Mouse Capture (Win32 API)

Mr.K.1

The idea is to capture the mouse via Win32 API so I can utilize all mouse buttons without Sketchup interfering (it's for a mini first person shooter in SketchyPhysics).

Now I got it to work half way but I don't know how to read the buttons, and I know alot of you guys are more knowledgeable then me so I would appreciate the help.

The working code I got sofar:

window handle
getForegroundWindow = Win32API.new('user32', 'GetForegroundWindow', [], 'L') window_handle = getForegroundWindow.Call()
capture mouse input
setCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'SetCapture', 'L', 'L') setCapture.call(window_handle)
release mouse (EDIT: fixed the input parameters)
releaseCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'ReleaseCapture', 'V', 'L') releaseCapture.call()

So those are the parts that work, you can try it in the Ruby console directly, until releaseCapture is called SU wont get any mouse input.
Now I a script that reads the mouse input/clicks while the mouse is captured.

I have found a Ruby example for reading window input messages but I'm not sure how it is suppose to work, if it's the right way to do it at all.
` getmessage = Win32API.new('user32', 'GetMessage', ['p', 'l', 'i', 'i'], 'l')
dispatchmessage = Win32API.new('user32', 'DispatchMessage', 'p', 'l')
translatemessage = Win32API.new('user32', 'TranslateMessage', 'p', 'l')

while getmessage.call(msg, 0, 0,0)
dispatchmessage.call(msg)
translatemessage.call(msg)
end`

Anton_S

So, u need to get the mouse back to react to u. You say that the release function doesn't works or return's errors in ruby console? If thats what you mean, then here is how to get it back to work:

First when calling the release function(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms646261(v=VS.85).aspx) You should avoid extra parameters. The script says:

@unknownuser said:

release mouse
releaseCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'ReleaseCapture', 'L', 'L') releaseCapture.call()

The underlined "L", which represent's the number, says that while calling that function you need to add a required parameter>>, but there is nothing required. So you need to change that first "L" to "V", which is void. And then it won't require you any parameters, even though this function still doesn't has any required parameters.

The reason Win32API was written like that >> there would be a plenty of ways to call the function, and so the user could know in what form the function is required and return its objectives.

The second "L" is now the user's idea to choose the function's returning mode. Ex: putting "V" would make the function to return nothing.

In my way the function should sound like that:
releaseCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'ReleaseCapture', 'V', 'L') releaseCapture.call()

Then it will work - I even checked it. The mouse was captured and then released. Ex:

` ontick{
if frame==10
model=Sketchup.active_model
entities=model.entities
view=model.active_view

getForegroundWindow = Win32API.new('user32', 'GetForegroundWindow', [], 'L')
window_handle = getForegroundWindow.Call()
setCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'SetCapture', 'L', 'L')
setCapture.call(window_handle)
end

if frame==200
releaseCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'ReleaseCapture', 'V', 'L')
releaseCapture.call()
end
}`

Here's the URL what explains some of that: http://phrogz.net/ProgrammingRuby/lib_windows.html#Win32API

And Here's the windows API reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa383749(VS.85).aspx

If that was not what u wanted then PLEASE make it more clear!!! - My dad is really good at win32API stuff. He's Smart >>

Thanks for asking!!!

Mr.K.1

OK maybe I wasn't clear.

Reading the mouse input/clicks while I have it captured is the problem, how do you do that?

thomthom

Can you combine it with a Tool - and get the mouse input via it's events?

Mr.K.1

I can but SU keeps it's own mouse click actions that mess with SketchyPhysics and will mess with the game.

right mouse click, always pops up a drop down menu(even when empty)
middle mouse click, has the default orbit tool
mouse scroll, has default camera zoom

Is there a way to disable these? I tried adding things to the button events but it does not prevent the default SU actions.

Anton_S

Mr.k u know that capturing mouse is a very, very, Very good idea!
Now Instead of Creating a SketchyPhysicsControllClient we can capture the keyboard and mouse by by hoocking the signals and sending them instead to sketchy physics operation.

Since my dad is new to Ruby Programing Language, it takes more time for him and me to write this code. His idea is to first write it on Delphi and then me, him, and most likely with ur help would try to convert it to Ruby.

Mr.K.1

I eagerly await your results, I will help out in any way I can to finally bring this old project to full life.

I assume it would also come in very handy when making other plugins and tools.

Anton_S

Well here is what I got for NOW, but it's the way where u allways have to call the function to get the input:

onstart{
 require "Win32API"
 
 @rc=0 #var preventing release function to be called more than once, just to make the script accurate.
 @getKeyState=Win32API.new('user32', "GetKeyState", "L", "L")
 getForegroundWindow = Win32API.new('user32', 'GetForegroundWindow', [], 'L')
 setCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'SetCapture', 'L', 'L')
 setCapture.call(getForegroundWindow.Call())
}

ontick{
 if (frame==1000 or key(" ")==1) and @rc==0 then
  @rc=1
  releaseCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'ReleaseCapture', 'V', 'L')
  releaseCapture.call()
 end
 model=Sketchup.active_model
 entities=model.entities
 view=model.active_view
 entities[0].text=@getKeyState.call(VK_LBUTTON).inspect + "
" + @getKeyState.call(VK_RBUTTON).inspect
}

onend{
 if @rc==0 then
  releaseCapture = Win32API.new('user32', 'ReleaseCapture', 'V', 'L')
  releaseCapture.call()
 end 
}

The model is here: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=f0ca091fd0760cfc6a464cb0e6f0895

Virtual key codes: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd375731(v=VS.85).aspx

Mr.K.1

Very nice, that works perfectly in SP!
Is there a way to just get the full array of buttons and not call the function for every button specifically because it seems like a waste.

We could still use a callback feature for other plugins.
Maybe someone else here knows how to set that up?

Anton_S

@unknownuser said:

Very nice, that works perfectly in SP!
Is there a way to just get the full array of buttons and not call the function for every button specifically because it seems like a waste.

Yes there is a way and this is what my dad will be doing. The program would receive the mouse or keyboard signals and send the input signals to sketchy physics operation, preventing them to interupt with SU.

Mr.K.1

Any way to include mouse wheel into this, it seems there is no code for it among the button lineup.
Not strictly necessary but it's nice to get the control.

Anton_S

Here is the way to get most of mouse input(no wheel scrool or side-to-side input) and all keyboard inputs.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=e530ef9d408f78ce6a464cb0e6f0895

It is still not a good way to get the input messages, since it it has to be called all the time to get the input, but its also not that bad for the start. Mouse Wheel Scroll and side-to-side click input, is somewhere in the different function, but it's not really important now. My dad is still writing a script with me that would hook all keyboard and mouse messages and send them to array of active key inputs. So, the mouse wheel function is not important now because when the hoocking script would be active the function could just return us an input message of mouse wheel. Ex: forward scroll, backward scroll, side-to-side click and some more messages that would incounter the mouse wheel usage.

Mr.K.1

So here is the jist of Anton's code:

Capture mouse (Sketchup will stop reacting to it):

getForegroundWindow=Win32API.new("user32", "GetForegroundWindow", [], "L")
 Win32API.new("user32", "SetCapture", "L", "L").call(getForegroundWindow.call())

Read all key states (keyboard and mouse):

@getKeyboardState=Win32API.new("user32", "GetKeyboardState", "P", "V")
@lpKeyState=" "*256
@getKeyboardState.call(@lpKeyState)

@lpKeyState will hold an array of 256 numbers for all the keys.
@lpKeyState[1,2,4] - [1]left-mouse, [2]right-mouse, [4]middle-mouse
@lpKeyState[48..57] - keyboard keys 0 to 9

Release mouse

Win32API.new("user32", "ReleaseCapture", "V", "L").call()