Hello,
   Does anyone know the API call or the technique to display all the text when the control/column isn't wide enough to see it all. I'm looking for the same functionality as the Explorer. Open Windows Explorer and make the folders column on the left side very narrow. Now hold your mouse over an entry under my computer that extends beyond the column width. Notice that a text window is displayed to show you the entry. That is the functionality I'm looking for. Any thoughts or ideas.

Thanks,
Mike

Not tested, but you might try the following on the afterupdate event:

HTH,

Beth M

Beth,
   Thanks for the reply. I thought of that, but control tip text is displayed to the right and lower from the mouse position. I need to have the cut off text become visible without being moved.

Thanks,
Mike

Are talking about expanding (or can grow) type of action?

Expanded...the actual text box/listbox column would not change, only the text is displayed. The same exact functionality that exists in windows explorer.

In Windows Explorer it pops up like a control tip except over the properties. I wonder if there is a way to designate the position of the control tip?

Barring any API code, you can either set the ControlTipText the same as the textbox value, but you won't get it to display right where the text field is (it'll pop up where IT wants to); or the user merely presses SHIFT+F2 to open a zoom box and they can see everything (assuming the font in the zoom box is small enough).


Greg Serrano
Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality, Air Quality Division

If I can control the location of the control tip text, then that would work. I will check into this.

I hoping for a non intrusive solution. The user wouldn't have to click, type to make it happen. Just by holding the mouse over the text, it would automatically display the missing text.

My gut feeling is that it will be an API call. First, you have to determine if any of the text is not visible and then display if necessary.

I've been looking at API's, but if you don't know what your looking for, it's hard to have the correct key words to search...LOL

Thanks again to all,
Mike

Just one more thought on this Mike. You could put an oversized hidden label on the form behind the text box. On the mouse move event (in XP) for the text box, set visible = true for the label, visible = false for the text box and set the label's caption to the text box value.

But if you could do this using API, then that would probably be the best solution. Have you checked the mvps website?

Beth M

Beth,
   Good call. I think that would work, a little more work that what I was looking for, also it would only work for text boxes. What about columns in a list box. I found a couple of API's, but not sure if they are what I'm looking for, the explanation of the API usage can be a little abstract. I was looking at Graystring and ExtTextOut on the microsoft website.

Thanks,
Mike