Display Text Box Without Stealing Window Focus?

[TsunamiZ]

Is there a way to display text box without it stealing window focus? How about display text box minimized?

[Cory]

Sure. Get the title of the active window, display a text box and leave open, then reactivate the window you started from.

[TsunamiZ]

but i dont see a function to 'get the title of the active window'

[Cory]

Variable Set String from Topmost Window Title.

 

<TVAR2:01:06:>

[TsunamiZ]

but where do i put the code?

[Cory]

You will save the window title to a text variable and then open your window. Now activate the window by title saved in that variable.

 

Variable Set String %T1% from Window Title
Text Box Display: Open window
Activate Window: "%T1%"
Delay 10 Seconds
Text Box Close: Open window

 

<TVAR2:01:06:><TBOX4:T:3:00LeftCenter000278000200:000:Open window%T1%><ACTIVATE2:%T1%><DELAY:10><TBCLOSE:Open window>

 

Here's a mcaro to demonstrate. All it does is grab the title, open a text box and activate teh original window. Then it waits 10 seconds and closes that text box.

[Cory]

Wait a minute, are you asking what you do with the 'code' text that I put in my message? Just copy and paste it into ME script editor.

[TsunamiZ]

so there is no ME command for this? i have to use the special code you made?

 

does this prevent the window from losing focus in the first place? or does it just switch back and forth between windows?

[Cory]

Hold on, these are ME commands. They just don't look like it becasue I pasted them in raw format so you can copy and paste tehm into your macro.

 

OK, here's what you do. Start a new blank macro in the scriping editor. highlight what's in the code section below. Now copy it to your clipboard. Now go back to your scripting editor and paste it in. It should now look like normal ME script commands.

 

<TVAR2:01:06:><TBOX4:T:3:00LeftCenter000278000200:000:Open window%T1%><ACTIVATE2:%T1%><DELAY:10><TBCLOSE:Open window>

 

You see what looks like normal instructions is actually this gobblygook. Check iit out, open any script of yours and go to the direct editor. See? Gobblygook!

 

Does this help? If not I can upload you an MXE.

[TsunamiZ]

ok i see. but from the looks of it, it will switch back and forth between windows. so if i run a fullscreen program like a video player or game, this switching of window focus will still be a problem--it will interupt.

 

i think ME should have an option in the open text box to start it minimized or something.

[Cory]

That doesn't make sense. The whole point of a text box is to display information. What's the point of displaying it if you're, uhhhh..... not going to display it. But even with my sample I wrote you if the screen was maximized it would still go back to your full screen applicaiton. Well good luck with that.

 

Snattlerake, snattlerake

Where there's two there's one

You mean what I know

[TsunamiZ]

well displaying text box doesnt have to focus the text box to be of benefit. for a simple text message, such as one for a reminder, just having simple text box pop up with a short word on the taskbar will work. so in this case, it's preferrable for the text box to not interupt user activity and steal focus from another program.

 

for example, you have a scheduled text box to remind you of a tv show at 8pm. meanwhile, your writing an email or playing a game. and when that text box shows up, you don't want it to steal focus from your currect task--not even temporarily, as it will interupt your keystrokes, etc.

[Cory]

Yeah I could see that. But you were saying your application was full screen so the text box wouldn't be the way to go. For reminders and such I use Outlook.

 

Here's an idea for ya. Instead of using a text box create a text file with a name like "Lost is on at 8pm.TXT" and launch it minimuized. Since the name is in the title bar you would see it in the taskbar and it won't jump up in front of you.

 

One of my macros frequently jumps up in front of the user. To avoid having them get interupted in the middle of typing where they could hit an 'enter' accidentally in the popup box I first play a ringtone as an annunciator and give thema second or two before popping up the dialog box.

[TsunamiZ]

but creating a text file means managing extra files and it becomes tedious for simple things like a reminder.

 

so there is no way to prevent a text box macro from stealing focus?

[Cory]

I don't think so. That's why using Outlook makes life a lot easier. <g>

[TsunamiZ]

i dont use outlook, and for something like this having a start minimized or unfocussed text box would make it a lot easier for what i want to do in this case...so im just going ahead and request it. thanks for your help though.