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+---- Thread: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? (/showthread.php?tid=4059)
is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - madscijr - 10-30-2025
It would be helpful if it didn't have to always start at 0, 0 of the program window.
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - bplus - 10-30-2025
Code: (Select All)
Locate 12, 40: Input "What"; w$Oh InputBox$ Sorry:
Code: (Select All)
' for saving and restoring screen settins
Sub ScnState (restoreTF As Long) 'Thanks Steve McNeill
Static defaultColor~&, backGroundColor~&
Static font&, dest&, source&, row&, col&, autodisplay&, mb&
If restoreTF Then
_Font font&
Color defaultColor~&, backGroundColor~&
_Dest dest&
_Source source&
Locate row&, col&
If autodisplay& Then _AutoDisplay Else _Display
_KeyClear
While _MouseInput: Wend 'clear mouse clicks
mb& = _MouseButton(1)
If mb& Then
Do
While _MouseInput: Wend
mb& = _MouseButton(1)
_Limit 100
Loop Until mb& = 0
End If
Else
font& = _Font: defaultColor~& = _DefaultColor: backGroundColor~& = _BackgroundColor
dest& = _Dest: source& = _Source
row& = CsrLin: col& = Pos(0): autodisplay& = _AutoDisplay
_KeyClear
End If
End Sub
' You can grab this box by title and drag it around screen for full viewing while answering prompt.
' Only one line allowed for prompt$
' boxWidth is 4 more than the allowed length of input, it needs to be longer than title$ and prompt$ also
' Utilities > Input Box > Input Box 1 tester v 2019-07-31
Function inputBox$ (title$, prompt$, boxWidth As _Byte)
Dim ForeColor As _Unsigned Long, BackColor As _Unsigned Long
Dim sw As Long, sh As Long, curScrn As Long, backScrn As Long, ibx As Long 'some handles
'colors
ForeColor = &HFF000055 '< change as desired prompt text color, back color or type in area
BackColor = &HFF6080CC '< change as desired used fore color in type in area
'items to restore at exit
ScnState 0
'screen snapshot
sw = _Width: sh = _Height: curScrn = _Dest
backScrn = _NewImage(sw, sh, 32)
_PutImage , curScrn, backScrn
'moving box around on screen
Dim bxW As Long, bxH As Long
Dim mb As Long, mx As Long, my As Long, mi As Long, grabx As Long, graby As Long
Dim tlx As Long, tly As Long 'top left corner of message box
Dim lastx As Long, lasty As Long
Dim inp$, kh&
'draw message box
bxW = boxWidth * 8: bxH = 7 * 16
ibx = _NewImage(bxW, bxH, 32)
_Dest ibx
Color &HFF880000, &HFFFFFFFF
Locate 1, 1: Print Left$(Space$(Int((boxWidth - Len(title$) - 3)) / 2) + title$ + Space$(boxWidth), boxWidth)
Color &HFFFFFFFF, &HFFBB0000
Locate 1, boxWidth - 2: Print " X "
Color ForeColor, BackColor
Locate 2, 1: Print Space$(boxWidth);
Locate 3, 1: Print Left$(Space$((boxWidth - Len(prompt$)) / 2) + prompt$ + Space$(boxWidth), boxWidth);
Locate 4, 1: Print Space$(boxWidth);
Locate 5, 1: Print Space$(boxWidth);
Locate 6, 1: Print Space$(boxWidth);
inp$ = ""
GoSub finishBox
'convert to pixels the top left corner of box at moment
bxW = boxWidth * 8: bxH = 5 * 16
tlx = (sw - bxW) / 2: tly = (sh - bxH) / 2
lastx = tlx: lasty = tly
_KeyClear
'now allow user to move it around or just read it
While 1
Cls
_PutImage , backScrn
_PutImage (tlx, tly), ibx, curScrn
_Display
While _MouseInput: Wend
mx = _MouseX: my = _MouseY: mb = _MouseButton(1)
If mb Then
If mx >= tlx And mx <= tlx + bxW And my >= tly And my <= tly + 16 Then 'mouse down on title bar
If mx >= tlx + bxW - 24 Then Exit While
grabx = mx - tlx: graby = my - tly
Do While mb 'wait for release
mi = _MouseInput: mb = _MouseButton(1)
mx = _MouseX: my = _MouseY
If mx - grabx >= 0 And mx - grabx <= sw - bxW And my - graby >= 0 And my - graby <= sh - bxH Then
'attempt to speed up with less updates
If ((lastx - (mx - grabx)) ^ 2 + (lasty - (my - graby)) ^ 2) ^ .5 > 10 Then
tlx = mx - grabx: tly = my - graby
Cls
_PutImage , backScrn
_PutImage (tlx, tly), ibx, curScrn
lastx = tlx: lasty = tly
_Display
End If
End If
_Limit 400
Loop
End If
End If
kh& = _KeyHit
Select Case kh& 'whew not much for the main event!
