AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

Old Topics related to the original "AutoGUI" ahk script editor.
terenceck
Posts: 3
Joined: 10 Sep 2019, 02:16

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

18 Jun 2020, 23:28

How to fix this?

AutoGUI has not yet been adapted to high-DPI scaling
madsounds
Posts: 59
Joined: 31 May 2019, 08:14

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

19 Jun 2020, 02:40

- Make sure you are running an unmodified version of AutoGUI. You may need to extract the files again to a new location. Also make sure that the settings file (AutoGUI.ini) is being saved in the program folder, otherwise it is on %APPDATA%.
- Replace the function __SendEditor in Scintilla.ahk with this
- And the function __SCI with this
Yes, I've made everything as you said, and there's been no error since then! Thank you again! :dance:
need4speed
Posts: 143
Joined: 22 Apr 2016, 06:50

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

24 Jun 2020, 06:09

@Alguimist
I read you'll working on separating the GUI Creator from the Code Editor. The biggest drawback I see with GUI Creator, is that GUIs cannot be edited after closing GUI Creator. Will this be fixed in the new tool?
ronkwan
Posts: 7
Joined: 04 Nov 2016, 03:41

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

27 Jun 2020, 04:39

i am new to autoGUI and would like to make it my default .ahk editor on my win7 box so i can right click a .ahk and "Edit Script" with it.

i edit my registry as follow but says something like "its not a win32 application"
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AutoHotkeyScript\Shell\Edit\Command\
"C:\Program Files\AutoGUI\AutoGUI.ahk" "%1"

i try again using command prompt;
C:\>"Program Files\AutoGUI\AutoGUI.ahk" test.ahk
doesn't work, autoGUI.ahk opened but without my test.ahk file

C:\>"Program Files\AutoGUI\AutoGUI.ahk" c:\test.ahk
work, can read my test.ahk file, so i suspect this is a path name issue?

one might suggest me to compile autoGUI.ahk to .exe, but i run into another problem when i try to run a .ahk script within autoGUI, that's another story.

please help, much thanks.
User avatar
Alguimist
Posts: 428
Joined: 05 Oct 2015, 16:41
Contact:

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

26 Sep 2020, 06:44

Note: I've been a little absent from the forum, but I'm actively working on software projects.
kczx3 wrote:
11 Jun 2020, 15:59
@Alguimist on a side note, this next version must be a huge leap based on the things I’ve read that you’re working on!
A lot of improvements, new features and optimizations. AutoGUI, now called Adventure, became a flexible and lightweight IDE or advanced text editor, with support for all Scintilla lexers, custom themes and file metadata. I'm hoping to release it up to the end of the year.

@terenceck
See the answer given to flipside555 in this post.

@need4speed
As a separate tool, the GUI designer will no longer be in conflict with the editor in regard to the action that should be taken when opening a file. Thus, opening a file in the GUI designer will be equivalent to "import GUI", where you can choose between the two methods available. I've not devoted too much time for the improvement of this feature in past years, and I'm now considering to implement an XML format.

@ronkwan
In the tools folder of AutoGUI, there's a script called "Default Editor.ahk" that performs this task. I'm also going to provide a compiled version of the editor in the next release.
User avatar
hced
Posts: 9
Joined: 11 Nov 2019, 13:30

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

27 Sep 2020, 19:11

@Alguimist How do you get font size to stick? When I set size to 10 in AutoGUI.ini, it resets back to some higher size when opening files.

Secondary question, how do I debug files. When choosing Start Debugging, it asks for an exe file?

Third question, or suggestion: When debugging in SciTE, I have to manually re-open Call Stack and Variable Scope windows every time. If this is the same in AutoGUI, maybe it could be a consideration to add an option where you can have these show up automatically by default. For those who'd like that? However, maybe that's just me :lol:
User avatar
kczx3
Posts: 1640
Joined: 06 Oct 2015, 21:39

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

28 Sep 2020, 10:38

Alguimist wrote:
26 Sep 2020, 06:44
... AutoGUI, now called Adventure, became a flexible and lightweight IDE or advanced text editor, ...
I like it! Coding is certainly an adventure!
User avatar
Drugwash
Posts: 850
Joined: 29 May 2014, 21:07
Location: Ploieşti, Romania
Contact:

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

28 Sep 2020, 12:20

Would the new version be capable of creating/editing multiple GUIs in a single script, or would that be another, far away... adventure? :)
Part of my AHK work can be found here.
User avatar
Alguimist
Posts: 428
Joined: 05 Oct 2015, 16:41
Contact:

