Need "lean & mean" popup

[MarkSLC]

Hi. I need to create a small popup that pops up centered over the main layout, includes an icon on the left, a text string on the right, then disappears after 3 seconds.

It is exactly the type of dialog Filemaker itself uses to offer occassional messages/feedback, just that on mine there are no buttons and it disappears automatically.

I say "lean & mean" because I want no maximize/minimize buttons, no zoom controls, no thick border, no scroll bars, no nothin'.

I know how to create a custom layout and do a New Window--Pause 3 seconds--Close Window, but such a layout comes equipped with all the extraneous, aforementioned distracting stuff. Plus the window coordinates you specify are not relative to the calling layout, but the monitor screen itself.

I have also played with the Show Custom Dialog script, but it doesn't allow for an icon as far as I can tell.

Thx for help!

[stanley]

Mark:

I think you're stuck with the New Window, but it's not as bad as you think. You can lock the Status Area, so no zoom, no min/max buttons. You can position the new window relative to the calling window using some Get[] statements and some math. You're still stuck with the scroll bars, though...

-Stanley

[Oldfogey]

I presume this is to be scripted?

If so, you can achieve the effect of a popup by duplicating your main layout and adding your popup to the duplicate. Instead of a script step saying 'pop up thing' you have -

Go to layout (Dupe)

Pause/Resume Script [3 seconds]

Go to layout [Main]

I've done this and it's fine as long as your machines and screens are not too slow.

If necessary, your imitation popup can be a calculation field to be filled in as you require.

[MarkSLC]

Hmm ... I did lock the Status area, but it seems that this refers to making the left sidebar area (where you choose modes, layouts, etc.) disappear. I still have, in the lower left corner of my custom window, the zoom amount, zoom buttons, the word "Browse." I still have the maximize/minimize buttons top left.

[MarkSLC]

Thanks for the clever workaround, Oldfogey. I must confess that I am a bit perplexed that such a simple, common effect would not be readily available. Oh well ... maybe FM version 9?

[New to FM]

Minor bump here. I'm actually looking to do the same thing MarkSLC was, but I would prefer creating a seperate window rather than a duplicate layout with the popup text/graphic etc. overlayed on it. I've gotten this pop-up window correctly spaced, sized, named, trimmed, but I can not seem to hide the zoom toolbar located along the bottom. Is there something I'm missing here, or is this just something I'm going to have to deal with? Thank you very much for your help.

~Chris

[MarkSLC]

Sorry for the late response, 'New to FM', I wasn't thinking that this post thread was still active.

I could never find a way to remove the zoom icons. However, if you include the script step

Set Zoom Level [Lock; 100%]

then at least the controls will be grayed out and unclickable.