how to search through drop down list effectively

[davidp@ensuredr.com]

i have two problems: 1. when typing the drop-down do not opens by itself
2. when typing i'm refreshing the @contents but it is making it difficult to type more than one char because it is getting the focus and overwrite the text

 here is the code:

Code: [Select]

#definefunction ArraySearchResults(originalArray, searchTerm, fieldNumberToSearchIn, useFirstColumnAsHeadlines)
resultnewList = ""
resultnew = ArrayFromStr(resultnewList)
resultnew = ArrDimension(ArrInfo (originalArray, 1) + 1,ArrInfo (originalArray, 2))
ArrInitialize(resultnew,"null")
index = 0
maxIndex = (ArrInfo(originalArray, 1) - 1)
numberOfTimesExsistsInArray = 0
if searchTerm == "" || searchTerm == " " then
return originalArray
endif
for i = 0 to maxIndex
  exsists = StrIndexNC(originalArray[i, fieldNumberToSearchIn], searchTerm, 0, @FWDSCAN)
  if useFirstColumnAsHeadlines == @true && i == 0 then
  headerNumber = 0
  while headerNumber < 15
resultnew[index,headerNumber] = originalArray[i,headerNumber]
headerNumber = headerNumber + 1
EndWhile
  index = index + 1
Continue
  endif
  if exsists > 0 then
  numberOfTimesExsistsInArray = numberOfTimesExsistsInArray + 1
rowNumber = 0
  while rowNumber < 15
resultnew[index,rowNumber] = originalArray[i,rowNumber]
rowNumber = rowNumber + 1
EndWhile
index = index + 1
  endif
next
if numberOfTimesExsistsInArray > 0 then
return resultnew
else
for i = 0 to 15 ; number of items in array
resultnew[0,i] = "no results"  ;[0,i] if there is no headers else [1,i]
next
return resultnew
endif
#endfunction


arrayList = ArrayFileGetCSV("C:\Users\DavidPeer\Desktop\EDR\CustSRVList.CSV", 0, ",", 0, 0)

originalArray = arrayList

maxIndexForList = ArrInfo(originalArray,1)-1
arrayForList = ArrDimension(maxIndexForList)
for i = 0 to  maxIndexForList
arrayForList[i] = originalArray[i,1]
next
dlVariable1 = ArrayItemize(arrayForList, @tab)

#DEFINESUBROUTINE TimerProc(MyDialogHandle,MyDialogMessage,MyDialogControlID,MyDialogEventInfo,MyDialogChangeInfo)
Switch MyDialogMessage
Case @dePbPush

Case @deInit
      DialogProcOptions(MyDialogHandle,@deEdText,@TRUE)
DialogProcOptions(MyDialogHandle,@deDlChange,@TRUE)
DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "ReportView_1", @dcColWidth  ,-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1)
DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "ReportView_1", @dcContents ,originalArray)
DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "ReportView_1", @dcColWidth  ,-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1)

      Return (@retdefault)
   Case @deEdText
searcifrchTerm = DialogControlGet(MyDialogHandle, "EditBox_1", @dcText)
searchTerm = DialogControlGet(MyDialogHandle, "EditBox_1", @dcText)
resultnew =  ArraySearchResults(originalArray, searchTerm, 1, @true)
;message("resultnew", ArrayToStr(resultnew))
      DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "ReportView_1", @dcContents ,resultnew)
;DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "ReportView_1", @dcRemItem  ,0)
      Return(@retDefault)

case @deDlChange
  searchTerm = DialogControlGet(MyDialogHandle, "DropListBox_1", @dcSelect)
  resultnew =  ArraySearchResults(originalArray, searchTerm, 1, @true)
  DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "ReportView_1", @dcContents ,resultnew)

  maxIndexForList = ArrInfo(resultnew,1) -1
  arrayForList = ArrDimension(maxIndexForList)
  dlVariable1 = ""
  for i = 0 to maxIndexForList
dlVariable1 = ItemInsert(resultnew[i,1], i, dlVariable1, @tab)
  next
  DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "DropListBox_1", @dcContents ,dlVariable1)
 
