• ActiveX controls are graphical components with built-in execution logic that can be embedded in any ActiveX container application.
• InTouch Window Maker and Visual Basic are examples of ActiveX containers.
• The InBatch ActiveX GUI controls connect to the InBatch Server and display batch related information to the user.
• Using GUI controls helps to reduce application development time.
• This section describes how to use the ActiveX GUI controls in the InTouch WindowMaker environment, yet many of the concepts discussed will apply to Visual Basic or Visual C++ usage as well.

• Placing the BatchGUIConfig Icon Onto the Batch Window
  • Double-click the BatchGUIConfig icon.
  • The BatchGuiConfig1 Properties dialog box opens:

Note: The BatchGuiConfig control sets up the connection information that is used by all Batch. GUI controls for an entire application. Once this is done, the BatchGuiConfig control is no longer required and can actually be removed from memory without affecting the other controls.

• Properties
  • Host1: Set this property to the host name of the InBatch Batch Server. Within redundant server architecture, this is the host name of the Primary Batch Server.
  • Host2: This property is only used with redundant server architectures. Set this to the host name of the Redundant Batch Server.
  • AutoInit: When set to 1 (or checked on the property page) this property initializes the connection to the Batch Server automatically when the control is loaded in a running application, or the application is switched from design mode to run mode (e.g. WindowMaker to WindowViewer).
  • Unit:  This is a string set to the unit to focus on when running in Unit-Centric mode. If this property is left blank, the Batch GUI controls run in Batch-Centric mode.
  • ServerConnected: Available at Runtime Only. (Not available at design time). Set to 1 when there is an active connection to the Batch Server.
    • PortBatchMngr, PortEnvMngr, PortInfoMngr, PortRedMngr, PortSecMngr, PortUnilinkMngr
    • The above properties define the TCPIP port definitions for the connection to the Batch Server.
    • The port definitions are pre-defined with the default numbers used on the Batch Server. These must match the port definitions used on the Batch Server in order for communications to be successful.
    • Only change these properties if you have changed the port definitions on the Batch Server because of a system conflict.

• Methods
  • AltSetCancelMsgBox: An alternate method to cancel a Msg Box raised by the ActionError event. (see ActionError event below). This method has no arguments.
  • GetOcxBatchObject: Returns a reference to the underlying OcxBatch control. This allows for more custom control of the interface in VB or VC++ environments.
    • Since this method returns an object reference, it cannot be used by InTouch. This method has no arguments.
  • Init: Initializes the connection to the Batch Server. This is only needed when the connection is lost if the AutoInit property is set. This method has no arguments.
  • Term: Terminates the connection to Batch Server. This method has no arguments.

• Events
  • ActionError: Called when a non-server generated error occurs during a batch action. Arguments: ErrorCode: an integer error code, and CancelMsgBox: an integer reference. Return 1 to the CancelMsgBox argument to prevent the error message box from displaying.
  • LostServerConnection: Called when the connection to Batch Server is lost. No arguments
  • SystemShuttingDown: Called when the Batch Server is shutting down. No  arguments

• Properties
  • ColumnHeaders: A comma-separated string to define the column heading names shown on the list control.
  • Columns: Available at runtime only. Returns the number of columns in the list. Read Only.
  • ColumnWidths: A comma-separated string. Defines the widths (in characters) of each column in the list.
  • Grid: Sets/returns a value indicating if grid lines are displayed on the control.
  • Rows: Available at runtime only. Returns the number of rows in the list. Read only.
  • SelectedRow: Available at runtime only. Sets/returns the currently selected row number. Row numbers start at 0. -1 indicates no selection.
  • BackColor: Sets/returns the background color of the list.
  • ForeColor: Sets/returns the foreground (text) color of the list.
  • Font: Sets/returns the character font used for the list. This property affects the size of the control.

• Methods
  • AltSetBusyMessage: Alternate method for setting the list busy message from within the BeforeListBusy event. (See BeforeListBusy event below.)
  • GetItemColumnValue: Returns the string contained in any cell of the list. Arguments are Row and Column numbers.

• Events
  • AfterClick: An event is called when the control is clicked and after any batch-specific processing is performed. Passes arguments Row number and Result. The Result value indicates if it was a double or single click.
  • AllItemsDeleted: Called after the list has been cleared.
  • BeforeListBusy:Called before the list is about to indicate that it is busy.
  • Click: Called when a list item is clicked but before any batch-specific processing is performed. The row number clicked is passed as an argument.
  • DblClick: Called when a list item is double clicked but before any batch-specific processing is performed. The row number double clicked is passed as an argument.
  • ItemAdded: Called after a list item (row) has been added to the list. The row number of the added row is passed as an argument.
  • ItemChanged: Called after a list item (row) has been changed. The row number of the changed row is passed as an argument.
  • ItemDeleted: Called after a list item (row) has been deleted from the list. The old row number of the deleted line is passed as an argument.
  • ItemSelected: Called after a list item (row) has been selected. The row number selected is passed as an argument.

• Properties
  • AutoEnabled: Returns the current enabled state of the control. This is read only at runtime. The internal logic of the control enables and disables the BatchField control automatically.
  • Editable: Sets/returns a value indicating if the user may write to the control.
  • Label: Specifies the text label to display for checkbox-style BatchField controls.
  • Static: When set to true, the BatchField will display as a label (no surrounding box).
  • ValueText: Sets/returns the current text value of the control.
  • BackColor: Sets/returns the background color of the control.
  • ForeColor: Sets/returns the foreground (text) color of the control.
  • Font: Sets/returns the font used by the control. Read-Only at runtime. This property influences the size of the control.

• Methods
  • AltSetCancel: Alternate way to cancel a field value change action from within the BeforeExecute event

• Events
  • AfterExecute: Called after any action occurs from a field value change
  • BeforeExecute: Called before any action occurs from a field value change
  • StateChanged: Called after the control's value or enabled state is updated. The Change Type is passed as an argument.

• The BatchButton is a configurable batch action button. Like the BatchField control, the BatchButton control is tied to a BatchList control or in some cases it is linked to a BatchField control.

• Properties
  • Appearance: Specifies whether the button should be displayed flat or 3-D.
  • AutoEnabled: Returns the current enabled state of the button. This property is Read-Only. The internal logic of the control automatically enables and disables the control.
  • Caption: Specifies an alternate caption text for the button. A default caption based on the selected button type is used if this property is left blank. The default caption is in English.
  • BackColor: Specifies the background color for the button.
  • ForeColor: Specifies the foreground (text) color for the button.
  • Font: Specifies the font for the button caption.

• Methods
  • AltSetCancel: Alternate way to cancel a button action from within the BeforeExecute event.
  • Execute: Forces the buttons action to execute without having the user click it.

• Events
  • AfterExecute: Called after any action occurs from a button click.
  • BeforeExecute: Called before any action occurs from a button click.
  • StateChanged: Called after a button's caption or enabled state is updated. The Change Type is passed as an argument.