This is basically a script which gives you a "command bar" (sort of like a floating deskbar), with various commands.

xml code:

---

<!-- the parent window -->

<Window Id="WndCommandBar_Shell" Version="1">

    <Attributes>
        <Caption>Command Bar</Caption>
        <TopMost>true</TopMost>
        <ShowInTaskbar>false</ShowInTaskbar>
    </Attributes>
   
    <TitleBar>
        <AllowMinimize>false</AllowMinimize>
        <AllowClose>false</AllowClose>
    </TitleBar>
   
    <Position Width="188" Height="28">
        <IsAbsolute>true</IsAbsolute>
        <Resizeable Allowed="BothSides">
            <MinWidth>150</MinWidth>
            <MinHeight>28</MinHeight>
        </Resizeable>
    </Position>
   
    <WindowTmpl>
        <Borders Type="Simple"/>
    </WindowTmpl>

</Window>

---

xml code:

---

<!-- the child window -->

<Window Id="WndCommandBar_CMain" Version="1">

    <Position Width="188" Height="28">
        <IsAbsolute>true</IsAbsolute>
        <Resizeable Allowed="BothSides">
            <MinWidth>150</MinWidth>
            <MinHeight>28</MinHeight>
        </Resizeable>
    </Position>
   
    <ChildTmpl/>
   
    <Controls>
        <Control xsi:type="ButtonControl" Id="BtnCommands">
            <Position Left="10" Top="0" Width="24">
                <Units>AllPixels</Units>
                <Anchor Vertical="TopBottomFixed"/>
            </Position>
            <Image><Name>Options</Name></Image>
            <Help>Some useful preset commands.</Help>
            <StandardLook Template="Clear"/>
        </Control>
        <Control xsi:type="ButtonControl" Id="BtnContacts">
            <Position Left="35" Top="0" Width="24">
                <Units>AllPixels</Units>
                <Anchor Vertical="TopBottomFixed"/>
            </Position>
            <Image><Name>Contacts</Name></Image>
            <Help>Your Messenger contacts.</Help>
            <StandardLook Template="Clear"/>
        </Control>
        <Control xsi:type="EditControl" Id="EdtCmd">
            <Position Left="60" Top="0" Width="99" Height="24">
                <Units>AllPixels</Units>
                <Anchor Horizontal="LeftRightFixed" Vertical="TopBottomFixed"/>
            </Position>
            <Help>Type a command here...</Help>
        </Control>
        <Control xsi:type="ButtonControl" Id="BtnOk">
            <Position Left="160" Top="0" Width="24">
                <Units>AllPixels</Units>
                <Anchor Horizontal="RightFixed" Vertical="TopBottomFixed"/>
            </Position>
            <Attributes>
                <IsDefault>true</IsDefault>
            </Attributes>
            <Image><Name>Tick</Name></Image>
            <Help>Click to process the command, or press Enter.</Help>
            <StandardLook Template="Clear"/>
        </Control>
    </Controls>

</Window>

---

You need to specify a PlaceHolderElement at the size and position of the child window. Then hook WM_SIZE into your parent window and use PlusWnd::GetElementPos() to retrieve the relative coordinates, which you need to pass to SetWindowPos() in User32.dll.

quote:

---

Originally posted by SmokingCookie
You need to specify a PlaceHolderElement at the size and position of the child window.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by SmokingCookie
Then hook WM_SIZE into your parent window and use PlusWnd::GetElementPos() to retrieve the relative coordinates, which you need to pass to SetWindowPos() in User32.dll.

---

js code:

---

var WndCommandBar_Shell = MsgPlus.CreateWnd("Windows.xml", "WndCommandBar_Shell", 0); // parent
var WndCommandBar_CMain = MsgPlus.CreateChildWnd(WndCommandBar_Shell, "Windows.xml", "WndCommandBar_CMain", 12, 2); // child
Interop.Call("User32", "SetWindowPos", WndCommandBar_Shell.Handle, WndCommandBar_Shell.GetElementPos());

---

First, I was wrong about SetWindowPos();. My apologies. You actually need to use MoveWindow();

Second, you've probably got the first part correct, but the second is kinda.. ya know..

