disable control

[raymw]

sometimes I want to disable a text box, so that the user can not alter any text their, but I want the program to still be able to change the text. The FF_CONTROL_DISABLE is not quite what I want, since it greys out the text and prevents any alterations to its contents. Any suggestions?

[Paul Squires]

You can still alter the contents of a disabled control even after FF_CONTROL_DISABLE. If you don't want the grey background then maybe you are looking to just set the textbox as read only?
http://www.planetsquires.com/protect/forum/index.php?topic=2862.msg21332#msg21332

[raymw]

Thanks for the link - I managed to get it to work using something like this (from that link  SendMessage hWndControl, %EM_SETREADONLY, %FALSE, 0     ' to turn Read Only Property Off) except that I had to remove the %'s. Is there a recommended reference to the windows api.

[Paul Squires]

... except that I had to remove the %'s.

There is a LOT of code in these forums related to PowerBasic. Constants in PB are prefixed with a %. FreeBasic doesn't use a %.

Is there a recommended reference to the windows api.

Here is the mothership of information:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ff818516(v=vs.85).aspx

These are the two books that I used to really understand a lot of core WinAPI concepts:
https://www.amazon.ca/Programming-Addison-Wesley-Advanced-Newcomer-Paperback/dp/B00HUC2SJC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485702777&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.ca/Programming-Windows-5th-Charles-Petzold/dp/157231995X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485702874&sr=1-4

[raymw]

Thanks, not sure I'd understand the books, but I think when I need to, I'll try a few of the api calls.
For the sake of completeness, I've shown my subroutine for making the textbox read only (or not) which works fine with freebasic.

Code Select Expand

Sub ff_control_readonly(ByVal hwndcontrol as dword,flag as boolean)
                                   'if flag is true, then control is read only
If IsWindow(hWndControl) Then
  If flag=True  Then
      FF_Control_SetColor( hwndcontrol, &Hf000000, &Hf0f0f0 )
   Else
      FF_Control_SetColor( hwndcontrol, &Hf000000, &Hffffff )   
   End If       
      SendMessage hWndControl, EM_SETREADONLY, Flag, 0         
End If

End Sub

I guess it could be 'improved', but I've not tried it with anything other than text boxes.