Displaying Forms

Visual Basic | Delphi | C++ Builder | Java

Visual Basic 6.0

The general procedure is

show formVariable
hide formVariable

To stop a form from loading, raise an error in its Initialize event.

Delphi 5.0

When a form is shown as modal, simply setting the ModalResult property closes the form and returns the associated value.

//  In the calling form
if PTConfig_UIForm.ShowModal = mrOk then begin
  ...
end;

//  In the modal form, attach one of these to the appropriate button
  ModalResult := mrOk ;
  ModalResult := mrAbort;

Some related commands for non-modal forms

PTConfig_UIForm.Show
PTConfig_UIForm.Hide
PTConfig_UIForm.Release
PTConfig_UIForm.Close

Normally, forms are added to your application via the *.dpr (Delphi project) file

Application.CreateForm(TAboutBox, AboutBox);

In order to use the form, you must include its unit in the appropriate uses clause.

C++ Builder

Java

In Windows, all modal forms (dialog boxes) can be closed by simply pressing the ESC key. The Java Dialog class does not implement this behavior. Instead, each component in the dialog box must check for keyboard input and determine what to do. Instead, you can use Java World's EscapeDialog (a decendent of Dialog) which correctly interprets the ESC key. Another approach is to subclass the swing dialog (JDialog).

object.show();
object.hide();
object.setModal(boolean); // works with dialog boxes

In Java 2* In Record Time (1998), Constructing Java Dialog Boxes provides explicit instructions on how to create a dialog box. The example eventually builds a pop-up calculator and shows one way to transfer data between your application and the dialog. (Does not use swing.) (Link broken 4-16-02)

O'Reilly's Java in a Nutshell (1996) provides several examples including

Author: Robert Clemenzi - clemenzi@cpcug.org