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

26 Oct 2020, 15:06

hced wrote: How do you get font size to stick? When I set size to 10 in AutoGUI.ini, it resets back to some higher size when opening files.
Go to View > Change Editor Font. If you modify the ini file, which is not recommended, while the program is running, your modifications will be overwritten when the program is closed.
hced wrote: How do I debug files. When choosing Start Debugging, it asks for an exe file?
It asks for the file to be saved first. Or maybe you are pressing Alt+F5, which asks for an alternative executable.
hced wrote: When debugging in SciTE, I have to manually re-open Call Stack and Variable Scope windows every time. If this is the same in AutoGUI...
I'll leave this way for a while. I have plans to consolidate all debug windows (variables, call stack and error stream) into a single tabbed window. Then, it could be shown up automatically when start debugging.

@Drugwash
I have no plans anymore to provide support for multiple GUIs, specially now that I'm considering to accommodate code generation for other programming languages compatible with Win32 GUI.
User avatar
Drugwash
Posts: 850
Joined: 29 May 2014, 21:07
Location: Ploieşti, Romania
Contact:

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

27 Oct 2020, 17:16

Sad to hear that. What if people need multiple GUIs in the other languages that you plan to support? It would be a harsh limitation.
Anyway, keep up the good work!
Part of my AHK work can be found here.
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

19 Dec 2020, 15:27

Dear specialists,
I would like to also publicly express my deepest possible appreciation to The author of AutoGUI scripts. You are really wonderful professional.

Because I do not see at all. I have two questions.
1. When I will add more than one control, are you using special mathematical formula to approximately calculate next control position? Or if I will not use The mouse to draw rectangular and if I will not calculate The position values by using vision, will GUi look acceptably? Or unfortunately, in this case, There will be overlapped GUI elements?
I AM guessing, that making automatic controls placement by using mathematical formulas would be too complex, So is there any compromise solution? So GUI would never look very nicely, because I do not see, but GUI controls will not be overlapping each others? Or unfortunately, there is no work around solution available?
In fact, object position numbering is The pain of every visually impaired GUI creator across every programming languages. So this is only question, if it would be possible to find some solution. So even though if visually impaired programmer would try to create some GUI, GUI would never contain overlapping objects. I Am aware, that there is no solution how to make GUI attractive if somebody would create it without seeing. So my realistic dream is to have objects, which will not be overlapping by each others. And every text contained inside object should be readable.
If it is impossible by using autogui I Am dreaming about other solution.
One advanced developer has already solved this complex task by creating The following long script for Autoid.

https://github.com/jamalmazrui/Layout_by_Code

How complex would be to recode it for Autohodkey?
Thank you very much for yours advices and tips.
With warmest regards.
Janusz Chmiel
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

20 Dec 2020, 14:27

Autogui is wonderful editor. I love its build in new GUI window, which is even accessible for screen readers users. It is only necessary to be aware, that if user add one control and want to add next controls, it is not possible to use change text context menu item, because Pressing OK button after changing default control text will place The focus to The main app window. So it is possible to add more than one control from A new GUI window. I Am using NVDA. It is necessary to use build in object navigation and it is necessary to find Window object and press INSERT and Slash on numeric keyboard. Then press Insert and star key on Num pad to simulate right mouse click. You can add next control. I would like to know, if there are some build in routines which can automatically calculate new control positions, or if numbers are only randomly added without calculating. I Am sad that if I press OK button after changing text of AN control will place focus to The main window so I can not recall new GUI window again. How complex would be to add hod key, which would recall GUI window but not ALT+g, because this will display error, that only one GUi window can be created at A time. If I will not my desired text, The next control, which I will create could have incorrect calculated position values. I think, that if there is some routines, which calculate every object position, that I would had to really add my desired text values for A control inside New GUI window. No to edit them manually outside New GUi window, because this will create very ugly GUI. Thank you for yours tips and ideas.

According to my opinion, AutoGUI is The best IDE and debugging environment. I Am near to The solution. Sure, I must accept The Windows based nature of Windows OS and when I Am designing Window, I must always do my best to have focus inside Window new gui dialog after creating every new control.
User avatar
Alguimist
Posts: 428
Joined: 05 Oct 2015, 16:41
Contact:

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

22 Jan 2021, 04:56

@Janusz
Thank you for your comments!

