OLECustomControl control (OCX)

The PowerBuilder class OLECustomControl is a container for OLE custom controls, also known as ActiveX controls or OCXs. When you create a PowerBuilder OLE custom control container, the Insert Object dialog prompts you to select the control to insert in the container. Your choices are the controls that have been registered in the system registry. If a control is not registered by its install process, you can register it in the Insert Object dialog box.

The Browser also displays registered controls. Select the OLE tab of the Browser and double-click OLE Custom Controls.

Properties

In OLE terminology, font information and the display name are called ambient properties. Ambient properties provide default information that the custom control can use, if it is programmed to recognize and use such information.

PowerBuilder does not display text for the control, so it does not use the font and display name properties directly. If the control is programmed to recognize ambient properties, it can use the values PowerBuilder provides when the control displays text or needs a name to display in a title bar.

OLECustom Control property	Datatype	Description
AccessibleDescription	String	A description of the control and/or its purpose for use by accessibility tools such as readers for visually impaired users.
AccessibleName	String	A label that briefly describes the control, such as the text in a button or the name of a menu item.
AccessibleRole	AccessibleRole (enumerated)	Describes what kind of user interface element the control is.
Alignment	Alignment (enumerated)	Specifies the text alignment in the control. Values are: Center! Justify! Left! Right!
BackColor	Long	Specifies the numeric value of the background color: –2 to 16,777,215. For more information about color, see the RGB function in the PowerScript Reference.
BinaryIndex	Integer	Internal use only.
BinaryKey	String	Internal use only.
Border	Boolean	Specifies whether the control has a border. Values are: TRUE – Control has a border. FALSE – Control does not have a border.
BorderStyle	BorderStyle (enumerated)	Specifies the style of the border of the control. Values are: StyleBox! StyleLowered! StyleRaised! StyleShadowBox!
BringToTop	Boolean	Specifies whether PowerBuilder moves the control to the top of the front-to-back order (set at runtime only). Values are: TRUE – Control moved to top. FALSE – Control not moved to top.
Cancel	Boolean	Specifies whether the control acts as the Cancel button in the window (the Cancel button receives a Clicked event if the user presses Esc). Values are: TRUE – Control is the Cancel button. FALSE – Control is not the Cancel button.
ClassDefinition	PowerObject	An object of type PowerObject containing information about the class definition of the object or control.
ClassLongName	String	Specifies the long name for the server application associated with the OLE object in the control (read-only).
ClassShortName	String	Specifies the short name for the server application associated with the OLE object in the control (read-only).
DisplayName	String	Specifies a user-readable name for your OLE control. This name is displayed in OLE dialog boxes and windows that show the object’s name. If you do not specify a value, the name of the control (such as ole_1) is used for DisplayName.
Default	Boolean	Specifies whether the button-style OLE control is the default control in the window (the default control has a thick border and receives a Clicked event if the user presses Enter without selecting a control). This property applies only to controls that act like command buttons. Values are: TRUE – Control is the default control. FALSE – Control is not the default control. Editable controls Default behavior can be affected by editable controls on the window. For more information, see the PowerBuilder Users Guide.
DragAuto	Boolean	Specifies whether PowerBuilder puts the control automatically into Drag mode. Values are: TRUE – When the control is clicked, the control is automatically in Drag mode. FALSE – When the control is clicked, the control is not automatically in Drag mode. You have to manually put the control into Drag mode by using the Drag function.
DragIcon	String	Specifies the name of the stock icon or the file containing the icon you want to display when the user drags the control (the ICO file). The default icon is a box the size of the control. When the user drags the control, the icon displays when the control is over an area in which the control can be dropped (a valid drop area). When the control is over an area that is not a valid drop area, the No-Drop icon displays.
Enabled	Boolean	Specifies whether the control is enabled (can be selected). Values are: TRUE – Control can be selected. FALSE – Control cannot be selected.
FaceName	String	Specifies a typeface name (for example, arial or courier) that you want the control to use for text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property).
FocusRectangle	Boolean	Specifies whether a dotted rectangle (the focus rectangle) frames the control when it has focus. Values are: TRUE – Control framed when it has focus. FALSE – Control not framed when it has focus.
FontCharSet	FontCharSet (enumerated)	Specifies the font character set that you want the control to use for text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). For a complete list of possible values, see the list of properties for the FontCharSet variable on the Enumerated tab page of the Browser.
FontFamily	FontFamily (enumerated)	Specifies the font family (type style) that you want the control to use for text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). Values are: AnyFont! Decorative! Modern! Roman! Script! Swiss!
FontPitch	FontPitch (enumerated)	Specifies the pitch (character spacing) that you want the control to use for text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). Values are: Default! Fixed! Variable!
Height	Integer	Specifies the height of the control, in PowerBuilder units.
IsDragTarget	Boolean	Specifies whether data can be dropped on the control. Values are: TRUE – Data can be dropped on control. FALSE – Data cannot be dropped on control.
Italic	Boolean	Specifies that you want the control to display text in italic (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). Values are: TRUE – Text is italic. FALSE – Text is not italic.
Object	omObject	Specifies the link information that connects the control to the server’s data.
Pointer	String	Specifies the name of the stock pointer or the file containing the pointer used for the control.
TabOrder	Integer	Specifies tab value of the control within the window (0 means the user cannot tab to the control).
Tag	String	Specifies the tag value assigned to the control.
TextColor	Long	Specifies the color that you want the control to use for text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). The color is a numeric value: -2 to 16,777,215. For more information about color, see the RGB function in the PowerScript Reference.
TextSize	Integer	Specifies the point size that you want the control to use for displaying text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). For backward compatibility, the size is stored as a negative number; for example, 10-point text size is stored as -10.
Underline	Boolean	Specifies that you want the control to underline text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). Values are: TRUE – Text is underlined. FALSE – Text is not underlined.
Visible	Boolean	Specifies whether the control is visible. Values are: TRUE – Control is visible. FALSE – Control is not visible.
Weight	Integer	Specifies the stroke weight that you want the control to use for text (when the control is designed to use this ambient property). Sample values are 400 for normal or 700 for bold.
Width	Integer	Specifies the width of the control, in PowerBuilder units.
X	Integer	Specifies the X position (the distance from the left edge of the window), in PowerBuilder units.
Y	Integer	Specifies the Y position (the distance from the top of the window), in PowerBuilder units.

