Easiest "Please Wait" dialog

[ed9871]

I am fairly new to VC++ and need to pop up a small dialog when something is taking a few seconds. This is such a common thing I know it must be easy but I can't figure out the best way to do it. I have created the dialog and created a CDialog class for it. I can't use DoModal because I need to be able to close the dialog when my processing is done. I also want the "Please wait" dialog to be attached to the dialog that is currently being used in my MDI application. How should I do it?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[Zyrenthian]

I think that using the hourglass would be sufficient

BeginWaitCursor() and EndWaitCursor() will do that for you.

Matt

 

[Jeffray]

The following CBusyDlg serves your purpose. m_Msg links to the static text control in which you put your message.
The usage:
in your function:
{
....
CBusyDlg aDlg("This is a long process. Please wait..."
Your long process here ...

}
the busyDlg will automatically destroy itself when it goes out of the scope.

CBusyDlg.h:

class CBusyDlg : public CDialog
{
public:
virtual ~CBusyDlg();
CBusyDlg(CString szBuf="",CWnd* pParent = NULL); // standard constructor

// Dialog Data
//{{AFX_DATA(CBusyDlg)
enum { IDD = IDD_BUSYDLG };
CString m_Msg;
//}}AFX_DATA
// Overrides
// ClassWizard generated virtual function overrides
//{{AFX_VIRTUAL(CBusyDlg)
protected:
virtual void DoDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX); // DDX/DDV support
//}}AFX_VIRTUAL

// Implementation
protected:
};

CBusyDlg.cpp

#include "BusyDlg.h"
CBusyDlg::CBusyDlg(CString szBuf, CWnd* pParent /*=NULL*/)
: CDialog(CBusyDlg::IDD, pParent)
{
//{{AFX_DATA_INIT(CBusyDlg)
if (szBuf == "&quot m_Msg = _T("Please Wait ...."
else m_Msg = szBuf;
//}}AFX_DATA_INIT

Create(CBusyDlg::IDD,pParent);
}
void CBusyDlg:oDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX)
{
CDialog:oDataExchange(pDX);
//{{AFX_DATA_MAP(CBusyDlg)
DDX_Text(pDX, IDC_MSG, m_Msg);
//}}AFX_DATA_MAP
}

CBusyDlg::~CBusyDlg()
{
DestroyWindow();
}

 

[ed9871]

That works except the message doesn't show up in my dialog, its just a blank square. I added

aDlg.ShowWindow(TRUE);

after the declaration in my function to get it to show. This is perfect as long as I can get the message to show up and also be able to move the box to the center of the MDI window. Did I skip something?

Ed

 

[ed9871]

More info - calling DoModal on another dialog while my blank "please wait" dialog is up causes the message to display on my "please wait" dialog. Wierd...

Ed

 

[Jeffray]

Blank dialog:
Maybe you didn't set the "visible" style of the dialog through resource editor. You should do that.

Center window:
Override the WM_INITDIALOG message, add CenterWindow() in its handler.

 

[ed9871]

Duh, I had the static control set to visible but not the dialog box itself.

Last question, can I attach the please wait dialog to my child window in my MDI app and not the main window? The effect I want is while the user is waiting, they can open another child window and do something else.

Thanks so much for your help, I am learning a lot with all this.

Ed

 

[Jeffray]

Center Window to your child window:
pass the pointer of your window (say pWnd)to your dialog class,

then CenterWindow(pWnd);

open another child window:

You had better create a new worker thread for your long process.

 

[ed9871]

CenterWindow(pWnd) worked great, I will start a new thread for my please wait process. Thanks for all your help, I understand everything you've told me!

Ed