`self.SetExtraStyle(wx.FRAME_EX_CONTEXTHELP)` maked min/max buttons disappear

[cool-RR]

Hey,

When I do `self.SetExtraStyle(wx.FRAME_EX_CONTEXTHELP)` on a frame, the minimize/maximize buttons disappear. Why? How can I have all buttons?

(Win XP.)

Thanks,

Ram.

[Boštjan Mejak]

I think you'll find this StackOverflow thread useful: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3243495/wxpython-context-help

[cool-RR]

On Sun, May 22, 2011 at 4:52 AM, Boštjan Mejak <bostja...@gmail.com> wrote:

I think you'll find this StackOverflow thread useful: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3243495/wxpython-context-help

I ran it and it has the same problem: It makes a frame with a question mark button but without minimize/maximize buttons.

Ram. 

[Robin Dunn]

From the wxFrame docs:
"""
wxFRAME_EX_CONTEXTHELP Under Windows, puts a query button on the
caption. When pressed, Windows will go into a context-sensitive help
mode and wxWidgets will send a wxEVT_HELP event if the user clicked on
an application window. Note that this is an extended style and must be
set by calling SetExtraStyle before Create is called (two-step
construction). You cannot use this style together with wxMAXIMIZE_BOX or
wxMINIMIZE_BOX, so you should use wxDEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE & ~
(wxMINIMIZE_BOX | wxMAXIMIZE_BOX) for the frames having this style (the
dialogs don't have a minimize or a maximize box by default)
"""

Apparently the part about needing to remove the min/max styles and using
2-phase create is no longer true, but it is clear that the min/max boxes
can not be used at the same time as the built-in context help button.
My guess is that it is a limitation imposed by Microsoft.

If you need to keep the ability to minimize and maximize the frame then
use a wx.ContextHelpButton within the frame's contents instead.

--
Robin Dunn
Software Craftsman
http://wxPython.org

[cool-RR]

On Sun, May 22, 2011 at 10:13 PM, Robin Dunn <ro...@alldunn.com> wrote:

On 5/22/11 6:05 AM, cool-RR wrote:

On Sun, May 22, 2011 at 4:52 AM, Boštjan Mejak <bostja...@gmail.com

<mailto:bostja...@gmail.com>> wrote:

   I think you'll find this StackOverflow thread useful:
   http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3243495/wxpython-context-help


I ran it and it has the same problem: It makes a frame with a question
mark button but without minimize/maximize buttons.

From the wxFrame docs:
"""
wxFRAME_EX_CONTEXTHELP   Under Windows, puts a query button on the caption. When pressed, Windows will go into a context-sensitive help mode and wxWidgets will send a wxEVT_HELP event if the user clicked on an application window. Note that this is an extended style and must be set by calling SetExtraStyle before Create is called (two-step construction). You cannot use this style together with wxMAXIMIZE_BOX or wxMINIMIZE_BOX, so you should use wxDEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE & ~ (wxMINIMIZE_BOX | wxMAXIMIZE_BOX) for the frames having this style (the dialogs don't have a minimize or a maximize box by default)
"""

Apparently the part about needing to remove the min/max styles and using 2-phase create is no longer true, but it is clear that the min/max boxes can not be used at the same time as the built-in context help button. My guess is that it is a limitation imposed by Microsoft.

Unfortunately you're right, as described in this MSDN document:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms632600(v=vs.85).aspx

 

Quote: "The window has a maximize button. Cannot be combined with the WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP style."

If you need to keep the ability to minimize and maximize the frame then use a wx.ContextHelpButton within the frame's contents instead.


--
Robin Dunn

Thanks,

Ram.

[Boštjan Mejak]

So how would you code such a frame then? Please give a code snippet example. For noobs like myself to learn.

[cool-RR]

On Mon, May 23, 2011 at 12:41 AM, Boštjan Mejak <bostja...@gmail.com> wrote:

So how would you code such a frame then? Please give a code snippet example. For noobs like myself to learn.

I didn't understand (1) whether the question was directed at me and (2) what exactly you mean by "such a frame".

