User Preferences in MDL applications (v7 Native MDL)

Thought I should include what I've tried so far:

mdlDialog_userPrefFileOpen(&upfHandle, RSC_READWRITE);

if (mdlDialog_defFileOpen (fileName, NULL, 0, NULL, "*.dat", NULL, "Open Data File", PGM_SETTINGS_ID, upfHandle))
{
     mdlOutput_error("Execution halted: Make changes and click OK.");
     return;
}
else
{
     memset(pdIS.m_FilePath, '\0', sizeof(pdIS.m_FilePath));
     strcpy(pdIS.m_FilePath, fileName);

}

I know I'm not saving the UPF.  The description of the mdlDialog_defFileOpen function says that it's saved into the UPF.  Not wanting to double-save, I left that part out.  Perhaps foolishly, but I didn't want a chorus of "Save The File, dummy!".  Although I may deserve one.

Do I need to explicitly save the user pref file?  Is this why it's not working?

G

You could create your own resource file, save the information you want to save, and access that information the next time you need to use it in your application.

Unknown said:

mdlDialog_defFileOpen (fileName, NULL, 0, NULL, "*.dat", NULL, "Open Data File", PGM_SETTINGS_ID, upfHandle)
The description of the mdlDialog_defFileOpen function says that it's saved into the UPF

If the last argument is NULL, it's saved to the UPF maintained by MicroStation.  If you specify your own upfHandle then you're in control of that UPF.  In the first instance, leave it NULL and let MicroStation do the heavy lifting.  If you want to use your own UPF, then you must create that binary resource file before attempting to save data.  You are responsible for managing that resource file and the memory allocated when you open it.

The help documentation fails to mention them, but you can use one of the MicroStation Default File Info Resource Ids #defined in header file deffiles.h.

If you search the delivered MDL examples, you'll find several that use the mdlDialog_defXxx functions.  That's the case for MicroStation V8 at least, but I don't know what the MicroStation/J SDK delivers.

Jon & Phil, thanks for the replies.

Jon: I have tried it using NULL and the information isn't being saved. Rather, subsequent calls to the mdlDialog_defFileOpen function does not change to the last used folder. I am using my own settings ID instead of the default ID.

v7 has an example called "ascgroup" that uses the mdlDialog_defXXXX functions. That's where I started on this journey. I'll do some more searches in our v8 area to see if I can find something different.

One thing I did notice was that the ascgroup example uses DEFSETTINGSFILE_ID. I have defined my own value for that as a positive integer - I've tried several values, specifically 100, 2015, 201502, 201502999 and it's not working. So, out of curiosity, I used the DEFSETTINGSFILE_ID and it did change the file filter to *.stg. It's not changing the default folder to look at files, however.

I'm starting to doubt that I understand what can, and can't, be remembered.

I've tried to query the FileInfoId by opening the standard UPF, but get nothing back. There's not a really clear explanation on the DefaultFileInfo structure in the manual. I set the things it says to set ("filename" and "filefilter") and the defDir, but I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling that it's saving it, even temporarily.

I'm beginning to feel a little frustrated. I do appreciate the help, however, and will keep posting until I figure this out or the money runs dry...

I'm marking this as the answer because it's essentially what I had to do, although I'm still using the local userpref file, just adding a resource to it.

I created a new 'resource' structure that only uses the bits I want, specifically:

typedef struct xyzzyRsc
 {
 char  fileName[MAXFILELENGTH];
 char  fileFilter[MAXFILELENGTH];
 char  defDir[MAXDIRLENGTH];
 char  seedFName[MAXFILELENGTH];
 char  seedDir[MAXDIRLENGTH];
 } xyzzyRsc;

When the hook function starts, it first tries to load that resource.  If it doesn't exist, the code defaults to some known values.  If it does exist, it uses those values as members of the fileOpenParams structure, then opens the dialog.  After returning from the dialog, the new values are saved to the user preferences file.

Here's the code.  I know it needs some cleanup, but it works.

