Suite Pro - Docking Panes

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Docking Panes - Focus Problem

Printed From: Codejock Forums
Category: Codejock Products
Forum Name: Suite Pro
Forum Description: Topics Related to Codejock Suite Pro
URL: http://forum.codejock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1961
Printed Date: 17 November 2024 at 9:30pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Docking Panes - Focus Problem

Posted By: DDJJ
Subject: Docking Panes - Focus Problem
Date Posted: 13 March 2005 at 11:31pm

I have read a few other posts here regarding similar problems, particularly those where Boyd provides some good feedback. However, the problem persists, so...

Our app is using a pane configuration similar Microsoft Outlook 2003. A shortcut bar to the left (Pane A), a list pane to the right (Pane B...a codejock report control) with a "reading" pane beneath the list pane (Pane C).

The shortcut bar provides users with four alternative "views". Each time the user changes the view, Pane A is switched to a different PictureBox control containing different TaskPanel controls; Pane B generally continues to point to the same PictureBox control containing the codejock report control; and Pane C is ALWAYS switched to a different PictureBox control containing numerous standard windows controls.

To make matters more complicated, a fourth pane (Pane D) is generally located beneath Pane C and points to the handle of a PictureBox. This PictureBox control also has three additional PictureBox controls, each holding a CommandBar control. The reason I am doing it this way is so that I can use the PictureBox controls to place the left edge of the CommandBar control beyond the left edge of the Pane D picturebox control so as to hide the "space" that seems to show up to the left of codejock toolbars.

Obviously, if you've read this far, you would understand that I'm having some serious focus problems. I can't get focus to move from one pane to the next for the life of me. It seems particularly difficult, if not impossible, to get focus to move off of the pane containing the codejock report control.

Should all picturebox controls used have their "TabStop" property set to False at design time? Should all picture box controls have their "Visible" property set to False at design time? How should the same properties for the controls contained within each picturebox control be set at design time? Each time the user switches "Views", should I programatically go through and change the Visible property on the various picturebox controls no longer in use to False?

Any help trying to troubleshoot this focus problem is appreciated. Thanks!

Replies:

Posted By: DDJJ
Date Posted: 17 March 2005 at 9:03am

Given the likelihood of focus issues when using the Docking Pane, it would be nice to see something, anything, in the help file on this topic. Ermm

Posted By: gshawn
Date Posted: 17 March 2005 at 9:32am

DDJJ wrote:

Given the likelihood of focus issues when using the Docking Pane, it would be nice to see something, anything, in the help file on this topic. Ermm

I agree. That, and an official blurb from CodeJock here in the forums on how to handle this issue. I have been experiencing this problem in all my applications myself, and I am not sure how to proceed because I cannot find any "best practices" mentioned anywhere. Thanks.

Posted By: SuperMario
Date Posted: 17 March 2005 at 9:46am

Ok I will try to help. It appears there is an internal problem in Visual Basic with floating controls. So to help with the problem you and do something like this:

Private Sub DockingPaneManager_Action(ByVal Action As XtremeDockingPane.DockingPaneAction, ByVal Pane As XtremeDockingPane.IPane, Cancel As Boolean)
    If (Action = PaneActionFloated Or Action = PaneActionDocked) Then
        'Must do this for each control in the Picture boxes
        txtText1.TabStop = Not DockingPaneManager.FindPane(PaneOne).Floating
        'Repeat for each control in picture box for pane with id PaneOne
        txtCombo1.TabStop = Not DockingPaneManager.FindPane(PaneTwo).Floating
        'Repeat for each control in picture box for pane with id PaneTwo
        'etc...
    End If
End Sub

So you must disable tabstop for all controls placed within the picturebox atached to the pane when it is floating.

Hopefully this helps clear things up a little

Posted By: DDJJ
Date Posted: 17 March 2005 at 10:28am

Must have taken some courage to wade in to this SuperMario... Wink

In your response, you suggest that the problem only occurs if the panes are floating. In my case, all panes are docked, and I'm still having the problem. But I gather that for troubleshooting purposes I should go through and disable the tabstop property for all controls contained in pictureboxes that are NOT currently in use by the DockingPane Manager, correct?

Will play with this and see what happens...

Thanks!