Ram.

[Boštjan Mejak]

By "such a frame" I mean how would the subclass of wx.Frame be.

[Robin Dunn]

On 5/22/11 6:02 PM, Bo�tjan Mejak wrote:
> By "such a frame" I mean how would the subclass of wx.Frame be.
>

It depends on what else will be in the frame, you just add a
wx.ContextHelpButton inside the frame somewhere like any other button,
however it best fits within the UI.

[Boštjan Mejak]

Do you think it would be done like this?

class MyFrame(wx.Frame):

    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):

        helpButtonOnFrame = wx.ContextHelpButton(self)

Would that suffice? Other code follows of course, but would you say that this would be enough? Assuming Windows OS.

[Boštjan Mejak]

I thought in these lines...

import wx

class MyFrame(wx.Frame):

    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):

        wx.Frame.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)

        # helpButton = wx.ContextHelpButton(self)

if __name__ == '__main__':

    app = wx.App(redirect=False)

    window = MyFrame(parent=None,

                     style=wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE | wx.FRAME_EX_CONTEXTHELP)

    window.Center()

    window.Show()

    app.MainLoop()

But this does *not* work. There's just no context help button besides the minimize, maximize, and close button. (Windows user here.) What can we do to make it appear? Then how to make it respond to a user click and to generate some event?

[Robin Dunn]

That creates the button. You still need to create a help provider, set
help text on items, etc. See the ContextHelp sample in the demo or even
the stackoverflow example you pointed to earlier.

[Robin Dunn]

On 5/23/11 1:12 AM, Bo�tjan Mejak wrote:

> window = MyFrame(parent=None,
> style=wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE |
> wx.FRAME_EX_CONTEXTHELP)

>

> But this does *not* work. There's just no context help button besides
> the minimize, maximize, and close button. (Windows user here.) What can
> we do to make it appear?

As stated in the docs the wx.FRAME_EX_CONTEXTHELP style is an *extra*
style, so it has to be set with SetExtraStyle.

> Then how to make it respond to a user click and
> to generate some event?

Take a look at the sample in the demo.

[Boštjan Mejak]

Ah yes, Robin, I see what you mean. What I wanna know is how to put that '?' button besides the minimize button, maximize button, and the X button in the top-right place of the frame.

[Robin Dunn]

You can't. That is what the rest of this thread has been about.

[Boštjan Mejak]

I see. How are other people implementing this button right there besides the X button then?

[Tim Roberts]

Bo�tjan Mejak wrote:

I see. How are other people implementing this button right there besides the X button then?

Do you have an example?� In all the cases I've seen, that ? button is only displayed on dialogs, where you don't have or need Minimize and Maximize buttons.� An application is expected to have a "Help" menu item.

In a C++ application, you can take over all the drawing of the "non-client" areas yourself (that includes the title bar, buttons, and decorations) and do whatever you want, but users don't expect to see the ? button up there on application windows.

-- 
Tim Roberts, ti...@probo.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

[Robin Dunn]

On 5/23/11 12:47 PM, Bo�tjan Mejak wrote:
> I see. How are other people implementing this button right there besides
> the X button then?

As has been mentioned a couple times already in this thread, you use the
extra style on the frame to get the context help button on the caption
bar, but because of a limitation imposed by microsoft you can not have
the minimize and maximize buttons at the same time as the help button.

[Boštjan Mejak]

Aha! Now I get it! Thanks for clearing that up.

[Boštjan Mejak]

But... Is there a workaround?

[Tim Roberts]

Bo�tjan Mejak wrote:

But... Is there a workaround?

I don't know how many times we can say the same thing.� What you are asking is not supported by the operating system.� It isn't supported, in part, because Microsoft's user interface research showed it to be confusing for users.� It makes sense in a small dialog with a few controls, and such a dialog does not use minimize and maximize buttons.� In a window that is complicated enough to need minimize and maximize buttons, users don't expect or look for the context ? button.� They expect to find a "Help" button or "Help" menu item in the application.

Stop trying to find a workaround.� You will just confuse your users.