Where Is the Message Loop?

[Steve Behman]

Using Visual C++8.0 Express Edition I created a "Solution " using a "Form"
(dialog) of my own design.

Without adding any code of my own I compiled the code generated for me by
Visual C++. The compiled .exe produced the expected dialog with all the
function I expected (tabbing, text entry etc.).

At that point I ran headlong into a huge stone wall -- try as I may I could
not find the message loop in the generated code so that I could add
functionality to the dialog.

I am certain that there is a message loop there (somewhere) because without
a the minimal function of the dialog box could not be achieved.

Will some kind soul please tell me how to locate the place in the generated
code (or elsewhere) where I can add the application functionality.

Thanks,

 

[David Lowndes]

Using Visual C++8.0 Express Edition I created a "Solution " using a "Form"

(dialog) of my own design.

What type of project did you create? .Net, MFC, SDK (presumably not
the latter from what you say)?

If it's either of the former 2 types of project the message loop is
hidden (deeply in the case of .Net).

At that point I ran headlong into a huge stone wall -- try as I may I could
not find the message loop in the generated code so that I could add
functionality to the dialog.

You rarely need to access the message loop directly, the .Net or MFC
frameworks hide you from that detail.

I am certain that there is a message loop there (somewhere) because without
a the minimal function of the dialog box could not be achieved.

If you really want to have a old fashioned message loop, create a
Win32 (SDK) project.

Dave

 

[Ben Voigt [C++ MVP]]

What type of project did you create? .Net, MFC, SDK (presumably not
the latter from what you say)?

If it's either of the former 2 types of project the message loop is
hidden (deeply in the case of .Net).


You rarely need to access the message loop directly, the .Net or MFC
frameworks hide you from that detail.


If you really want to have a old fashioned message loop, create a
Win32 (SDK) project.

Or simply, in the forms editor, switch the properties editor over to the
"events" tab and handle Click / BN_CLICKED events or some such.

 

[Steve Behman]

Dave, thanks for the response.

I am not sure what type of application was generated but I used the "New
-> Project" dialog from which I selected "Windows Form Application" to do it.
I, like you, am quite certain that it is not an SDK application.

When I last programmed, 12 years ago when I became visually impaired, it was
at the SDK level -- a level which is now entirely too tedious for me.

I love programming and think that the Visual Studio paradigm will allow me
to do it again. I would, therefore, really appreciate either a discussion of
where and how to add the application functionality in the new (to me) way or
a pointer (URL) to such a discussion. At this point it is just too difficult
for me to revert to the SDK.

Thanks again,

 

[Steve Behman]

Ben, .

As you may surmise from my response to Dave I have not seen the tab that
you mentioned. It sounds like the answer to maidens prayer if only I could
find it.

I would expect that it exists separately for each control and would,
therefore, think that each control for which I want to specify an action need
be selected at the time this tab appears. After that, the location of the
tab is a total mystery -- I just can't find it.

If you would be so kind, please give me specific instructions to find that
tab.

I am waiting breathlessly for your response!

Thank you so much for the help,

"Ben Voigt [C++ MVP]" wrote:

 

[David Lowndes]

I am not sure what type of application was generated but I used the "New

-> Project" dialog from which I selected "Windows Form Application" to do it.
I, like you, am quite certain that it is not an SDK application.

That'll be a CLR (.Net) application then.

You'll have been presented with an empty form that you can then
drag/drop controls from the Toolbox.

Let's say you put a push button on the form. Select the button on the
form and (if it's not already displayed), choose View, Properties
Window.

In the property window pane, click the lightning bolt (Events) button.
You can now add handlers for things like the Click event. Double click
the handler to go to the code view.

Dave

 

[Carl Daniel [VC++ MVP]]

Dave, thanks for the response.

I am not sure what type of application was generated but I used the
"New
-> Project" dialog from which I selected "Windows Form Application"
to do it. I, like you, am quite certain that it is not an SDK
application.