AutoGUI follows some of the user interface design recommendations in regard to accessibility practices such as keyboard shortcuts and access keys for keyboard-based navigation and more than one way to perform the same task, be it with the mouse or the keyboard only, but it doesn't provide shortcuts to focus specific areas of the GUI, other than Tab, Alt (menu bar), F11 (to toggle the visibility of the preview window) and AppsKey (context menu). On the other hand, it does provide keyboard shortcuts to move and resize controls on steps of 1 or 8 pixels, so as to allow precise granularity in the layout.
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

21 Mar 2021, 16:10

I AM running autogui 2.6.2. Debugger is unusable when user switch to The script window which user want to debug. Why? When visually impaired screen reader user press some key which are causing focus movement, window will totally froze at all. NVDA and also official Microsoft Narrator screen reader will become helpless to work with window. I must force close autohotkey. Sad true is, that debugging features such as variables list work. But when it is impossible to use screen reader in The script window which user want to debug, it is complex. Fortunately, core programmer of Autohotkey have created fully functioning debugger called DebugVars. Firstly, I have been afraid, that it is very complex C language related problem of autohotkey scripting engine. Because I had got in The same troubles also with AHK studio of with SCITE for Autohotkey. Fortunately thanks to DebugVars I can debug scripts. Which is very important for more complex scripts. As A contrast, only gui designer which is The part of Autogui is so well accessible. I will do my best to study designer long code to add some new hot keys. and when I will have some success, I will upload my changed script for professionals here for analysis. And may be, that my future changes would help other visually impaired Autohotkey programmers.
I have created some little apps thanks to wonderful Autogui. I will publish The source in The other discussion forums threads. But because I AM using default Pixel coordinates provided by AutoGUi designer, target window will very probably not look very nice for sighted majority. One expert on Github have even tried to use GDI API calls to calculate ideal width but I do not know, if there is possibility to calculate all possible coordinates in Pixels for every object by only using some APi functions call and some simple mathematic formulas. Sure, I can even use GUI elements without specifiing Pixels values and I can use build in routines to place object left for example. I will ask my sighted kind mother and she will tell Me how my window looks. She is having estetical thinkink.
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

22 Mar 2021, 03:52

My mother seen my app and I have a good notice for all visually impaired potential Autohotkey developers. If you will use autoGUI and its build in GUI designer, you can even use default Pixel values. Listbox have contained 24 items and every item have been readable. Only buttons were placed in The corner of The screen so far away from listbox but even texts of buttons could be read. No overlapping. It is only necessary to notice, that to add next control after you have added previous one from context menu by using its dialog window, you must press down arrow key to add next control. But to be honest, GUI designer combines The best possible compromise related to accessibility. Because I have tried many various GUI designers and only GUI designer in Autogui is so usable. Other designers uses only icons for every control name and visually impaired screen reader user can not use screen reader to observe The result of his action when inside GUi designer window.
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

24 Mar 2021, 15:03

I have also found some older post here related to warning, which do not allow users to run Autogui with high resolutions. Autohotkey developers will not like my approach, which I have chosen, but I have simply removed IF condition with warning. There is no issue. May be, that sighted audience would see some issue, but there are no crashes. I will do my best to send some important accessibility update related to new hotkey support. BUt Autogui code is much more structured and complex as I have thought previously, so I will have to study it carefully to make my desired change which will make joy many other visually impaired programmers. I will also try to explore some codes, which try to do its best to automatically calculate width, height and other numerical values, which GUI related commands of Autohotkey accept. So application GUI, which have been created by visually impaired programmers will look acceptable also for The sighted majority. I have found some code, which tryes to automatically calculate width for GUI, if code which create GUI have been executed. It was some code calculate ideal width. The question is if is it possible to try to calculate also ideal values for other object coordinates values. Sure, i know, that it would need some time, it is no problem. Next issue is, that every screen can have A different resolution. So values, which will look nicely on monitor with one resolution will not look nice on other screen resolution values. The question is, if this mathematical issue can be solved. Theoretically, Autohotkey GUi related code could contain some mathematical fformulas, which would calculate object position values according to The given resolution, but The question is, if it would not take too much time.
Some opinions from experienced coders here is very welcomed.
I must relay on included Autohotkey language GUi related commands, because those included commands can create fully accessible apps, I can not use GDI+ library or even qt libraryes. Really The best accessibility standard is only guaranteed by used GUI related command build in to Autohotkey code. Thank all of you for yours patience and for yours suggestions.
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

