MSFlexGrids and scale

[krtxmrtz]

I've noticed that flexgrids don't have a scalemode property so values as colwidth must be assigned in twips. Is that so or am I missing something?

[bushmobile]

that's correct - if you're worried about it matching up with the form's scalemode then you can use the ScaleX and ScaleY functions, e.g.:

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Me.ScaleMode = vbPixels
    MSFlexGrid1.BorderStyle = flexBorderNone
End Sub
 
Private Sub MSFlexGrid1_MouseDown(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
    Command1.Move MSFlexGrid1.Left + Me.ScaleX(X, vbTwips), _
                  MSFlexGrid1.Top + Me.ScaleY(Y, vbTwips)
End Sub

[krtxmrtz]

What I'm actually worried about is the grid metrics. I've recently posted some query about the correct gid size so that an integer number of cols & rows fitted in it. I wanted to know what the border width was in various practical cases and things like these.

As no one has provided a definite formula I have made a study project to try to learn by eye inspection. I have used a grid with very small cells and a desktop magnifier tool. I have attached the project as well as a spyglass (in case you don't have one handy) that I downloaded God knows where.

I have found that the grid thickness seems to be 2*BorderStyle, so it's either 0 or 2, but in one case I found a border thichness of 3 pixels -but I just can't remember what property I changed.

On the other hand, there are two variables, xoffset and yoffset to help find what were the minum grid width and height that would clip the rightmost column or and downmost row that make the scrollbars appear.

Well, do me a favor, play around with this thing and let me know what you think.

Private Sub Form_Activate()
    Dim i As Integer, j As Integer
    Dim tx As Integer, ty As Integer
    Dim xoffset As Integer, yoffset As Integer
    Dim cwpx As Integer, rhpx As Integer
    Dim cw As Integer, rh As Integer
    Dim MyBorderThickness As Integer
    
    'Get these valus to be used with the flexgrid
    'that uses twips rather than pixels
    tx = Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
    ty = Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
    
    Me.ScaleMode = vbPixels
    
    With grid
        .Move 0, 0
        .GridLineWidth = 1
        'Play around with the BorderStyle,
        'and number of rows and columns, etc.
        '----------------------------/-------
        '.BorderStyle = flexBorderNone
        .BorderStyle = flexBorderSingle
        'This is an educated guess from
        'inspecting the grid by eye
        'through a desktop magnifier
        'utility
        MyBorderThickness = 2
        '-----------------------------------
        .Cols = 3
        .Rows = 4
        'I have used very small colwidth and rowheight
        'values so as to make pixel counting easier
        'ColWidth in pixels:
        cwpx = 12
        'ColWidth in twips
        cw = cwpx * tx
        rhpx = 6
        'RowHeight in pixels:
        rh = rhpx * ty
        For i = 0 To .Cols - 1
            .ColWidth(i) = cw
        Next
        For i = 0 To .Rows - 1
            .RowHeight(i) = rh
        Next
        'Play around with the width and height
        '(change the offsets)
        'to see what are the minimum values
        'that don't trigger the scrollbars
        xoffset = 1
        yoffset = -1
        .Width = .Cols * cwpx + 2 * MyBorderThickness * .BorderStyle + xoffset
        .Height = .Rows * rhpx + 2 * MyBorderThickness * .BorderStyle + yoffset
        '
        '----------------------------------------------------
        'Patch around the grid with a chessboard-like pattern
        'for easy pixel counting (with a magnifying tool)
        '----------------------------------------------------
        MousePointer = vbHourglass
        
        For i = grid.Width - 5 To grid.Width + 5
            For j = 0 To grid.Height + 5
                If (i + j) Mod 2 = 0 Then
                    Me.PSet (i, j), vbYellow
                Else
                    Me.PSet (i, j), vbGreen
                End If
            Next
        Next
        For i = 0 To grid.Width - 6
            For j = grid.Height - 5 To grid.Height + 5
                If (i + j) Mod 2 = 0 Then
                    Me.PSet (i, j), vbYellow
                Else
                    Me.PSet (i, j), vbGreen
                End If
            Next
        Next
        
        MousePointer = vbDefault
        
    End With
    
End Sub

[krtxmrtz]

Another issue is, if there's a horizontal scrollbar, what should the grid height be so that an integer number of rows are completely visible (i.e. not clipped)?

I thought I could derive this by trial and error but the figures I'm getting make no sense. For example, my last attempt was:

With MSFlexGrid1
    'Height of horizontal scrollbar
    VSC_H = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYHSCROLL) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
    'Border of horizontal scrollbar
    VSC_B = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYBORDER) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
    'For 25 entirely visible rows:
    .Height = .RowHeight(0) * 25 + 4 * .BorderStyle * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY+ VSC_H + MyGuess *VSC_B
End With

As the returned VSC_B value was 1 pixel, I tried different values of MyGuess and it turned out that 17 was the minimum value that didn't call for a vertical scrollbar, meaning that the rows were visible. So why 17?

[krtxmrtz]

Another issue is, if there's a horizontal scrollbar, what should the grid height be so that an integer number of rows are completely visible (i.e. not clipped)?

I thought I could derive this by trial and error but the figures I'm getting make no sense. For example, my last attempt was:

With MSFlexGrid1
    'Height of horizontal scrollbar
    VSC_H = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYHSCROLL) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
    'Border of horizontal scrollbar
    VSC_B = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYBORDER) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
    'For 25 entirely visible rows:
    .Height = .RowHeight(0) * 25 + 4 * .BorderStyle * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY+ VSC_H + MyGuess *VSC_B
End With

As the returned VSC_B value was 1 pixel, I tried different values of MyGuess and it turned out that 17 was the minimum value that didn't call for a vertical scrollbar, meaning that the rows were visible. So why 17?

Ok I think it's like this:

.Height = .RowHeight(0) * .Rows + 4 * .BorderStyle * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY+ VSC_H + MyGuess * VSC_B

Now, if MyGuess is 1 this is the minimum value necessary to avoid a vertical scrollbar, but you need MyGuess=2 to make the last row completely visible.