Forcing a textbox or label to update

[Martin Francom]

I am having trouble getting a Label control to update the Text string passed to it.
Situation:
   I have a DO-LOOP that writes an inquiry file and reads/writes a responce file.  During this loop I want the Text in a Label to be changed as the files are read and written.
   The problem is the text doesn't get displayed (or rather the control doesn't get refreshed). The loop seems to be running faster than windows can repaint the control.  I have tried to put in sleep commands hoping that would pause the program long enough for Windows to repaint the control.  But that hasn't helped. Niether has putting in a FF_Control_Redraw  call.
   Is there a way to force the text in a control to be updated?

Here's the function:

Code Select Expand


Function GetDrugImageALL () As Long

    Local k      As Long
    Local wk     As String
    Local wk2    As String
    Local w      As String
    Local t1     As Long
    Local t2     As Long
    Local rc     As Long
    Local d      As String
    Local m1     As String
    Local m2     As String
    Local m3     As String
   
        rc =  MsgBox ("Get Drug Images?" & $CrLf & _
                      "This may take 5 to 6 hours" _ 
                     , %mb_yesno Or %mb_iconquestion Or %mb_taskmodal, "Drug Images")
        If rc <> %idyes Then Exit Function
        Sleep 1000   ' < -- to allow time enough for messagebox to close
        FF_Control_Disable (HWND_FrmMain)
           rc = 0
           m3 = "Getting Drug Images" & $CrLf & _
                  "This may take several hours to complete." & $CrLf & _
                  "Please be patient."
     
          FF_TextBox_SetText (HWND_FormLogon_RICHEDIT1, m3 )
          wk = "00000000000~"
          Do
           '  If rc <> 0 Then Exit Do
             d = GetNextDgByNDC (wk)
             If d = "" Then Exit Do
             wk = Parse$(d, Chr$(127), %DgID)   ' NDC#
             w = Parse$(Parse$(d, Chr$(127), %DgID), "~", 1)
             w = Remove$(w , Any "- /")
             d = ".\Images\" & Left$(w,9) & ".jpg"
             m1 = "Finding- " & d 
                 FF_TextBox_SetText (HWND_FormLogon_Label2, m1)
                 FF_Control_Redraw(HWND_FormLogon_Label2) 
                 Sleep 2000           
             If dvFileExist(d) = 0 And Left$(w,5) <> "00990" Then
                 Kill "XmitDDI.ANS"    'Kill any old stray ANSwer file so we won't pick it up as the answer
                 Kill "Xmit.DDI"       'Kill any old stray REQuest file
                 Kill "image.jpg"      'Kill previous image file (if any)
                 ErrClear
                 
                 k = FreeFile
                 wk2 = "xmit.tmp"      'Change extension so it cannot be found until renamed
                 Open wk2 For Output As #k
                 Print #k, "J:" + w    'use current 11 digit NDC without dashes
                 Close #k
                 ErrClear
                 Name wk2 As "Xmit.DDI"             'Rename output file to correct name
                 sleep 1000
                 t1 = Timer
                 t2 = t1
                 'Wait for XmitDDI to return result of inquiry
                 Do
                   If Timer - t1 > 2 Then
                     FF_Control_Redraw(HWND_FormLogon)
                     t1 = Timer
                     If dvFileExist("XmitDDI.ANS") = 1 Then t1 = -1 : Exit Do
                     If t1 - t2 > 30 Then t1 = 0 : Exit Do   'Time out no results
                  End If
                 Loop
                 If t1 = -1  Then
                   If dvFileExist("image.jpg") = 1 Then
                     FileCopy "image.jpg", ".\images\" & Left$(w,9) & ".jpg"
                     m2 = "Last Image- " & Left$(w,9) & ".jpg"
                     FF_TextBox_SetText (HWND_FormLogon_Label3, m2)
                     FF_Control_Redraw(HWND_FormLogon_Label3)                         
                   End If
                   'Sleep 1000
                Else
                  m2 = "Skipped- " & d & $CrLf
                End If   
             End If
          Loop
          FF_Control_Enable (HWND_FrmMain)
          ? "All Done"   

End Function



[Cho Sing Kum]

In VB6, I accomplish this with the DoEvents just after I change the Text or Caption in the controls.

In FF, there is FF_DoEvents in the Functions Library. Looks like something similar.

"   Process pending Control or Form messages. Call this function
   if you are performing a tight For/Next or Do/Loop and need
   to allow your Controls/Forms to be responsive to user input."

[Martin Francom]

Cho, Thank you.   Yes, I believe this will do what I want.