As the scripting docs say, you need to pass the element ID to PlusWnd::GetElementPos(). (It's actually PlusWnd.GetElementPos(ElementID,Type)). So this is what you'll need to do with your PlusWnd:

JScript code:

---

function RetrievePos(PlusWnd,ElementID) {
    var PosInfo = new Object();
    PosInfo.X = PlusWnd.GetElementPos(ElementID,POSINFO_X /* Predefined within MPL itself */);
    PosInfo.Y = PlusWnd.GetElementPos(ElementID,POSINFO_Y);
    PosInfo.Width = PlusWnd.GetElementPos(ElementID,POSINFO_WIDTH);
    PosInfo.Height = PlusWnd.GetElementPos(ElementID,POSINFO_HEIGHT);
    return PosInfo;
}

---

js code:

---

var WndCommandBar_Shell = MsgPlus.CreateWnd("Windows.xml", "WndCommandBar_Shell", 0);
var WndCommandBar_CMain = MsgPlus.CreateChildWnd(WndCommandBar_Shell, "Windows.xml", "WndCommandBar_CMain", 12, 2);
var PosInfo = RetrievePos(WndCommandBar_Shell, "PlhChild");
Interop.Call("User32", "MoveWindow", WndCommandBar_CMain.Handle, PosInfo.X, PosInfo.Y, PosInfo.Width, PosInfo.Height, true);

---

Actually, SetWindowPos is the right function for this. I've had many trouble before using MoveWindow, and SetWindowPos was always the answer.

Anyway, I've done this in my Countdown Live script in the same way as SmokingCookie said. Here's how:

1. Place the RetrievePos function of SmokingCookie somewhere in your script.
   
2. Create your window and child window as you normally would. After creation, register WM_SIZE on your parent.
   

   js code:

   ---

   WndCommandBar_Shell.RegisterMessageNotification(/* WM_SIZE */ 0x5, true);

   ---

3. Create a handler for the message notification event. Check the Message parameter and when you got WM_SIZE, you can resize the child window like so:
   

   js code:

   ---

   // Get the place-holder's position
   var posChild = RetrievePos(WndCommandBar_Shell, "PlhChild");
   // SetWindowPos flags
   var flagsSWP = /* SWP_NOACTIVATE */ 0x10 | /* SWP_NOMOVE */ 0x2;
   // Position the child
   Interop.Call("user32", "SetWindowPos", WndCommandBar_CMain.Handle, 0, 0, 0, posChild.Width, posChild.Height, flagsSWP);
   // Done!

   ---

js code:

---

var wWidth = lParam & 0xFFFF; //Get low-order word
var wHeight = (lParam >> 16); //Get high-order word

---

Finally, I managed to beat someone instead of being beaten!

From line 3: you mustn't move the window by that time already. You need to register WM_SIZE into your parent window (PlusWnd::RegisterMessageNotification()). When WM_SIZE is received (OnWindowIdEvent_MessageNotification()), you need to move it.

* Angry at Matti for being quicker

But I do not see why MoveWindow(); shouldn't work..?

quote:

---

Originally posted by SmokingCookie
But I do not see why MoveWindow(); shouldn't work..?

