A program to calc leasing

[DrD]

(05-21-2015 10:47 AM)salvomic Wrote:  EDIT:
I'm trying the skeleton...
How to return to menu from the functions?
I've having troubles with a simple code:

Code:


about()
BEGIN
PRINT("Something");
WAIT(0); CFmenu();
END;

When it revert to the Drawmenu (CFmenu) or also "Exit" button recall menu, or Prime hangs...

Thank you

In the Main Loop, the skeleton is constantly waiting for mouse activity. Therefore the soft button menu should be present at all times. If something else is displayed at the soft button coordinates, and the contents of DRAWMENU() have disappeared due to other programmed activity, just serves to confuse a user, possibly ending up in some unanticipated routine.

The way to keep the DRAWMENU() present at all times is by controlling the graphics screen, (typically, GO). The way to do that is to use textout_p() instead of the print terminal. You would keep all text content above the lines reserved for the soft button menu. As mentioned previously, grobs, and graphics commands are the next step in program evolution.

Forget about the print terminal. Use the pixels on the screen to your advantage, where you control the location of text, foreground and background colors, text size, etc. It actually sounds more difficult to describe, than it actually is. I would suggest just to dive in, make some mistakes, and you'll be a pro before the weekend!

What you will end up with is your soft button menu present constantly. At any time you can jump into the menu's routines or exit, accordingly. A well designed soft button driven routine, will keep the user under control such that no unanticipated activity should occur. Simpler is better in constructing your programs, unless you have a need for speed. It makes debugging easier. Small self contained routines are easiest to debug (modular programming) and they fit nicely in between those IF END blocks in the skeleton.

I use this technique in the Smith Chart program, and to date, there is a lot of activity, such as rotating the text along the perimeter of the outer constant resistance circle, which could not be done without the graphics command set. I used graphics screen G1 to create "invisible" content, and BLIT_P() it back to GO, the user viewable screen, where, pixel by pixel, I recreate the font needed to appear as rotated text. I'm sure you will appreciate the programmer-side advantage once you get a handle on grob programming, and your programs will come alive for the user, in the end-game!

-Dale-