Events

The PowerBuilder Script painter displays PowerBuilder events and events defined by the control inserted in the control.

To get information about an event that does not appear in this list, check the documentation for the control.

OLECustomControl event	Occurs
Clicked	When the control is clicked (selected or unselected).
Constructor	Immediately before the Open event occurs in the window.
DataChange	When the server application notifies the control that data has changed.
Destructor	Immediately after the Close event occurs in the window.
DoubleClicked	When the control is double-clicked (and possibly activated).
DragDrop	When a dragged control is dropped on the control.
DragEnter	When a dragged control enters the control.
DragLeave	When a dragged control leaves the control.
DragWithin	When a dragged control is within the control.
Error	During OLE automation when an error occurs.
ExternalException	During OLE automation when the OLE server generates an exception during command execution (getting and setting properties, calling functions).
GetFocus	Just before the control receives focus (and possibly becomes activated).
Help	When the user presses the F1 key or drags the context help button (question mark) from the title bar to a menu item or control.
LoseFocus	When the control loses focus (becomes inactive).
Other	When an operating environment message occurs that is not a PowerBuilder event.
PropertyChanged	When an OLE Server supporting notifications sends a message that a property value has been changed.
PropertyRequestEdit	When an OLE Server supporting notifications sends a message that a property value is about to be changed.
RButtonDown	When the right mouse button is pressed in the control.

Functions

OLECustomControl function	Datatype returned	Description
ClassName	String	Returns the name assigned to the control
Drag	Integer	Puts the object into drag mode
GetContextService	Integer	Creates a reference to a context-specific instance of the specified service
GetData	Integer	Returns data in a format you specify from an OLE server that supports Uniform Data Transfer
GetNativePointer	Integer	Returns a pointer to the underlying OLE object
GetParent	Power Object	Returns a reference to the name of the parent object
Hide	Integer	Makes the control invisible
Move	Integer	Moves the control to a specified location
PointerX	Integer	Returns the distance of the pointer from the left edge of the control
PointerY	Integer	Returns the distance of the pointer from the top of the control
PostEvent	Boolean	Adds an event to the end of the message queue for the control
Print	Integer	Prints the control
ReleaseNativePointer	Integer	Releases pointer to underlying OLE object
Resize	Integer	Changes the size of the control
SetData	Integer	Sends data in a caller-supplied format to an OLE server that supports Uniform Data Transfer
SetFocus	Integer	Sets focus to the control
SetPosition	Integer	Specifies the position of the control in the front-to-back order of the window
SetRedraw	Integer	Controls automatic redrawing of the control after each change in its properties
Show	Integer	Makes the control visible
TriggerEvent	Integer	Triggers a specific event for the control and executes the script for the event
TypeOf	Object	Returns the type of the control