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The Window Manager Dialog Boxes
Programmer's Reference Manuals
» Part 7 - The Desktop
» The Window Manager
» Technical Details
» Dialog boxes
Overview
Dialog boxes are pre-defined windows for informing, and getting input from, the user.
The Wimp does not provide a way of changing pre-defined dialog boxes. However, it is possible to create windows that mimic the look and feel of dialog boxes to achieve the same effect.
There are three ways of using a dialog box.
| # | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notification | To display information to the user |
| 2 | Static | To allow the user to enter information or make a choice |
| 3 | Menu Entry | As a window that is opened via a menu system option |
Opening a Dialog Box
There are two methods of opening a dialog box:
| 1 | Use the Wimp_OpenWindow to open a dialog box like a standard window |
| 2 | Use Wimp_CreateMenu if the dialog box is to be opened via the menu system. This ensures that the dialog box is opened as if it was a menu window. i.e a non-persistent window that will close if the mouse pointer is clicked outside of the dialog box |
Note: If a dialog box is available via the menu system and has a keyboard shortcut assigned, then the dialog should be opened as a menu (option 2 above) as this will ensure that it will be opened in the same manner as it would via the menu system.
Icons
Any type of icon can be assigned within a user-defined dialog box, as it is just a standard window.
See also
RISC OS has many guidelines on the appropriate use of dialog boxes. For a complete detailed guide on dialog boxes, please see the RISC OS Style Guide.