  DialogControlSet(MyDialogHandle, "DropListBox_1", @dcSelect,searchTerm)
  ;DialogControlState(MyDialogHandle,"ReportView_1", @dcsSetFocus , @true)
  Return(@retDefault)
endswitch
#endsubroutine



TimerFormat=`WWWDLGED,6.2`

TimerCaption=`Timer Example`
TimerX=078
TimerY=129
TimerWidth=166
TimerHeight=276
TimerNumControls=005
TimerProcedure=`TimerProc`
TimerFont=`DEFAULT`
TimerTextColor=`DEFAULT`
TimerBackground=`DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
TimerConfig=0
TimerDPI=`96,8,16`

Timer001=`063,123,034,014,PUSHBUTTON,"PushButton_2",DEFAULT,"Cancel",0,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
Timer002=`017,025,134,086,REPORTVIEW,"ReportView_1",arrayList,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,40,@csFirstHeader,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
Timer003=`035,007,102,012,EDITBOX,"EditBox_1",ebVariable1,"filter",DEFAULT,30,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
Timer004=`013,157,138,114,DROPLISTBOX,"DropListBox_1",dlVariable1,"search",DEFAULT,20,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
Timer005=`003,157,008,012,PUSHBUTTON,"PushButton_1",DEFAULT,"!",1,50,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`

ButtonPushed=Dialog("Timer")



thanks
David

[td]

1.  A DROPLISTBOX is a Windows combo box common control.  Combo boxes have the arrow button for a reason - to control the visibility of the list box part of the control.  That is the way Microsoft designed them to work. You can get the list part of the control to drop when a user starts typing into the edit part of the control by sending a CB_SHOWDROPDOWN message to the control.

2. Not sure which control's input you are referring to but think about it for a second.  How do you know when a user has finished typing into an edit box?  You can know that by responding to every character typed into the control.  Generally, applications wait for the user to signal that they are done by pressing a button or changing the input focus.   

[td]

A simple example of sending the CB_SHOWDROPDOWN message:

Code: Winbatch

#DefineSubroutine ComBoCallbackProc(ComBo_Handle,ComBo_Event,ComBo_Name,ComBo_EventInfo,ComBo_ChangeInfo)
   switch ComBo_Event                                       ; Switch based on Dialog Message type
      case @deInit                                          ; Standard Initialization message
         DialogProcOptions(ComBo_Handle,@deDlChange,@TRUE)
         return(@retDefault)


      case @deDlChange                                     ; ID "DropListBox_1"  dlVariable1
         CB_SHOWDROPDOWN=335
         hWnd = DialogControlGet(Combo_Handle, "DropListBox_1",@dchWnd)
         SendMessageW(hWnd, CB_SHOWDROPDOWN,1,0)
         
         return(@retDefault)

   endswitch                                                ; ComBo_Event
   return(@retDefault)
#EndSubroutine                                              ; End of Dialog Callback ComBoCallbackProc

dlVariable1 = "1) Tom":@Tab:"2) Bob":@Tab:"3) Tom":@Tab:"4) Ray"

ComBoFormat=`WWWDLGED,6.2`

ComBoCaption=`ComBo Example`
ComBoX=180
ComBoY=144
ComBoWidth=488
ComBoHeight=433
ComBoNumControls=003
ComBoProcedure=`ComBoCallbackProc`
ComBoFont=`DEFAULT`
ComBoTextColor=`DEFAULT`
ComBoBackground=`DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
ComBoConfig=0
ComBoDPI=`192,10,20`

ComBo001=`073,399,049,016,PUSHBUTTON,"PushButton_OK",DEFAULT,"OK",1,10,@csDefButton,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
ComBo002=`308,399,049,016,PUSHBUTTON,"PushButton_Cancel",DEFAULT,"Cancel",0,20,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
ComBo003=`098,054,261,274,DROPLISTBOX,"DropListBox_1",dlVariable1,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,30,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`

ButtonPushed=Dialog("ComBo")

[td]

Here is another example that uses a hidden context menu item to capture an "enter" keypress as the trigger to indicate the user has finished entering text.  (Meant only as a demo to foster ideas.)

