Question re IC4 properties dialog

[g40]

Hello.

Is the properties dialog running its own message loop in its own thread?

I ask as the minimal Win32 based example shown below will continue to allow update the incoming image as the various properties are modified without any problem.

But I've got one case where a DirectX9 based framework is in use and the properties dialog appears to block all messages whilst it is visible. This means modified property values are not visibly applied until the dialog is dismissed. Which is, of course, not what is required.

Any comments welcomed.

Many thanks.

[TIS-Tim]

Hello Jerry,

it is running as a modal dialog, so there is definitely some kind of message loop in there, but no extra thread.

However, ic4's builtin display does create its own render thread and therefore can update in the background.

I did a quick test where I compare the messages I get when the property dialog is open versus the messages I get when I call ::MessageBox with the main window as the parent -- at least for WM_PAINT and WM_MOUSEMOVE it seems like I do not get any messages for either while a modal dialog is displayed.

Is there a specific message where you see different behavior between the property dialog and a basic message box?

Tim

[g40]

Hello Tim,

Thanks. I have worked around the problem by running the properties dialog in its own thread. This is a perfectly satisfactory solution for the time being.

An optional and slightly more complex API that did something like this might also be useful. Not sure. Threads are easy these days.

Jerry.

/*
	An absolutely minimal modeless example ...
*/

// create and display the property window
ic4::WindowHandle hProperties = createDeviceWindow(hParent,grabber);
if (hProperties)
{
	// do work.
	
	// clean up
	destroyDeviceWindow(hProperties);
}

[TIS-Tim]

You are right, that this kind of thing could be useful as part of the public API.

Adds some new questions though; like the grabber closing and opening a new device while the dialog is opened etc.

[g40]

Hi Tim,

One more thing re the threaded solution. I have assumed that the root property dialog window is created during execution of ic4gui::showPropertyDialog(). Is this correct?

The one other thing that might be useful for the modal dialog is a flag to enable both OK and Cancel buttons - which is what would generally be expected in the modal context.

Thanks again,

Jerry.