Discovering WPF and custom windows in FSX

[ziporama]

What type of data are you sending through SimConnect? Does the code work outside of FSX?

[vodaley]

The Simconnect calling code works inside the Form (Inside FSX)
I'm successfully subscribe to event "SimStart",
but it crashes when the event should be called....

[ziporama]

That error could be just about anything from a stack overflow error, a weird threading error or a mistmatched DLL error (ie, wrong version of .NET running, meaning a manifest somewhere is broken). Welcome to the wonderful world of interop, simconnect and flight simulation

I would first make sure the code works outside of FSX (use your DLL from a standalone EXE, write a simple wrapper) so that will tell you for sure where the problem is.


Etienne

[vodaley]

Thanks for help!

I didn't try to call my DLL from outside.
Also, created form works very slow.

Actualy I decided to switch off from .NET to Win32 C++ due to performence issues.

When FSX starts my DLL I want to create a child window and assign it to "FS98MAIN", how possible it is and what problems could be?
I also saw in this thread that some of you guys have a big progress in that, can I see some code?

Pavel

[KWB]

I am aware that this thread is somehow outdated, but maybe somebody is still around . The given information is very much related to my issue right now.

When I create a child window in a FSX module (.dll), the window is created but always hidden in background. I have tried several styles (as of the information above) - but never managed to get the window in front. I can see it, but only when resizing the parent. The wndProcChild callback is correctly called, so it seems to be attached to the FSX message loop.

Any ideas?

	// one time init
	WNDCLASSEX wcex;
	wcex.cbSize			= sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);
	wcex.style          = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
	wcex.lpfnWndProc    = FSXModule::wndProcChildWindow; // static method
	wcex.cbClsExtra     = 0;
	wcex.cbWndExtra     = sizeof(long);
	wcex.hInstance      = FSXModule::_hInstance;
	wcex.hIcon          = LoadIcon(FSXModule::_hInstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDI_APPLICATION));
	wcex.hCursor        = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
	wcex.hbrBackground  = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_WINDOW+1);
	wcex.lpszMenuName   = NULL;
	wcex.lpszClassName  = szWindowClass;
	wcex.hIconSm        = LoadIcon(wcex.hInstance, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDI_APPLICATION));

	if (!RegisterClassEx(&wcex)) {
		FSXModule::displayErrorMessageBox(_T("RegisterClassEx")); 
	}

	// The parameters to CreateWindow explained:
	// szWindowClass: the name of the application
	// szTitle: the text that appears in the title bar
	// WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW: the type of window to create
	// CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT: initial position (x, y)
	// 500, 100: initial size (width, length)
	// hInstance: the first parameter from WinMain
	HINSTANCE test = (HINSTANCE) GetWindowLong (FSXModule::_hFSXWindow, GWL_HINSTANCE); // see below, consistent?
	HWND child;
	child = CreateWindow(
		// WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW,
		szWindowClass,
		_T("In FSX Win test"),
		// WS_CHILDWINDOW | WS_VISIBLE | WS_BORDER, // window invisible in background
		// WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE, // window invisible in background
		// WS_POPUPWINDOW | WS_VISIBLE, // window invisible in background
		WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, // window invisible in background
		0,0, // CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT,
		500, 100,
		FSXModule::_hFSXWindow, // parent
		NULL,
		// (HMENU) 1, // child id!
		FSXModule::_hInstance, //  (HINSTANCE) GetWindowLong (FSXModule::_hFSXWindow, GWL_HINSTANCE),
		NULL
		);


	// could we create the window?
	FSXModule::_hModuleWindow = child;
	if (FSXModule::_hModuleWindow) {
		// the order here seems to be crucial
		WNDPROC oldChildWndProc = (WNDPROC)SetWindowLong(FSXModule::_hFSXWindow, GWL_WNDPROC, (LONG)FSXModule::wndProcChildWindow);
		SetParent(FSXModule::_hModuleWindow, FSXModule::_hFSXWindow);
	} else {
		FSXModule::displayErrorMessageBox(_T("CreateWindow")); 
	}

[vodaley]

Try to play with WS_POPUPWINDOW | WS_VISIBLE flags,
try to search kind of TOPMOSTY flag, actually I don't really remember how it was handeled.

[KWB]

Yep, I continue with trial and error. However, if someone can show how he has done it, it's still appreciated.
Thanks for your feedback.

-- Edit --
SetWindowPos(FSXModule::_hModuleWindow, HWND_TOP, x, y, w, h, SWP_DRAWFRAME | SWP_SHOWWINDOW);
as well as HWND_TOPMOST does not change anything at all