Thread: Problem with static text in dialog boxes

  1. #1
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    Problem with static text in dialog boxes

    I want a relatively large dialog box to be filled with static text, (i'm going to use it as the programs "help" file) I can make the dialog box no problem, but when it comes to putting the text in, the static text boxes are limited to very few characters - like 2 lines of text, i don't want to use an edit box because the text is supposed to be static, what do you suggest?

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    A read-only edit box, then the text will be static.

  3. #3
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    thanks, *goes to read about read only edit boxes*

  4. #4
    It's full of stars adrianxw's Avatar
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    >>> static text boxes are limited to very few characters

    I guess there is a theoretical upper limit for how much you can put in there, but I don't think you've hit it. I suspect you have not enlarged the static text control to the size you require. If you create a control of size x, then you will only be able to put so much text into it that will fill x. Click the bottom right of the static control and drag it down and right.
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  5. #5
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    Oh my was box is big enough, and it looks fine on the screen but at compile time is complains that the text is too long. If its over about 2 lines in length I get:

    "warning RC4206 : title string too long; truncated at 256"

    and if it's way longer i get an error, the exact text i forget but i think its mentions a static string.

    It's ok i just used lots of static string boxes each with 1-2 lines of text (yes it was a pain) next time i'll use the read-only edit box.

  6. #6
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    were you using new line characters or one big string? multi line edits?
    (as I think the limits are different. I thought you could put more than 256 chars in an edit.)

    Have a look at HDC's (Handle to Device Context)

    This is a 'holder' for graphical resources (fonts, bitmaps ect) for a particular device (printer, screen ect).

    Can have full control of text and images. Harder than the read only edit but needed for any type of GDI app. Biggest thing is to remeber to put them back exactly the way you found/created them.
    "Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that he was compelled to invent laughter."
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  7. #7
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    What i was doing, was using the resource editor with MSVC++, so you click on the static text icon, draw a box then if you double click it you get a window coming up saying "Text Properties", within that there is room for you to type text into the static text box, (it says Caption: and has an edit control for you to type in) I was typing in there.

  8. #8
    It's full of stars adrianxw's Avatar
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    I had a play with this. It would seem that the static text control uses the window title property to store it's string, (256 characters), although the resource editor allows you to create much long strings without reporting an error, (I did just that).

    I guess I have never had the problem before as I have never tried to use a static control for anything other than a few words.

    Windows has a reasonably good built in help system within the API, but I guess you have not got there yet in your Petzold!
    Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity unto the dream.

  9. #9
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    and if you try to SetDlgItemText() a string greater than 256 to a static text ctrl, it is truncated to 256 with no error reported.
    "Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that he was compelled to invent laughter."
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars......the rest I squandered."
    George Best

    "If you are going through hell....keep going."
    Winston Churchill

  10. #10
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    "Windows has a reasonably good built in help system within the API, but I guess you have not got there yet in your Petzold!"

    Haven't seen any mention of it so far, though i am jumping around a bit.

  11. #11
    It's full of stars adrianxw's Avatar
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    WinHelp() is the basic API function, but I would read it when you get to it. It is a big area. Often, designing the help for an application is part of the early design process as it is usually easy, (once you understand it), to write an app with the help design in mind, but is a right royal pain in... to add later.

    Many pro's use specialist help editing systems, RoboHelp for example.
    Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity unto the dream.

  12. #12
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    Hmm, my copy (5th ed.) of Petzold seems to lack any info on WinHelp, grrr!

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