Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!emory!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!hao.ucar.edu!moses
From: moses@hao.ucar.edu (Julie Moses)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st.tech
Subject: Box w/o form_do() causing PRG lock up. Solution FOUND!!
Message-ID: <9022@ncar.ucar.edu>
Date: 1 Nov 90 14:33:35 GMT
Sender: news@ncar.ucar.edu
Reply-To: moses@hao.ucar.edu (Julie Moses)
Organization: High Altitude Observatory/NCAR, Boulder CO
Lines: 34

> 
>    I have a program in which one of the dialogue boxes are handled
> without using  form_do(). Yes, form_do() is the easiest way to
> handle dialogue boxes but I am doing some trickier things than
> what form_do() can handle.
> 
> Problem -   If I depress the mouse button outside the dialogue box
> which is being handled without form_do() and atop the slider bars,
> or GEM dropdowns (anything GEM itself is taking care of through
> evnt_messages), it locks up the program completely; only the mouse
> can move yet do nothing.
> 
> Ques. -How is it I can disable GEM so that this will be prevented
> while I am using this dialogue box?
> 

Several people sent me private mail and altogether I was directed
to using wind_update() with the parameters BEG_MCTRL and END_MCTRL.

I am familiar with the parameters BEG_UPDATE and END_UPDATE but had
not tried the other pair due to the lack of information on the
differences in their function.

As you might already know AES is multi-tasking - it handles the GEM
window and menu in conjunction with the functions built into ones
program. BEG_MCTRL (and END_)  disables the AES more than BEG_UPDATE;
it prevents any dropdown, slider bar or window button from being 
controlled by the AES. If you use BEG_MCTRL then there is no need to
also call wind_update with the parameters BEG_UPDATE (END_); the 
former is a superset of BEG_UPDATE functionality.

Case closed. FYI. Thanks.

J.Moses