Case 13: Exit While
Case 27: inp$ = "": Exit While
Case 32 To 128: If Len(inp$) < boxWidth - 4 Then inp$ = inp$ + Chr$(kh&): GoSub finishBox Else Beep
Case 8: If Len(inp$) Then inp$ = Left$(inp$, Len(inp$) - 1): GoSub finishBox Else Beep
End Select
_Limit 60
Wend
'put things back
ScnState 1 'need fg and bg colors set to cls
Cls '? is this needed YES!!
_PutImage , backScrn
_Display
_FreeImage backScrn
_FreeImage ibx
ScnState 1 'because we have to call _display, we have to call this again
inputBox$ = inp$
Exit Function
finishBox:
_Dest ibx
Color BackColor, ForeColor
Locate 5, 2: Print Left$(" " + inp$ + Space$(boxWidth - 2), boxWidth - 2)
_Dest curScrn
Return
End FunctionIf still not good enough, this code you can MOD.
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - madscijr - 10-31-2025
Thanks @BPlus, that's an interesting little program!
But no, I meant a popup specifically outside the program window, not one that is sitting over any part of the program window. Like the Inputbox$ control, with the default value selected so you can copy it to the clipboard.
The QB64PE one looks identical to the one in vbscript / VBA / VB6 (which can be moved, run the below vbscript)
so it must be system-level, so it's probably possible to edit the QB64PE IDE to add those parameters, but that would be a lot of work.
Another option would be to generate a vbscript on the fly and shell out to it, or have it accept command line args.
A simpler solution for my purpose is display a prompt in _TITLE, collect input with _KeyDown, update clipboard with _Clipboard$.
Thanks again! That code might come in handy for some other projects!
Do you have a version that can display & detect clicks on OK / Cancel / Yes / No buttons??
Code: (Select All)
' "PositionInputbox.vbs" = A vbscript that demostrates how to position inputbox
Dim m_ProgramPath: m_ProgramPath = Left(WScript.ScriptFullName, InStrRev(WScript.ScriptFullName, "\")) ' executable path
Dim m_ProgramName: m_ProgramName = Mid(WScript.ScriptFullName, InStrRev(WScript.ScriptFullName, "\") + 1) ' executable filename
dim strComputer : dim objWMIService : dim colItems : dim objItem
Dim ScreenWidth: Dim ScreenHeight : dim xMax : dim yMax : dim xMin : dim yMin
Dim xPos : Dim yPos : Dim dx : Dim dy
dim sValue : dim sPrompt : dim sTitle : dim sDefault : Dim xTwips : Dim yTwips
dim sError : sError = ""
if len(sError)=0 then
' Get screen size
' Author: Demon
' Website: http://demon.tw
' Date: 2012/5/7
strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_DesktopMonitor",,48)
For Each objItem in colItems
ScreenWidth = objItem.ScreenWidth
ScreenHeight = objItem.ScreenHeight
if len(ScreenWidth) > 0 and len(ScreenHeight) > 0 then exit for
Next
if len(ScreenWidth) = 0 or len(ScreenHeight) = 0 then sError = "Error: can't determine screen resolution. Exiting."
