Programmers thread

[GoldenEagle]

With all the talk of programming on the board lately, I figured I would start a programming thread. I will start off with the first question. Is it possible to set up a tool bar in Photoshop and then link up to Visual C++ using ActiveX (or OLE for you old-timers)?

[gstelmack]

I have no clue. However, if your goal is to add to Photoshop, I'd investigate their plugin SDK. This used to be downloadable from Adobe, and may or may not come on the Photoshop CD.

[GoldenEagle]

What I am trying to do is get a drop-down custom toolbar ala OOTP5. I have it designed in Photoshop just need to get it to work properly.

[gstelmack]

Now I'm confused. You designed the look of the toolbar in Photoshop? Where are you intending to place the toolbar?

[GoldenEagle]

In the top of the program to replace the windows that AppWizard generates for you.

[Castlerock]

So you have a bitmap designed in Photoshop that you want to place in your application created with AppWizard. What kind of application is this? (MFC/ATL/Win32/etc)? Is this a brand new toolbar you wish to create? Or do you want to change the bitmap of an existing button on the toolbar?

[GoldenEagle]

MFC. I am looking to create a brand new tool bar. I know I need to write new toolbar classes right? I am not sure how the whole ActiveX thing works. If I distribute the program to other users do they ahve to photoshop as well? I really need to read up on ActiveX since people are saying its the future of programming.

[primelord]

I really need to read up on ActiveX since people are saying its the future of programming.

Of course they have been saying that for about 8 years now. :)

[Castlerock]

1) What you have created in PhotoShop is a picture-file right? (BMP/GIF/JPG)
2) Are you looking to distribute an entire application which happens to use your toolbar? Or do you want to distribute your toolbar to others to use in another application? If it is the latter, what application are they going to use the toolbar in?

[GoldenEagle]

I am looking to distribute the application usingthe toolbar - in other words make it a contanier not a server (I think).

[Buccaneer]

You create an ActiveX DLL that has your ------ (toolbar, program, utility, link, program call, whatever). It is the DLL that is distributed with the executable along with any support programs used to create the DLL. For example, I created a huge Map Border DLL (accessible via a toolbar icon) that is used in our GIS program. You have to use some sort of SDK in order for the executable program or application to recognize any additions/changes to the toolbar of the application. I don't know AppWizard but if it's a C++/MFC application, than it should be doable. If the DLL will have Photoshop-based classes, then I would imagine you would have to distribute another DLL to the user as well.

[gstelmack]

For VC6 you could start here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vctutor98/html/_gs_add_ole_toolbar_resources.asp

For .NET:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/commctls/toolbar/reflist.asp

[Mr. Wednesday]

I really need to read up on ActiveX since people are saying its the future of programming.Are you sure? I thought it was .NET that was the future of programming now (well, that and java, still), and ActiveX was, like, so five years ago.

Which isn't to say that I don't like COM (which is mainly what the "real" technology is behind the marketspeak of "ActiveX").

If you're doing COM work, you should also look at using ATL, which (IMO) is a lot less cumbersome to work with than MFC.

Edit: Remove credentials, nobody else is doing them.

[Karim]

Do we want this to be a general all-purpose programming thread to compete with the hockey thread?

I'm just starting out in C++ and have lots of questions but don't want to threadjack until GoldenEagle gets his question answered.

[klayman]

Are you sure? I thought it was .NET that was the future of programming now (well, that and java, still), and ActiveX was, like, so five years ago.

You mean all that FORTRAN I'm learning in school is useless to me? :D

[Fido]

Ok, I'm sufficiently confused now.

Are you looking to...

A) Create the images for a toolbar in photoshop then incorporate those inages into a standalone application.
or
B) Create a toolbar taht will integrate into photoshop to provide additional functionality?