tooltips for dialog box elements

dpechacek - Wed May 13 09:17:25 EDT 2009
Maybe in DOORS 15.3 :)

AAI Services, Textron
dpechacek@sc-aaicorp.com
David.Pechacek@gmail.com

SystemAdmin - Wed May 13 09:55:16 EDT 2009
Hahahaha - not quite what I hoped for, but thanks for the quick reply :-)

Ron_Lewis - Wed May 13 10:16:45 EDT 2009
This isn't what you were hoping for either but look at toolBar in dxl help file.

Using the tooltip will require you to write dxl script in style different than the usual approach.

SystemAdmin - Thu May 14 02:49:15 EDT 2009
Hi Ron,

I'm not quite sure that I get it: do you mean that I should define a toolbar and there is a trick to use it as a tooltip? Or do you mean that I only get tooltips for comboboxes defined in toolbars. And that there is no possibility e.g. for text fields to create a tooltip?
Kind regards,

Michael

djakad - Tue May 19 18:35:50 EDT 2009
A couple thoughts...

1.) You cannot add tool tips to most DBEs.

2.) You can add tool tips to a canvas with the addToolTip function (as you already know).

3.) You can add a status bar to the bottom of the dialog box with the statusBar function. Then you can change the status bar message with set(DBE status, int section, string message). You can then add a callback to every DBE with set(DBE select) and have those callbacks update the status bar message. Although, the set(DBE select) callbacks only fire when the DBEs change value, so the message bar updates may be a little delayed, depending on the DBE. For example, this may be OK for list boxes, text fields, radio buttons and check boxes, but probably not buttons.

4.) You can also put messages in a statusBar, if you are using menus of any kind. You can add a menuBar to the top of your dialog box. Or you can add right-click menus to listViews, treeViews, and canvases (see addMenu and *menuBar*). The help and inactiveHelp arguments of the addMenu fuction, show up in the statusBar.

5.) You can add a textBox to your dialog box, and create your own functions that update that textBox with any message you wish. You can have greater control over a textBox than a statusBar. Of course, you will have to rely on callbacks to update the textBox. Again, not quite the same effect as a tool tip, but similar.

6.) You can create a canvas that looks like a button, and use the addToolTip. It's possible, but takes a little extra work.

djakad - Tue May 19 18:35:50 EDT 2009
A couple thoughts...

1.) You cannot add tool tips to most DBEs.

2.) You can add tool tips to a canvas with the addToolTip function (as you already know).

3.) You can add a status bar to the bottom of the dialog box with the statusBar function. Then you can change the status bar message with set(DBE status, int section, string message). You can then add a callback to every DBE with set(DBE select) and have those callbacks update the status bar message. Although, the set(DBE select) callbacks only fire when the DBEs change value, so the message bar updates may be a little delayed, depending on the DBE. For example, this may be OK for list boxes, text fields, radio buttons and check boxes, but probably not buttons.

4.) You can also put messages in a statusBar, if you are using menus of any kind. You can add a menuBar to the top of your dialog box. Or you can add right-click menus to listViews, treeViews, and canvases (see addMenu and *menuBar*). The help and inactiveHelp arguments of the addMenu fuction, show up in the statusBar.

5.) You can add a textBox to your dialog box, and create your own functions that update that textBox with any message you wish. You can have greater control over a textBox than a statusBar. Of course, you will have to rely on callbacks to update the textBox. Again, not quite the same effect as a tool tip, but similar.

6.) You can create a canvas that looks like a button, and use the addToolTip. It's possible, but takes a little extra work.

SystemAdmin - Wed May 20 03:14:44 EDT 2009
Hello djakad,

I did some minor tests based on your thoughts on the tooltip problem.
As it seems to be impossible to catch the mouse over event / set a callback on the mouse over event there is not halfway a good solution for a tooltip.
Hopefully there is some extension to DXL before V15.3 ;-)
Kind regards,

Michael

djakad - Wed May 20 10:50:01 EDT 2009
See attached DXL file for an example of how to do ToolTips on a canvas.

You must use the addToolTip function after realize but before show

djakad - Wed May 20 11:19:39 EDT 2009
See attached DXL file for an example of how to use the canvas tooltips to simulate mouseover events.

The simulated mouseover event is a little delayed. This is the short period of time that it normally takes for the tooltip to appear when you hold your mouse over something. You'll notice if you move your mouse very fast over the area, you won't trigger the mouseover event.

Tony_Goodman - Thu May 21 02:41:59 EDT 2009
Nice example David - that's very nearly a game :-)