Windows Not Closed

[Kevin Morin]

I know there will be an easy solution to this:

I open a child window, like Plate Development, and because I want to look back at the model to see why or what is causing some shape that I don’t recognize; I diminish INSTEAD OF CLOSE the window.

Now that window is still active, regardless of clicking in the ‘main window’ and I can’t get it back up! None of the displayed window’s controls will work, the system is essentially ‘shut down’ as I can’t find the diminished window’s icon, its not in the tool bar so what do we do?’

I’ve had to use the Manager to stop the program hundreds of times because of this every eccentric -nonWindows use model.

What are windows for if not to leave open and come back to them when needed?

Please help me see the light’ of how to get the diminished window like hull intersections, plate developments back up so I can close them when I’ve forgotten to do so!!!

thanks for any ‘secrets’
Cheers,

Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK

[Marven]

Hi Kevin,

The forms are defined as default Windows modal forms. This means the forms retain the focus of the program until they are closed, even when minimized.

In my copy of winsows (Win7, 64 bit) this works as follows (see screenshots below):

1. The first image shows the mainscreen with the plate developments window
2. The second image shows what the screen looks like right after the plate developments window has been minimized. You can see there’s no trace of the window.
3. The last image shows the minimized plate development form at the bottom left corner. It was visualized simply by clicking on the delftship mainform, Windows automatically shows the form which has the focus on top of it. In this case it is the minimized plate developments form. Click on the restore or maximize button in the title bar of the minimized for to restore its original size again, so you can close it or do whatever you were about to do.

[Kevin Morin]

Thank you Marven,

when I follow the steps and immediately interact with the diminished/minimized window shown on your screen image things work as you mention; however, when I click in the main window before restoring the plate development window which is reduced/diminished- the tool bar icon disappears but the modal form retains focus and I can’t find a means to restore that ‘hidden’ but modal window?

I’m operating in an old version of XP (not even fully updated).

In fact, on my system, the main window of D’ship Pro will minimize to the tool tray below the desktop and not restore by clicking, it requires the pop up and Restore selection.

cheers,
Kevin Morin

[otaku]

There should have been in windows, from the very earliest days of coding, a “push to back”/”bring to front” method/event/whatever so that “lost” or hidden, a simple keyboard stroke would bring it back to focus. This is, to me, a horrible problem when an OS owner decides for the user or doesn’t provide a means to interact. The visual basic or other ms employee/person who decided that some apps will be modal vs non-modal should have implored that if there is EVEN a chance the user will benefit from interactively editing data to drive a chart or graphic to update, and if the capability is already IN the code and it is doing so, then the user should never be obstructed, unless it is a data entry mode when speedy entry is more important than error correction.

Hopefully, when Delftship 4.5 or 5.x comes along, it totally ditches the older ms or 3rd party code in favor of the later (not necessarily .net nor active x) code that doesn’t get in the user’s way.

What messes me up is when I’m using an app that pops up an unmanaged window and it is small and blends in with my main work or my drawing and i don’t even realize there is a popup. Or, when an unmanaged popup pops up on my 2nd display 12 inches out the corner of my eye. I sit there clicking furiously for 10 seconds only to realize that THIS time, the popup is on my other display. Things like that should show rays or flashing pallets to get teh user’s attention that the invoked action caused an event that is observable on an existing, detected, active, working 2nd display. Smart apps would independently poll such devices and not rely 100% on the OS for such info. Would be nice little touches that keep the users’ hairs from turning gray, or prevent the user from taking in vain the name of any developers who don’t deserve their names being taken in vain, hehehe..

(rant: My employer makes apps that use code from the late 80’s early 90s to install our apps, and because the installer is always nagging me and getting in my way, it drives me NUTS to have to suppress them while I’m attempting to work on another task. But, unfortunately for me, I have one machine on which I must do many things. Like testing our app to make sure the disks burned correctly, and having to deal with a naggy installer that the developer of the installer assumed the user has nothing else to do besides watch the install occur. rant off)

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