Code: Winbatch

#DefineSubroutine ComBoCallbackProc(ComBo_Handle,ComBo_Event,ComBo_Name,ComBo_EventInfo,ComBo_ChangeInfo)
   switch ComBo_Event                                       ; Switch based on Dialog Message type
      case @deInit                                          ; Standard Initialization message
         DialogProcOptions(ComBo_Handle,@deDlChange,@TRUE)
         DialogProcOptions(ComBo_Handle,@deMiSelect,@TRUE)        
         return(@retDefault)


      case @deDlChange                                     ; ID "DropListBox_1"  dlVariable1
         CB_SHOWDROPDOWN=335
         hWnd = DialogControlGet(Combo_Handle, "DropListBox_1",@dchWnd)
         SendMessageW(hWnd, CB_SHOWDROPDOWN,1,0)
         If @csDisabled & DialogControlState(Combo_Handle, 'cmi1_ComBo', @dcsGetStyle, 0)
             DialogControlSet(Combo_Handle, 'cmi1_ComBo', @dcTitle, "\{enter}")  
             DialogControlState(Combo_Handle, 'cmi1_ComBo', @dcsRemStyle, @csDisabled)
         endif
         
         ;;DllCall('user32.dll', long:'ReleaseCapture')
         return(@retDefault)

      case @deMiSelect                                     ; ID "cmi1_ComBo"  \{enter}
         
         If !(@csDisabled & DialogControlState(Combo_Handle, 'cmi1_ComBo', @dcsGetStyle, 0))
            DialogControlState(Combo_Handle, 'cmi1_ComBo', @dcsAddStyle, @csDisabled)
            DialogControlSet(Combo_Handle, 'cmi1_ComBo', @dcTitle, "\{enter}")  
         endif
         hWnd = DialogControlGet(Combo_Handle, "DropListBox_1",@dchWnd)
         SendMessageW(hWnd, CB_SHOWDROPDOWN,0,0)
         
         strSelection = DialogControlGet(Combo_Handle, "DropListBox_1", @dcSelect)
         Message('User Selection', strSelection)

         return(@retDefault)

   endswitch                                                ; ComBo_Event
   return(@retDefault)
#EndSubroutine                                              ; End of Dialog Callback ComBoCallbackProc

;============================================================
;============================================================
;============================================================
                                                     
dlVariable1 = "1) Tom":@Tab:"2) Bob":@Tab:"3) Tom":@Tab:"4) Ray"

ComBoFormat=`WWWDLGED,6.2`

ComBoCaption=`ComBo Example`
ComBoX=180
ComBoY=144
ComBoWidth=240
ComBoHeight=185
ComBoNumControls=004
ComBoProcedure=`ComBoCallbackProc`
ComBoFont=`DEFAULT`
ComBoTextColor=`DEFAULT`
ComBoBackground=`DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
ComBoConfig=0
ComBoDPI=`192,10,20`

ComBo001=`020,156,048,016,PUSHBUTTON,"PushButton_OK",DEFAULT,"OK",1,10,@csDefButton,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
ComBo002=`161,156,049,016,PUSHBUTTON,"PushButton_Cancel",DEFAULT,"Cancel",0,20,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
ComBo003=`022,054,185,071,DROPLISTBOX,"DropListBox_1",dlVariable1,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,30,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT,DEFAULT`
ComBo004=`000,000,000,000,MENUITEM,"cmi1_ComBo","DropListBox_1","",DEFAULT,10,@csDisabled ` ;;@csDisabled

ButtonPushed=Dialog("ComBo")
 

[davidp@ensuredr.com]

thanks guys the answers helped me a lot, i also found this helpful for removing the highlight from the edit field: CB_SETEDITSEL