SAMPLE: PEN2CTL.VBX Custom Controls for Windows 95 Pen Services (130654)

SUMMARY

The PEN2CTL.VBX provides three pen edit custom controls to allow for quick development of pen-aware applications using Microsoft Windows 95 Pen Services. The application designer may substitute these custom controls for the standard input controls available in Visual Basic.

The PEN2CTL.VBX ships with version 4.0 of the Win32 SDK and is available in the Microsoft Software. It is installed along with the Pen 2.0 Samples Library.

To get PEN2CTL.VBX along with the PENVBX.HLP Help file and the sample application files discussed in this article, download PEN2CTL.EXE, a self- extracting file.

MORE INFORMATION

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Pen2ctl.exe

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

The Pen2ctl.exe self-extracting file contains:

PENVBX.HLP, a help file that fully explains all the technical issues and describes how to interact with these pen-aware custom controls.
Several files that comprise a sample Pen application demonstrating how to use all the major features of the PEN2CTL.VBX.
PEN2CTL.VBX, which is freely re-distributable, and implements the three pen-aware custom edit controls: HEdit, BEdit, and lEdit:
- HEdit is the handwriting edit control. It accepts free-form input. This control is similar to the standard Visual Basic text box except data can be entered using a pen in addition to the normal keyboard input method.
- BEdit is the boxed edit control. It expands the properties of the handwriting edit control. It allows for additional manipulation of the writing area and provides the application with comb or box guides that accept pen input. Each segment or box accepts only a single character of input. This increases the accuracy of the recognition and in most cases is preferable to the handwriting edit control. The BEdit control also has the ability to provide a list of alternate words from which you may choose.
- lEdit is the pen ink edit control. It is similar to a picture box control in that it allows you to draw, erase, move, resize, manipulate, and format pen strokes (called ink) on the control. It also allows you to set background pictures and grid lines as well as create bitmaps of the background and/or ink.

While there are many similarities between the controls provided by the Pen 1.0 VBX (PENCNTRL.VBX) and those provided by PEN2CTL.VBX, there are also many differences. Those familiar with the Pen 1.0 VBX should re-familiarize themselves with PEN2CTL.VBX and its changes.

NOTE: Neither VBX is compatible with the other but both implement some of the same custom controls, so developers should make sure the correct VBX is installed in their development environment and is distributed with their application.