available. This worked with a DoubleClick but NOT with the Toolbar.Customize Method.

2) There was NO way to save the configuration for loading during startup.


NOW:

1) HCBT_DESTROYWND will allow the saving of the button configuration for use during startup.

2). Struggling with trying to get the buttons loaded both with a DoubleClick and Toolbar.Customize Method.

My THOUGHT is that it might be easier to load the buttons directly into the Right and Left Listbox rather than messing around with sending messages to various buttons.

---> The QUESTION is can I load directly to the listbox (takes both text and icons) and bypass the Toolbar.Add Method or is something going on which sets some pointer, array etc. that's needed elsewhere and going through Toolbar.Add is required -- OR would be a LOT more work than pressing buttons??

---------------------
OTHER QUESTION I HAVE ARE:

1) HCBT_CREATEWND by definition is installed before window creation.

SO, looking at the code my guess is we would have:

DO
Define a Window Class
Register the Class
--->> Hook with HCBT_CREATEWND
Create Window
--->> Hook with HCBT_ACTIVATE
ShowWindow
LOOP

2) GetWindowText returns "" when put in HCBT_CREATEWND and using the wParam for that particular control. So it appears nothing has been put in the lpszWinName (CreateWindow) when HCBT_CREATEWND is called. This seems odd as you would think the CreateWindow structure would be filled and HCBT_CREATEWND would be used to make any wanted changes before execution OTHERWISE the defaults would override what is entered in HCBT_CREATEWND?

This leads me to believe GetWindowText will only return Text AFTER window creation has executed.

3) HCBT_ACTIVATE returns just the Child (Customize) and the Parent (Form1). The question is when are the Toolbar buttons loaded (.Add Method) Before HCBT_ACTIVATE or After??

When I try to use SendMessage to the "Reset" button in HCBT_ACTIVATE, I get returned to HCBT_ACTIVATE, which generates an error, so something else is going on.