TPClock - v1d - December 19, 2006

[TPReal]

TPClock - v1d - December 19, 2006
Bugfix after v1.
Description
The program is a substitute for Windows clock in the notification area (tray). Needs some training to use.
The colours are adjustable. Looks good also on XP view, and in Win9X. "Normal" time can be displayed in hint of TPClock.
Screenshot

(The thing between Thunderbird and ZoneAlarm, of course. Now the seconds are displayed on top so it's 17:21:54)

[Arjen]

Is this a "binary clock" like this one?

Interesting - I suggest you include a training feature, in which you are presented with a random time in binary format and you have to say what time it is!

When I click "Info" I get the error message: "System Error. Code 1410. The class already exists."

[TPReal]

Yeah, it's a binary clock but better in my oppinion because why the hell encode single digits? I don't like BCD encoding. And it's too easy to read the time when single digits are encoded

About the training feature - best training is using the TPClock (and turning off the normal windows clock, and the hint, or else you'll probably turn out to be too lazy to read the time from the leds).

I just checked that the most often used programmers' excuse works this time: on my computer, the error message does not show up But there's nothing interesting instead of it, just the message: Binary Clock by TPReal.

TPReal.

[mouser]

I just got around to trying this now.. love it 
this is definitely the l33t tool to impress and mystify your friends.

ps.
i get same error when invoking about box.

ps2.
on start it shows an empty form on screen which has to be minimized in order for it to dissapear - would be nice to have this fixed so the program can be happily run at startup.

[TPReal]

Wow, thanks for the kind words Jesse :-)

About the about box, I've investigated the case and come to a conclusion that the error message appears only when I compile the project so that it doesn't need C++Builder specific libraries. All functions like ShowMessage, InputQuery,... give this error. No idea why. Now I simply removed the Info item from the Menu, it wasn't very helpful.

As for the form visible when starting, on my machine it doesn't appear, no matter how I compile the project, but I corrected it (in a Left=-500;-like way but for me it works ).

(New version posted in the first post.)

TPReal.

[mouser]

I think the -500 thing might be the cause of the problem -
since i have a multimonitor setup, -500 seems to put it floating on the other monitor

How about simply do an Application->Minimize() after it starts?

[app103]

look in the object inspector at the form's properties.

try setting WindowState to wsMinimized

[TPReal]

For me the first problem is - why the heck the form is visible, no matter if it's Visible or not, if you catch my drift. So when I set the form to be wsMinimized, at startup I can see the window "flying" from its original position to the Start bar, and then disappearing. I didn't want to have this effect, that's why I set Left=-500;, and really I didn't think about the case with multimonitor setup
Now you have here another ultra-elegant solution - Top is like 5000 and the form is wsMinimized so the window flies from the area under the screen so you don't see it.
Buf it you guys know a method to hide the only form of an app, that would be the best solution probably.

[mouser]

Delphi and C++ Builder do not like their main form to be invisible, that's why you are having the troubles, but it can be done.  I'll try to find the technique i use a little bit later if you don't find it yourself on google GROUPS (usenet), that's where i find most of these tricks out (search for Delphi not C++ Builder).

[TPReal]

:-) Couldn't be any easier:
Application->ShowMainForm=0;
Thanks, I never used Google Groups, seems useful.
Time to review all my projects and change to this method

[mouser]

I'm afraid it's not that simple TPReal,
Here's the dreaded effect I see at startup:



I've seen that effect before when trying to hide main forms into the system tray before - there is a way to solve it i just have to go into my code and remember it, if you continue to get stuck.

[TPReal]

Hmm, strange what you say. Now I put the form somewhere on the (visible part of) screen, set its Visible to false, state to wsNormal, and set ShowMainForm to false, and do nothing special in the constructor, and it works perfectly. It also removes the application from the Alt+Tab list.
Could you check if you get the effect you described with the currently uploaded version? If yes, then I give up and wait for your method
TPR.

[mouser]

Works like a charm - bravo!