We have developed ActiveFormResizer OCX for VB4, VB5 and VB6 applications. This version is not suitable for Visual C/C++ and Web applications.
During design time, ActiveFormResizer specifies how controls reposition and resize as the form resizes. At runtime, as the form resizes, minimizes, maximizes or restores, ActiveFormResizer manages each control's position and size automatically.
Major Features
Most similar products resize all controls proportionally as the form resizes. The drawbacks are many, for example, text font and push button become smaller or larger. These functions are supported by ActiveFormResizer in stretch mode.
At anchor mode(non-stretch), ActiveFormResizer specifies each control's relative position to the borders of the form at design time. A control can be set to anchored to the left, top, bottom and right of the form. During runtime, when the form is resized, these controls are resized or re-positioned, but maintaining the same relative position.
Installation
1. Unzip resize.zip to a temporary directory. From this directory, copy resize.ocx to C:\Windows\system (or your system directory).
2. Run MS-DOS Prompt form Start | Programs menu. Change current directory to C:\Windows\system(or the system directory of your PC), then type:
regsvr32 resize.ocx
How to Use
This is a VB5 example. VB4/6 examples are similar.
1. Add a new Form into your VB project, named as Form1.
2. Select menu Projects | Components, select the check box for ActiveFormResizer Control in the Components dialog box and select the OK button. A ActiveFormResizer control is added into your Control panel
3. Add a ActiveFormResizer control into the form, named Resize1 by default.
4. Add a listbox control into Form1, named as List1.
5. Right click on Resize1 to display Property Pages dialog box. The first column displays the name of controls in the form, the second column displays the index value for control array. If a control is not an element of control array, its Array Index is -1 or empty.
6. Double-click on List1, click "All Directions" check box and click OK button. List1 will be anchored to all edges of the form.
7. ActiveFormResizer uses properties MinWidth and MinHeight to specify the form's size in TWIPS. Set both to be 3400.
8. Save your VB project. Click the Start button to run the program.
9. Resize Form1. You will see that List1 is repositioned and resized but maintains fixed relative positions to the edges of the form.
ActiveFormResizer Specification
Properties
MinWidth Property
Sets the minimum width of the form in TWIPS. If it is -1, ActiveFormResizer will not restrict the form size.
MinHeight Property
Sets the minimum height of the form in TWIPS. If it is -1, ActiveFormResizer will not restrict the form size.
Stretch Property
Sets to stretch mode(value is 1) or anchor mode(value is zero, default). At stretch mode, all controls in the form are stretched proportionally. At anchor mode, each control's anchor information is used for repositioning the control.
StretchFont Property
Sets to stretch font size for label controls when value is one(1). When set to value zero(0), label controls font sizes are fixed. This property is valid for stretch mode only.
Programming Issues
1. Do not add more than one Resize control in a form.
Product Registration
ActiveFormResizer is a shareware product. By paying a fee and registering the product, you will support the operation of our company and help us to bring to you more products. We will notify all registered users about all product upgrades.
Step 1: Visit our WWW page: http://business.fortunecity.com/hunt/673 for pricing information. Standard price is $20 per license. Site license is available for $100 per site.
Step 2: Send payment check with the Product Order Form. The form is available at the end of this file.
Step 3: We will send you the unlock code.
Step 4: Open your VB application project, click ActiveFormResizer control in a form, press F4 to display the Properties page for the control. Click the About property to display About ActiveFormResizer Control dialog box, and select "Register" button. Enter your name, User ID and Unlock code and select OK.
Bug and Update History
1. Version 1.0 -- First release, April 15, 1999.
2. Version 1.1 -- Revision 1 release, May 1, 1999.
╖ New Features:
1. Add property MinWidth and MinHeight to specify the minimum width and height for the container form. Measurement is TWIPS. Now, you don't need to add Form_Resize() in the form.
╖ Bugs fixed
1. Add versioning handling for future compatibility. This change will not allow EXE files made for Version 1.0 to work with Version 1.1+. Rebuild your EXE files.
2. Fix a few errors in documentation.
3. Version 2.0 -- 2nd release, May 21, 1999.
╖ New Features:
1. Add property Stretch. This is of integer type and defaults to zero (0). When set to zero, the control is working in anchor mode where the each control's relative anchor position related to the form is used during resizing. When set to one (1), the control works in stretch mode where it stretch all controls in the form proportionally.
2. Add property StretchFont. This is of integer type and defaults to zero (0). This property is used for stretch mode (Property Stretch = 1). When set to zero (0), the font sizes for label controls are fixed as the form resized; when set to one(1), the font sizes for label controls are resized proportionally.
╖ Bugs fixed
1. During anchor mode, label controls were not positioned as specified.
2. Update documentation.
4. Version 2.1 -- 3rd release, June 10, 1999.
╖ Bugs fixed
1. Failed to position controls that contain one or more children windows. An example is Microsoft Calendar.
Bugs & Suggestions
Please email us all bug reports with title "BUG-RESIZE-XXXX", or product suggestions with title SUG_RESIZE-XXXX, where XXXX is a build number that can be found in the About dialog box of the OCX.
