Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Programming - Adding Menus to Someone else's executable
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Thayer
Posts: 127/988 |
Originally posted by rg_
The easiest way would be to ask the original developers to add the extra functionality. This is what you should do.
It is what I should do, but the original developers are far more concerned with expanding their Macintosh version than they are with bringing Windows up to that standard.
If that fails I have good news and bad news for you. Theoretically it's possible to do what you want. The problem is that you, however, won't be able to do it.
Adding menus is easy with ResHacker or a comparable program. The problem is to add code that handles clicks on the new menus. This is not a trivial task, you probably need at least 12 - 18 months of solid Win32 assembler programming knowledge.
Okay. I will read this, and try it out. Who knows, I might be able to give this a go. I am very thankful for all of this help, links like these were what I was after
EDIT: After writing some e-mails and asking around, supposedly the programmers are going to make the Windows version better in the next round of updates... so I no longer really need to worry over this.  |
rg_
Posts: 13/26 |
The easiest way would be to ask the original developers to add the extra functionality. This is what you should do.
If that fails I have good news and bad news for you. Theoretically it's possible to do what you want. The problem is that you, however, won't be able to do it.
Adding menus is easy with ResHacker or a comparable program. The problem is to add code that handles clicks on the new menus. This is not a trivial task, you probably need at least 12 - 18 months of solid Win32 assembler programming knowledge.
But just in case you're a natural talent I've bothered to google for some essays that do comparable things (adding functionality to existing programs):
Minesweeper: http://www.the-interweb.com/serendipity/index.php?/archives/2-Skinmine-Elaborating-on-Jeffrey-Richters-Trojan-DLL-method-for-API-hooking.html
Notepad: http://web.textfiles.com/computers/hnpad.txt
Adding functionality to the Windows Calculator: http://www.chirizzi.com/fravia/LAZCALC.HTM
Notepad again: http://www.codebreakers-journal.com/viewarticle.php?id=28&layout=abstract
General stuff: http://www.codebreakers-journal.com/viewarticle.php?id=26&layout=abstract
Considerably easier than extending the program itself would be to send messages (the commands) to the program. Write another program that has some buttons and when those buttons are pressed a certain command is sent to the original program. This could be pretty easy. |
HyperLamer
Posts: 6635/8210 |
It's good, but there's generally no resources to edit (at least, no dialogs) in a command-line program. |
Thayer
Posts: 113/988 |
Originally posted by neotransotaku
For command line style, you mean you are entering commands into the program right? not from say the DOS command line. Otherwise, I'd recommend you to write scripts to simplify your job or use Python to build an interface (i recommend Phython because it has the ability to run external command line)
I've never done such a thing, but just point out an alternative solution based on my interpretation of how you are using command line
I'm not really sure, commands are input through command lines for the program, most of which are retardedly long, no recall if you make a mistake, etc.
Originally posted by HyperHacker
It sounds like what you want to do is make a frontend. Basically you'd just make a program with menus laid out however, that when you choose a menu option your program sends commands to the other program.
That's basically what I want to do, either make a new one or alter the existing one, only, I really am not certain how I should go about this which is why I was asking for help in knowing the direction of what type of on-line resources I should be looking at. Also, is Resource Hacker any good? I already have it.
Nope.
Ah okay. |
HyperLamer
Posts: 6628/8210 |
It sounds like what you want to do is make a frontend. Basically you'd just make a program with menus laid out however, that when you choose a menu option your program sends commands to the other program.
Originally posted by Thayer
I worry I have put this in the wrong forum. Does this belong in Hardware/Software?
Nope. |
neotransotaku
Posts: 3844/4016 |
For command line style, you mean you are entering commands into the program right? not from say the DOS command line. Otherwise, I'd recommend you to write scripts to simplify your job or use Python to build an interface (i recommend Phython because it has the ability to run external command line)
I've never done such a thing, but just point out an alternative solution based on my interpretation of how you are using command line |
Thayer
Posts: 112/988 |
I admit I am extremely limited in knowing how to program anything, particularly, so I am asking for help. I am not certain really where to even look this up on Google, I've already tried and I'm quite certain I'm not really finding what I need to know. Basically, I'll detail my problem below.
PAUP* 4.0
PAUP is a program used for phylogenetic analyses, the Macintosh version is very versatile, and useful. All of the commands can be accessed from the taskbar menus. However, the Windows version is little more than a glorified DOS command line, and annoying to use for many people. I want to make modifications to the Windows version so that I do not have to type all of these annoying command lines and that it will be similiar to the Macintosh version. I assume I need to make the menus for the taskbar, and that they will be linked into performing the command lines, I've had a little bit of classes in VisualBasic, and some minor work with RM2k, so I feel very overwhelmed in this. I've already gotten ahold of ResourceHacker, and I see it lets me do a few changes to the menus, and I'm curious, if anyone else has ever done anything like this before, perhaps if you could point me in the direction of any good Websites with tutorials and other resources. Thank you.
---> Edit: I worry I have put this in the wrong forum. Does this belong in Hardware/Software?
---> Edit 2: To make it even further how different the versions are between OS, please look at the Quick Start Tutorial. Notice all the Macintosh commands work from a menu and the Windows are done almost entirely through commandline input. 
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