Private void xyzzy_GetWorkFile (DialogItemMessage  *dimP)
{
    char            fName[MAXFILELENGTH];
    char            seedF[MAXFILELENGTH];
    int             dbReturn;
    DialogItem      *diP;
    int             itemIndex;
    int             i;
    char            defSeed[MAXFILELENGTH];
    char            seedDir[MAXFILELENGTH];
    char            *expDefSeed, *expSeedDir;
    RscFileHandle   upfHandle;
    xyzzyRsc        xyzzy;
    xyzzyRsc        *xyzzyP;
    char            pPath[MAXDIRLENGTH], pFile[MAXFILELENGTH];
    FileOpenParams  fileOpenParams;
    FileOpenExtraInfo fOpenExt;

    dimP->msgUnderstood = TRUE;
    switch (dimP->messageType)
        {
        case DITEM_MESSAGE_BUTTON:
            {
            mdlDialog_userPrefFileOpen(&upfHandle, RSC_READWRITE);
            xyzzyP = mdlResource_load(upfHandle, xyzzy_SEED_RTYPE, xyzzy_SETTINGS_ID);

            if (xyzzyP==NULL)
            {
                mdlSystem_getCfgVar(defSeed, "MS_DESIGNSEED", MAXFILELENGTH);
                mdlSystem_getCfgVar(seedDir, "MS_SEEDFILES", MAXFILELENGTH);
                expDefSeed=mdlSystem_expandCfgVar(defSeed);
                expSeedDir=mdlSystem_expandCfgVar(seedDir);
                split_path_file(pPath, pFile, expDefSeed);
                strcpy(xyzzy.seedFName, pFile);
                strcpy(xyzzy.seedDir, expSeedDir);
                strcpy(xyzzy.fileName, "ventClr.dgn");
                strcpy(xyzzy.fileFilter, "*.dgn");
                strcpy(xyzzy.defDir, "\\\\cad0\\proj\\");

                mdlResource_add (upfHandle, xyzzy_SEED_RTYPE, xyzzy_SETTINGS_ID, &xyzzy, sizeof(xyzzyRsc), NULL);

                xyzzyP = mdlResource_load(upfHandle, xyzzy_SEED_RTYPE, xyzzy_SETTINGS_ID);

                // free allocated memory from expanding Config variables
                if (expDefSeed) free(expDefSeed);
                if (expSeedDir) free(expSeedDir);
            }

            // Set up file create
            memset(&fileOpenParams, 0, sizeof(FileOpenParams));
            memset(&fOpenExt, 0, sizeof(fOpenExt));
            fileOpenParams.dialogRscH   = NULL;
            fileOpenParams.dialogId    = DIALOGID_StdFileSeedCreate;
            fileOpenParams.openCreate   = FILELISTATTR_CREATEFROMSEED;
            fileOpenParams.defaultFilterP  = xyzzyP->fileFilter;
            fileOpenParams.defaultDirP   = xyzzyP->defDir;
            fileOpenParams.suggestedFileNameP = xyzzyP->fileName;
            fileOpenParams.titleP    = "Create Plume Clearance Model File:";
            fileOpenParams.defSeedFileNameP  = xyzzyP->seedFName;
            fileOpenParams.defSeedDirP   = xyzzyP->seedDir;
            fileOpenParams.defSeedFilterP  = "*.dgn";

            dbReturn = mdlDialog_fileOpenExt(fName, &fOpenExt, &fileOpenParams, FILEOPENEXTATTR_CENTERONSCREEN);

            if (dbReturn==TRUE)  // Cancel button pressed
            {
                mdlOutput_error("Execution halted: Make changes and click OK.");
                /* Clean up */
                mdlResource_closeFile (upfHandle);
                return;
            }
            else
            {
                // Update defaults
                split_path_file(pPath, pFile, fOpenExt.seedFileName);
                strcpy(xyzzyP->seedFName, pFile);
                strcpy(xyzzyP->seedDir, pPath);
                split_path_file(pPath, pFile, fName);
                strcpy(xyzzyP->fileName, pFile);
                strcpy(xyzzyP->defDir, pPath);
                mdlResource_write(xyzzyP);
                mdlResource_free(xyzzyP);

                strcpy(pdIS.m_WFilePath, fName);
                strcpy(pdIS.m_SFilePath, seedF);

                mdlOutput_error(pdIS.m_WFilePath);
                mdlDialog_itemsSynch(dimP->db);
            }

            /* Clean up */
           mdlResource_closeFile (upfHandle);

           // Set focus back to the model file name.
           mdlDialog_focusItemIndexSet(dimP->db, 2, FALSE);

           break;
       }
       default:
       {
           dimP->msgUnderstood = FALSE;
           break;
       }
    }
}

Thanks, Phil & Jon!

Gary

PS:  Bonus points if you recognize "xyzzy".

Unknown said:

typedef struct xyzzyRsc

Aha!  A fan of Colossal Cave.