Dim disabled windows

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AAF (Automatic Application Features)

DDW feature on the user computers

See also

Dim disabled windows

Overview

Your application opens several windows at the same time and you don't know which one to use?

The inactive windows can be automatically dimmed. This feature allows you to always know which window to use.

This feature is called DDW, which stands for Dim Disabled Windows.

For example:

You modify the information regarding a customer
and you click the "Validate" button.

A window asks you to confirm or cancel these modifications.
The main window (in the background) has become unavailable.
It is automatically dimmed.
You immediately identify the window that must be used.

How to proceed?

DDW for all the application windows

By default, the DDW feature is enabled for all the application windows. When creating a new project, this option is checked by default.

To enable the DDW feature on all the application windows:

Open the project description window: on the "Project" pane, in the "Project" group, click "Description".
In the "Advanced" tab, select "Enable DDW (Dim Disabled Windows) to dim the windows when they are inactive".
Validate.

Remarks:

If "Enable DDW (Dim Disabled Windows) to dim the windows when they are inactive" is disabled for the project, the DDW feature will be disabled at runtime, even for windows for which this option is enabled.
If the "Enable DDW (Dim Disabled Windows) to dim the windows when they are inactive" option is enabled for the project, the DDW feature will be enabled at runtime for all windows (except those for which this option is unchecked).

DDW on a specific window

By default, the DDW feature is enabled for all the application windows. When creating a new window, the DDW feature is enabled for this window.

To enable the DDW feature on a specific window:

Open the window for which the DDW feature must be enabled.
Display the "UI" tab of the window description ("Description" from the popup menu).
Select "Dim the window when it becomes inaccessible (D.D.W.)" and confirm.

Remark: This feature can be enabled or disabled:

by the end user via "Gray the window if it is inactive (DDW)" from the popup menu of the window.
by programming with WinActivateDDW.

Programming

By default, the DDW feature is enabled for all the application windows.

Several WLanguage functions can be used to configure the DDW feature in an application:


Versions 21 and later AAFDisable New in version 21 AAFDisable AAFDisable / DisableAAF	Associated with the aafRateDDW constant, disables the ability for the end user to modify the level of DDW. The corresponding menu options are not displayed anymore and the shortcuts Ctrl + Alt + "+" sign or Ctrl + Alt + "-" sign do no longer operate.
WinActivateDDW	Enables or disables the DDW feature.
WinDisableEffect	Disables the visual effects of the graphic engine of WINDEV. This function allows an application to be run on a computer with limited graphic capabilities or to be run in TSE mode if the bandwidth is limited. The DDW feature can be disabled by the effectDDW constant.
WinInactiveEffect	Enables or disables the DDW feature.
Versions 17 and later WinForceDDW New in version 17 WinForceDDW WinForceDDW	Forces the DDW feature on a window even if this window is not inaccessible.
WinRateDDW	Used to find out and modify the level of gray for the windows to which the DDW feature is applied.

DDW feature on the user computers

Configuration of the end-user computers

Depending on the configuration of the end-user computers, the DDW feature may have no effect.

Indeed, the DDW feature is affected by the characteristics of the video card, the speed of the processor, ...

If a problem occurs, ask the end users to update the driver of their video card.

Remark: To operate, the end-user computers must:

have a display mode greater than 256 colors.
be in 32-bit or 64-bit mode.
be running Windows 2000 or later.
use the maximum level of "Hardware acceleration" for the video card (advanced display properties of the computer).

Menu options to configure the DDW

Several options allow the users to configure the DDW feature. These options are displayed in the popup menu of the window (right mouse click on the window background).

These options are as follows:

Dim the window if it is inactive (DDW): This option is used to gray (or not) the inactive windows. This option is valid for the current window only.
Increase DDW rate: This option is used to display a progress bar indicating the current rate of gray for the inactive windows. You can increase this rate by pressing Ctrl + Alt + '+' on the numeric keypad. This rate of gray will be valid for the entire application.
Reduce DDW rate: This option is used to display a progress bar indicating the current rate of gray for the inactive windows. You can decrease this rate by pressing Ctrl + Alt + "-" on the numeric keypad. This rate of gray will be valid for the entire application.

To stop displaying the progress bar, simply press Esc or Enter.

Remark: To prevent the user from modifying the rate of DDW, use AAFDisable (or DisableAAF) associated with the aafRateDDW constant.

Limit

The HTML, Xaml, Cube, Carousel (.Net version) and ActiveX controls are not dimmed by the DDW feature.