Why is the MSGBOX so stupid??

[jacsoft]

Why is the msgbox so stupid.

I have created a messenger. Now sometimes a user has to be noticed about something (and maybe click on a button). I used the msgbox, but I found out that the whole code wait until a button is pressed, so If a user doesn't react soon enoug some data will be used later. I use a function to see if a user is still online to confirm to a question each time. I give it 10 seconds of time. When the users has a msgbox open for this 10 seconds the program can't react on time so the program thinks it is offline. How to fix this??

I have made my own msgbox form, but the problem is that some subs must wait until a button is pressed. I used an array of forms. But if a program (sub) has to wait until a button is pressed I can' t call the sub again. Anyone has got any idea how to fix this. I also tried to use activex etc, but nothing.

Every idea could be helpfull

[Mc Brain]

I guess the best way is to look for a better way to see if it's still online. If "online" for you means that the user is in front of the computer doing something I can guarantee that I would be offline in the second MsgBox you open! Don't bother the user if you want your app to keep running. I mean it... I could answer to the messenger one time, two times, even three times... but you bet I'd kill the process and uninstall the messenger when the fourth msgbos appears.

One way you can use to know if the user is infront of the computer is to detect mouse movements or keystrokes. There are several examples of this on the forums, search for them.

[James Stanich]

I agree with MC Brain.. Why not use a label on the form, instead of popping up all the MsgBoxes...

Use MsgBox sparingly, most users won't even read the text that is displayed

[jacsoft]

I Think I wasn't clear.

It isn't that the messenger is opening the msgboxes. If you for example delete a contact you get a messagebox or when I want to play a game with a contact wich hasn't the plugin it gets a messagebox, or when an error happends or when I give you a new contact. SO the messageboxes can comes at random. But when The program asks are you offline I only want to check if the program on the other computer is still running. Cause when I have winscok opened and someone just pulls the cable out the messenger (even not MSN messenger) will recognize you go offline, so that;s why I want to check once in a while.

I hope this makes it a little more clear

[Mc Brain]

In that case send signals of "I'm still alive" every 30 seconds (winsock to winsock)... the user doesn't even have to know that this is going on. If it's 1 minute or 2 minute (set yhe timeout you want) without getting this "signals", then you could assume the other user went offline.

[jacsoft]

That's kinda what I'm doing. Each 10 secons I check one of my buddies in my list and gives the other computer 10 seconds to reply (in case of bad connection). But when the user has (one way or another) a msgbox opened I don;t get the response in time cause the program waits until the msgbox dissapears. How to change this, to make this work??

[Mc Brain]

Change these MsgBox to the one you had coded.

[jacsoft]

That also doesn't works.

Cause when the user only has to click ok it works. But when I want for example a Yes,No or Cancel I have the same problems, so has anyone got a solution??

[Mc Brain]

What's the problem with that? Code your MsgBox for those buttons also.

[cafeenman]

There is a lot of source code available for custom messageboxes that emulate the VB msgbox. Just do a search on the source code sites. I'm serious. There are a lot of them. Most that I've seen aren't that great, but they'll get you started and you can improve them.

[crptcblade]

Curiouser still...why is 'sucks' censored in the poll?

[jacsoft]

The problem is:

I use a sub. Then I open my own msgbox. So far so good. But then the sub needs to wait for a button to be clicked. SO I show the form modal : frm.show 1. But now when a new request for that sub comes it does nothing anymore. I just waits till the old form is cleared. That's the problem. Even when I use Doevents

[cafeenman]

Sub ShowMessage()
Static MsgVisible As Boolean
 
If MsgVisible Then Exit sub
 
MsgVisible = True
 
' show your msgbox
 
MsgVisible  = False
 
End Sub

[jacsoft]

Well caffeenman.

I could find a good sample of a messagebox (tried for example www.planet-source-code.com) so that's why I started this treath.
And sucks is censored cause I though it would make it a little nicer and still everyone knows what I mean.

[jacsoft]

Sub ShowMessage()
Static MsgVisible As Boolean

If MsgVisible Then Exit sub

MsgVisible = True

' show your msgbox

MsgVisible = False

End Sub


Well I don't know what this might be but it isn''t what I want. I will give you some of my code : It might be kinda messy but it's in beta :

Public Function ownmsgbox(message As String, title As String, cmdcancel As Boolean, cmdyes As Boolean, cmdno As Boolean, cmdok As Boolean, Optional pic As Byte = 0) As integer
Dim frm As New frmmsgbox
frm.Caption = title
frm.label1.caption=message

frm.value=-1
frm.cmdok.Visible = cmdok
frm.cmdcancel.Visible = cmdcancel
frm.cmdja.Visible = cmdyes
frm.cmdnee.Visible = cmdno
frm.show 1

Set ownmsgbox = frm.value
End Function

[riyaz_r]

*bump*

[Swatty]

Maybe you can use the Zorder of the form.

I am not working in VB anymore but play with it .

I think you can set it like

frm.show
frm.Zorder 0

this way it should stay on top and other events would still work.

check in its lost focus event to reset it to topform.

You'ld have to change some code though.

[Swatty]

In reply to the poll.

I voted it isn't stupid.

Just use it for what it is made.

[oh1mie]

There is another msgbox via API, it works diifferently.

You can use timer on your own msgbox, than it's unload after 10 seconds.

[jacsoft]

I couldn't get it working. Anyone a good example for my problem??

[BuggyProgrammer]

it isn't only standard in VB, it's standard in c++ too. if you really don't want to build your own messagebox then learn to multithread.