---

It works perfectly fine in my scripts.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Matti

1. Place the RetrievePos function of SmokingCookie somewhere in your script.
   
2. Create your window and child window as you normally would. After creation, register WM_SIZE on your parent.
   

   js code:

   ---

   WndCommandBar_Shell.RegisterMessageNotification(/* WM_SIZE */ 0x5, true);

   ---

3. Create a handler for the message notification event. Check the Message parameter and when you got WM_SIZE, you can resize the child window like so:
   

   js code:

   ---

   // Get the place-holder's position
   var posChild = RetrievePos(WndCommandBar_Shell, "PlhChild");
   // SetWindowPos flags
   var flagsSWP = /* SWP_NOACTIVATE */ 0x10 | /* SWP_NOMOVE */ 0x2;
   // Position the child
   Interop.Call("user32", "SetWindowPos", WndCommandBar_CMain.Handle, 0, 0, 0, posChild.Width, posChild.Height, flagsSWP);
   // Done!

   ---

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by whiz
I've done all that, and the parent/child windows are loaded, but as soon as I resize the window, the child disappears.  It leaves just an empty parent window...

---

Attached.

I do not exactly have time ATM, but still: you must place the PlaceHolderElement in the parent window, not the child window like you did

quote:

---

Originally posted by SmokingCookie
I do not exactly have time ATM, but still: you must place the PlaceHolderElement in the parent window, not the child window like you did

---

xml code:

---

<Window Id="WndCommandBar_Shell" Version="1">

    <Attributes>
        <Caption>Command Bar</Caption>
        <TopMost>true</TopMost>
        <ShowInTaskbar>false</ShowInTaskbar>
    </Attributes>
   
    <TitleBar>
        <AllowMinimize>false</AllowMinimize>
        <AllowClose>false</AllowClose>
    </TitleBar>
   
    <Position Width="186" Height="27">
        <IsAbsolute>true</IsAbsolute>
        <Resizeable Allowed="BothSides">
            <MinWidth>150</MinWidth>
            <MinHeight>27</MinHeight>
        </Resizeable>
    </Position>
   
    <WindowTmpl>
        <Borders Type="Simple"/>
    </WindowTmpl>
   
    <Elements>
        <Element xsi:type="PlaceHolderElement" Id="PhlChild">
            <Position Left="10" Top="0" Width="172" Height="26"/>
        </Element>
    </Elements>

</Window>

---

Fixed it!

• OnWndCommandBar_ShellEvent_MessageNotification always has to return something. Because we want all messages to be processed normally, we always return -1.
  
• You defined the element in your XML as "PhlChild" but you're referencing it as "PlhChild"! This is why RetrievePos always gives 0 for position and size.
  
• The place-holder needs to size with the window, so it needs anchoring.
  
• The place-holder should be the same size as the child window it holds in order to make the child size properly.

Like I said, I didn't have the time this morning. I had a few hours off at school, so I rush-finished some homework (still too late for school though ).

Anyway, seems like I was confused by the window IDs. I'm used to a system like this:

JScript code:

---

//Some example code demonstrating Window IDs and child IDs

var PlusWnd = MsgPlus.CreateWnd("Wnd.xml","WndTest");
var ChildWnd = MsgPlus.CreateChildWnd(PlusWnd,"Wnd.xml","WndTest_Child",0,0,true);

---

XML code:

---

    <Elements>
        <Element xsi:type="PlaceHolderElement" Id="PhlChild"> <!-- Check the element ID here -->
            <Position Left="10" Top="0" Width="172" Height="26"/>
        </Element>
    </Elements>

---

JScript code:

---

function OnWndCommandBar_ShellEvent_MessageNotification(PlusWnd, Message, wParam, lParam)
{
    if (Message == 0x5)
    {
        var posChild = RetrievePos(WndCommandBar_Shell,"PlhChild"); // Check the element ID here too
        Interop.Call("user32","MoveWindow",WndCommandBar_CMain.Handle,posChild.x,posChild.y,posChild.Width,posChild.Height,true); // Thought this would solve it...
    }
}

---

* Even more angry at Matti....
AGAIN!!

Great, it works!    Except that I installed the script and didn't think to copy all of the changes I had made with the actual workings of the script...  that I've now lost...    Ah, well.

EDIT: I've managed to recover most of my changes from my online backup, which (luckily) hadn't synchronized that bit yet...