end if
if len(sError)=0 then
' Move inputbox around
' https://www.devguru.com/content/technologies/vbscript/functions-inputbox.html
' https://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?419303-Screen-Position-of-the-InputBox
xMin = 0 : yMin = 0 : xMax = ScreenWidth - 375 : yMax = ScreenHeight - 240
xPos = xMin : yPos = yMin : dx = 100 : dy = 200
Do
sPrompt = "Press Enter or cick OK to see InputBox move." & vbcrlf & _
"Clear the text and click OK to quit." & vbcrlf & _
"Screen resolution = " & xMax & "x" & yMax
sTitle = m_ProgramName
sDefault = xPos & "," & yPos
xTwips = 15 * xPos : yTwips = 15 * yPos
sValue = InputBox(sPrompt, sTitle, sDefault, xTwips, yTwips)
if len(sValue) = 0 then exit do
xPos = xPos + dx
if xPos < xMin then dx = 0 - dx : xPos = xMin : dx = 0 : if dy = 0 then dy = 100
if yPos < yMin then dy = 0 - dy : yPos = yMin : dy = 0 : if dx = 0 then dx = -200
yPos = yPos + dy
if xPos > xMax then dx = 0 - dx : xPos = xMax : dx = 0 : if dy = 0 then dy = -100
if yPos > yMax then dy = 0 - dy : yPos = yMax : dy = 0 : if dx = 0 then dx = 200
Loop
end if
if len(sError) > 0 then msgbox sError
if IsObject(objItem) then set objItem = nothing
if IsObject(colItems) then set colItems = nothing
if IsObject(objWMIService) then set objWMIService = nothing
WScript.Quit()RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - bplus - 10-31-2025
"Do you have a version that can display & detect clicks on OK / Cancel / Yes / No buttons??"
Boo hoo!
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - madscijr - 10-31-2025
I'll take that as a No, but that was just me being lazy - you already did all the hard work making a dragable popup window, we can probably modify your routine to support buttons, etc. I can't look at it right now, but maybe later!
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - bplus - 10-31-2025
A "no" for Halloween
I created InputBox and MessageBox before QB64pe added them built-in. If I want buttons I'd use that and I think they might be draggable too.
Great ways to communicate with user at Runtime without messing up the screen!
Another idea is to run a separate program that writes a reply into a file or clipboard readable by the program that wants the info. How desparate are you?
Actually the clipboard idea is pretty good and could be used for other programs needing info from user. The caller clears clipboard and waits for contents to be read, come to think you might not even need a separate program!!!
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - madscijr - 10-31-2025
All good ideas. Not desperate - there will be time to explore these on a less busy day. Happy Halloween!
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - Petr - 10-31-2025
@madscijr
We also discussed something along those here: https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3018
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - SpriggsySpriggs - 11-05-2025
You would most likely need to just figure out how to make your own input box using the Win32 API and give the coordinates for it in the creation. But, considering it takes input, you would need callback functions and a lot of code. You can also use PowerShell to make a GUI input box, and it might allow you to choose where it starts. I can't remember if it does.
RE: is there any way to position the inputbox$ window? - madscijr - 11-05-2025
(10-31-2025, 06:10 PM)Petr Wrote: We also discussed something along those here: https://qb64phoenix.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3018
Thanks, I will check that out!
(11-05-2025, 02:40 PM)SpriggsySpriggs Wrote: You would most likely need to just figure out how to make your own input box using the Win32 API and give the coordinates for it in the creation. But, considering it takes input, you would need callback functions and a lot of code. You can also use PowerShell to make a GUI input box, and it might allow you to choose where it starts. I can't remember if it does.
Interesting... I had read PowerHell can do GUIs, and you have a lot more control than with traditional vbscript. I wonder what the Linux / Mac equivalent (if one exists) would be?
For now, I just set the _TITLE to display debug values and did a _KEYDOWN for input, which did the job for debugging.
But I will check out the link Petr mentioned and look into doing GUIs with PowerShell. Always good to have more tricks up one's sleeve!
Thanks again, guys!