PROGRAMMERS' FILE : THEIR CREATIONS ARE ALWAYS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RUN WITH WindowPictures.

 It concerns the commercial executives of software companies also.
See chapter 2 Take advantages of WindowPictures in YOUR softwares.
 

Summary:

I) Programming instructions to get a good compatibility with WindowPictures.

II) Take advantages of WindowPictures in YOUR softwares.



 
I) Programming instructions to get a good compatibility with WindowPictures.

 
According to windows versions :

Do not forget that WindowPictures has been tested only on windows 95 and 98 (no test on windows NT, nor OS/2 and the result is not quite satisfactory on windows 3.x).
 
windows scrolling :

It is essential to use the standard window position memory.

You simply use the SetScrolllPos function at the time of receiving the WM_VSCROLL and WM_HSCROLL messages in the WndProc messages loop of the window.

If you have to scroll your window client zone, you should use the standard function ScrollDC, ScrollWindow or ScrollWindowEX. (sometimes, it will not be necessary)

If there are texts on your window, the 'SetScrollPos' should be updated by the following instruction :

Version number :

The only way to individualize the software display is to use the marking of your software version number (ressource file. RC).

Windows classes names :

If it is not essential, do not multiply classes names  Register Class (WNDCLASS.IpszClassName) ",

We advise you to give a name to each different window : with or without scrolling, with or without icon, similar color background, with or without menu …

You can also use one class name for several open windows.

This explanation does not concern the visible name of the window, (Create Window (.IpszWindow Name)), will not disrupt WindowPictures running.

Selected elements:

If your software operates selections, it does not worth using the display method by colors inversion.

Because if your video adapter is adjusted to 256 colors, the texture inversion will create a kind of illegible " mushy ". We advise you to use standard colors for the selections. You can obtain them by using the function GetSysColor(COLOR_HIGHLIGHT) and GetSysColor(COLOR_HIGHLIGHTTEXT).

Colors palettes :

In the case that your video adapter is adjusted to 256 colors, you have to respect these following rules :

In general WindowPictures manages only one palette for the whole applications. So your palettes are modified and will never correspond to the palette system of the video adpter. It causes a colors loss when your application tries to use a specific palette for a particular draw (ex : a gradation of 256 yellows). If it bothers you very much, you can limited the WindowPictures runnings to other applications (see further). Nevertheless if the appearance of your software is not modified so much by WindowPictures, we advise you not to change this option, because it will cause a slow down at the time of transition from an application to another one.

How to disable WindowPictures while your application is running ? It is simple, at the time of your SETUP, you have to add to the WindPict directory (you can find its site in WIN.INI) a file such as INI containing for example :

[Application]
MainExe=monapp.exe ; short name 16 bits= 8.3 characters, without the path.
Description=any application you want ; in English in general
Minimun Version=7.0
Maximum Version=7.0 ; version space where that option applies.
[Compatibility Options]
DisableWP=1 ; 1 = disable for that application, 0= stable (no changing).

Then use windpict.exe with the '-update_ini' parameter.
This option will be active in a next version of WindowPictures

Resolution modification or colors number of the video adapter change without restarting :

A lot of softwares often change the video adapter configuration during their running, in particular many games.

It usually slows down the computer and also makes the monitor 'jolt', but with WindowPictures waiting becomes intolerable. Actually WindowPictures reloads all its rasters and pictures background at each colors number modification. (No reloading when the resolution changes). In fact there is a reloading at the time of a modification between 256 colors and another format (ex : 15,16,24 or 32 bits). To avoid any problems, we advise you to change the video mode only one time when your software starts.

To force WindowPictures to consider some modifications you have done directly in windpict.ini, or *.sub.

See an example in language C, the program X:\windpict\sources\use_ini.c
 



 
II) Take advantages of WindowPictures in YOUR softwares.
 
1) With a next version of WindowPictures, you will be able to specify a subject or define special elements to your software. All you have to do is to add to your software a small INI file and the corresponding pictures.

2) There is an interesting point : a DLL library with direct usable functions in your software will be available in a future WindowPictures version. This DLL library will give to each graphic element a texture and a picture. For example, you are no more limited by only one texture for all the window backgrounds, better you can create your own pictures for each window background. This method is also valid for buttons, menus, title bar, selected texts, … Only one line of programming is enough for example : WPsetWindowPicture(HWND hwnd,LPSTR PictureFileName) ;

3) You will be able to acquire soon a licence for a special version of WindowPictures, which will work only with YOUR own software. The cost is not fixed yet, it may cost around US 2$ for a usual software ( and 1$ for shareware software). Maybe there will be a sum for the start for example : 1000$ for 500 licences … This will allow you to produce efficient graphic softwares without any effort.
 

A CD-ROM containing the sources of examples in language C and a beta version of WindowPictures should be available soon. There will be also the DLL to access to the WindowPictures functions, with more textures to integrate into your creations. This CD-ROM will be sent by minimum cost, that is to say the postal stamp plus the real CD, around 6$.

To know about new products and also to inform us of your suggestions, contact our compuserve services, internet site and by mail.(see  how to contact us ?).

 

By using WindowPictures, programmers will work in a pleasant and enchanted atmosphere, and programming will be more easier. We are waiting for your suggestions concerning the functions that you would like to have in the WindowPictures DLL library. In that way we can manage that library correctly and above all as you please.

New graphic effects will be available soon but only for programmers in their own windows. These effects will not work in the standard windows' windows. We will do our best to make your suggestions come true. Nothing is too eccentric for us, why not for example to suggest " a circular jumping window ". We want you to be pleased and satisfied by using WindowPictures. The best ideas will be integrated into the next WindowPictures versions, and we would like to give a present to their authors, for example they would get version 2.0 for free...

But never mind, we have a lot of interesting ideas and you will discover them very soon.

 

Do not forget that this library is also yours, it is a kind of graphic API embryo in shareware. Only your support can make it progress in the confined programming world. We count on you as you can count on us.

You can read an updated information about programming with WindowPictures in our web site:
 http://www.WindowPictures.com