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I'm designing a "Main GUI" and think it would be simpler to overlay other GUIs as needed.

It seems easier to do this than to code for the Main gui to handle lots of different types of information.

I need the gui to be on top of everything but GUI 2 & GUI 3 (in other words, the 3 guis will attempt to function together on top of everything else, but with GUI 2 & GUI 3 on top of Main GUI 1).

I've created a code example. I run into problems:
1) whenever I click outside the main gui - If I set the main gui to +alwaysontop, it will cover up gui 2 & gui 3 whenever I click the main gui.
2) whenever I move the main gui, obvilously gui 2 & gui 3 don't naturally follow. Is there a way to fix this, or do I need to set a timer to always monitor the position of the main gui.

I hope what I'm looking for is clear. For a demo, run the following code and then click outside the main gui, and also drag it around.

Thanks!

Hi,

They are a lot of method but they are bug and other special "lag" that depend with version of windows and style of your OS.
I am noob (and french ^^) but I had searched a good method during a long time...

go to helpfile and check OnMessage list

for example:
OnMessage(0x232, "WM_EXITSIZEMOVE")

I think it's the beter method, because you can burn your CPU if you use other OnMessage (no redraw during move), but depend of what you need and what you want to show... check OnMessage list, you can find your happy^^

Other things you don't need to use +alwaysontop, if your GUI is always in pack you can use it as a "child" (with gui, 2:+owner1) , it's better because you can use your script like a normal apps ( always on top is crap when you parse an other windows to it) and only apps in your task bar ( so don't use toolwindows or other things )...

check gui owner also, it's like pyramid poperty...

advice: with this method, just for a beter skin, your GUI2 can have the same size than main gui, and main gui it just a "ghost" with a system bar (the system bar of main gui is essential during minimize windows coz they are some problem for minimize all child gui with vista (they duplicat it in taskbar dunno why, post message or not ) )

sorry again for my english I hope you understand... here a small example script than speack beter than me



other thing: You can use transparent background for gui2,3,X you will show background of main gui, but depend of option of gui because you can view desktop (so you can creat " real layers " )

problem: when you click gui 2 or 3, main gui is not "active", it's a very small problem but you can solve it with a settimer ( not a loop ), but depend of OS style and what you need ^^

if you have other question...

Very, very, very helpful. I really appreciate it. This is exactly what I was looking for (I had surmised that I could use +owner somehow, but I didn't know how to use it).

I just got back from Paris, and I can assure you, your english is far better than my french. Thanks again!

You could try the 'setparent' api. Since the guis are in the same process, setparent works well. I modified your first example.

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Very, very cool. Looks like this alternative works as well. Thanks.

Yeah! Micahs script is wonderfull !

However, mine is good for transparency, and we can creat gui layer ( good for 2D game, translucent filter, image overlapping, without dll, ... )