When I last programmed, 12 years ago when I became visually impaired,
it was at the SDK level -- a level which is now entirely too tedious
for me.

I love programming and think that the Visual Studio paradigm will
allow me to do it again. I would, therefore, really appreciate
either a discussion of where and how to add the application
functionality in the new (to me) way or a pointer (URL) to such a
discussion. At this point it is just too difficult for me to revert
to the SDK.

As Dave correctly replied, you've created a Winforms application. If you
want to do Winforms, I'd strngly recommend that you switch to C# - it can be
done in C++, but it's needlessly tedious, and the designers interact better
with C#.

If you're going to continue on with Windows Forms using managed C++, you
might want to get this book:

http://www.amazon.com/CLI-Action-Manning-Nishant-Sivakumar/dp/1932394818

Regardless of the language you use, if you're going to continue with Windows
Forms, you might want to get this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Forms-Programming-Microsoft-Development/dp/0321267966

For just "goofing around", it's hard to beat the simplicity of winforms with
C#. For more serious GUI development, you might want to consider using MFC
(which unfortunately means that you cannot use VC++ Express, which does not
include MFC).

-cd

 

[Steve Behman]

Carl, I appreciate your suggestion. I have been programming for 55 years in
about as many languages as years, I'm afraid that one more language would be
the straw that breaks this old camel's back.

If it was not for programs called ZoomText and Dragon NaturallySpeaking I
couldn't read or write anything at all -- but they do not work with paper.

Most of my own C++ programming was for OS/2 for which I developed the
equivalent of the MFC (with an interface to DB/2 using the IBM equivalent of
the SDK.

As a consequence of the above I will do piecewise development of my
application with the Visual Studio tool and then port them to the MFC for
integration into a whole application (that is if I live that long .

Thanks again to all of you, I appreciated the help.

 

[SvenC]

Hi Steve,

Carl, I appreciate your suggestion. I have been programming for 55
years in about as many languages as years, I'm afraid that one more
language would be the straw that breaks this old camel's back.

When you stay with Windows Forms projects in VC++ then nevertheless
you will need to learn a new flavour of C++ called C++/CLI. It has several
C++ extensions needed for programming in the .Net world.
So I would still recommend to stick with C# when it comes to pure
..Net programming. C++/CLI is of most use when you want to use your
legacy code base in .Net applications or when you want to wrap your
legacy API as a .Net class library.

Most of my own C++ programming was for OS/2 for which I developed the
equivalent of the MFC (with an interface to DB/2 using the IBM
equivalent of the SDK.

As a consequence of the above I will do piecewise development of my
application with the Visual Studio tool and then port them to the MFC
for integration into a whole application

If you are going the MFC way then you are in well known C++ land where
using C++ makes much more sense than in .Net world. But up to now the
VC++ Express edition does neither include MFC nor ATL. So you would
have to use at least VC++ Standard Edition

 

[Ben Voigt [C++ MVP]]

Ben, .

As you may surmise from my response to Dave I have not seen the tab
that
you mentioned. It sounds like the answer to maidens prayer if only I
could find it.

I would expect that it exists separately for each control and would,
therefore, think that each control for which I want to specify an
action need be selected at the time this tab appears. After that,
the location of the tab is a total mystery -- I just can't find it.

We're discussing the properties window (View menu, Properties window,
default hotkey F4). I suspect you've already used that, because it's where
you set the captions of your buttons and so on.

At the top of the properties window is a small toolbar. The second area of
the toolbar has two icons, one a grid which is probably highlighted, the
second is a lightning bolt. Click the lightning bolt to get the list of
events. At this point you can double-click any entry to let Visual Studio
use the default function name to handle it, or type in your own preferred
name. At this point you're likely to be in the code window.

If you would be so kind, please give me specific instructions to find
that tab.

I am waiting breathlessly for your response!

Thank you so much for the help,

"Ben Voigt [C++ MVP]" wrote:

Or simply, in the forms editor, switch the properties editor over to
the "events" tab and handle Click / BN_CLICKED events or some such.