25 Mar 2021, 15:58

So I have tried to deeply analyse The Atogui code. Add control is The context menu and there are several type of controls, which can be added. How to recall The corresponding dialog windows for adding every of controls supported. SSuch as edit, text, ETC. With no need to add them from context menu, which must be activated by using NVDA screen reader object navigation routines and by using right mouse simulation function. By other words, I would had to add several hot keys for every individual supported control types. Focus will be in The GUI designer window in this stage. But where to find The code. I have found context menu items inside controls.ahk inside include autogui folder. Which hot keys should be added for this task? CTRL+ first letter of The first word name of every control. So m as menu so CTRL+m. CTRl+t for adding text. But where to add such keys which will not react when focus will reside inside main autogui editor window because I do not know, if controls can be added if other guidesigner.ahk code will not react correctly.
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

17 Apr 2021, 10:07

I have solved some hot keys features. I have added hot key which send A right mouse click to The GUI designer preview window. In such case, context menu contain Add control sub menu. To add more and more controls, I always press Right arrow key. When I add some control, I can press hot key which simulate right mouse click again. In this case, I can access properties window. I can fill out control text, A corresponding label name, variables names, etc. I have also added control to allow to change window title. I Am very satisfied now. Because I can design GUI quickly and efficiently. I will add some necessary hot keys to other Autogui modules to. I Am adding hot keys to The designer.ahk module. And I will upload The final result here for all of us, who love hot keys like I love them. To be honest, I would never be able to move forward in this topic. But AHK studio contain very useful feature which have enabled Me to quickly find all code labels. So I did not lost inside long code. I will also update hot keys list in The /Include/keyboard.ahk. I know, that main professional Autogui developer would may be not very happy, what I AM doing with his complex code, but there is really no other GUI creator, which is so accessible and allow even to observe preview result with The screen reader. So it is necessary to use this tool and extend its keyboard shortcuts support. I would like to emphasize that context menu allow to quickly jump to every context menu item by pressing first letter of every context menu item first word. So to add button, press b, text t ETC. My first intention was to redesign Autogui Designer.ahk to allow users to quickly add control by only pressing some hot keys. But It would not be very easy task for Me for now. System is based on contextmenu and recoding it, I would make too much chaos inside The long code. So for now, I will respect context menu style till my Autohotkey knowledge will not improve. And I Am deeply apologizing to all of forum members, who do not like my posts and my Autohotkey activities. I AM very sorry.
User avatar
Alguimist
Posts: 428
Joined: 05 Oct 2015, 16:41
Contact:

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

20 Apr 2021, 19:26

@Janusz: thanks for your comments, I appreciate them! ;) Have in mind though that I cannot be of much help in regard to technologies related to accessibility, such as NVDA, as I have no experience with them.

"Debugger is unusable when user switch to the script window which user want to debug".

I assume that by "script window" you are refering to the GUI of the AHK script being debugged. It occurs that you have to set breakpoints in specific locations of interest in the code to properly debug scripts that have a GUI, since the flow of execution is interrupted by the event-driven nature of GUIs, that awaits for user input.

"I have simply removed IF condition with warning. There is no issue". (DPI-scale)

Within one or two weeks, I'm going to release a new version of AutoGUI, now called Adventure, where the GUI designer is not integrated with the text editor anymore. Nevertheless, issues regarding DPI-scale still exist in the GUI designer.

"With no need to add them from context menu". (controls)

I will later provide for AutoGUI to have a keyboard shortcut to move the focus to the "Control Palette", the list of control types, where the initial letter of the control name is an access key to select the list item. Then, by pressing some other key, like Enter or Space, the control will be automatically added to the preview window.
Janusz
Posts: 89
Joined: 18 Dec 2020, 17:47

Re: AutoGUI - Script Editor, GUI Designer, Debugger and Tools

22 Apr 2021, 15:10

Dear Alguimist,
I Am looking forward to yours next Adventure release and I will be very glad to test it. I have tried to solve issues with controls myself, because I have been afraid, that Adventure development have been stopped. I AM very glad, that you have returned to it. So may be, that crash of debugged script is not caused because of inter process communication between NVDA screen reader and debugged app GUI, but because I did not set break points properly. Thank you very much for yours kind access and answer.
I will be patiently monitor this forum thread for download link of new Adventure release.Dear Alguimist I AM wishing you much programmers adventure during yours work on next release.

Return to “Old Topics”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests