Transparency in PB12.1 Classic

[Former Member]

Hi Guys,

Running into a UI issue in Powerbuilder 12.1 Classic and trying to figure out, if this is an issue with Powerbuilder 12.1 and if there is something I can do about it.

A few of our modules use an in-house built framework, which displays a "center" (main window on the screen). We dynamically open workspaces (user objects) within that window. Occasionally, we'll bring up a popup window and want to have an effect of greyed out semi-transparent background while the pop up is displayed at the same time making sure that the user cannot click on any of the objects in the background.

The way we do that is we have a grey semi-transparent datawindow on our window; we bring it to top right before the pop up opens, thereby making background unclickable and creating the visual effect we want.

The problem is that the transparency stops working after a certain x coordinate, so my 2/3 of the screen on the left look the way I'd want it to look, but the right 1/3 of the screen is solid (non-transparent). I tried this with semi-transparent datawindows, user objects and every time I introduce transparency, it acts the same way.

Has anybody run into a similar issues?

Thanks!
- Alex

[Former Member]

This sounds more like a video driver problem. Does it do the same thing on other developer machines, with different cards/drivers, or is it only on yours? Have you tried compiling and running elsewhere?

[Former Member]

It does this on every machine we tried. We use a number of HP machines and Macs with Windows 7 VMs on them.

[Former Member]

Is the transparency control hidden and then resized to cover the whole window and made visible?

It may need to be resized before it it is made transparent.

[Former Member]

Yes, the transparency control is hidden and all the objects on the screen can be resized. However, I doubt that's the issue. I played around a bit more and created a simpler testing scenario:

I created a window control, put a datawindow on it and a command button on it and then put another datawindow with a semi-transparent dataobject on top. I got the exact same behavior in powerbuidler design mode even without running the application. I am attaching the screenshot of what that looks like.

A few observations:

1) The transparency problem only affects the the datawindow under the transparency, not the button

2) Transparency cuts only at the x coordinate, never at the y coordinate - no matter how much I resize the objects

3) When I started moving the datawindow with transparency, it's gotten even more interesting - first transparency works as expected, then I get a stripe where transparency does not work on the datawindow and the color as if no transparency was applied, then I get a region where transparency does not work on the underlying datawindow, but the color is as if the transparency is applied.

I am curious if it works the same for any of you?

[arnd_schmidt]

Hi Alexander,

I could reproduce this issue using PowerBuilder 12.5.1.

Looks like a bug

[Former Member]

That's what I was afraid of. At least I am not alone. How do I let Powerbuilder folks know about this?

[arnd_schmidt]

I think the best is to prepare a small example (zip'ed pbl) with the window and the datawindows and upload it here.

Eventually one of the SAP associates can take a look at the example and forward this to the development team.

Or you go the official way...

hth

Arnd

[Former Member]

Yes, I tried using a user object instead of the datawindow and it acted the exact same way.

[arnd_schmidt]

Maybe some extra redraw() is needed after a resize.

[Former Member]

Doesn't look like it. I just posted more details with screenshots below, but I get the same behavior in the design mode even without running the application.

[Former Member]

I would try a different type of object to make the transparent mask. It might be an issue with the datawindow control.