Capturing a character code entered into a dialog box.

[mdintzis]

I'm new to the OOo macro programming language, and I'm struggling with how to create a macro involving a simple dialog box. The purpose of this dialog box is to enable me to apply character and paragraph styles using one- or two-character key sequences. This frees me from the mouse-driven "Styles and Formatting" window.

When I hit a certain shortcut key, I want to produce a dialog box (lets call it ChooseStyle) that presents two elements. At the top of the box, there will be a simple text box (view-only) that lists available OOo character styles. To the left of each style name will be a one- or two-character shortcut key code. At the bottom of the combo box, there will be a two-character type-in text field.

Once I enter a two-character shortcut code into the text field, I want that inputted text to be stored in a global variable (MyCharStyle$). Another subroutine will use that code to apply the chosen style to whatever text is currently selected in an OOo Writer document.

It's easy to design a new dialog box under Tools > Macros > Organize Dialogs. I've already done this.

It's also easy to write a macro that applies a specific character style to whatever text is currently selected. I've already done this.

What I can't figure out is:

1. How to call the dialog box from within a macro?

2. How do I capture the information entered into the text input box? I've looked at the "List of Events" section of each control, and I don't understand how to make use of those features.

To simplify things, let's assume right here that we're not supposed to enter two-character shortcut codes into the dialog box, but we're entering the full character style name. In the subroutine "Choose_MyStyle" shown below, what changes would I have to make in order to import the text box data from the dialog box?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global MyCharStyle$ As String

Sub Choose_MyStyle
MyCharStyle$ = "Emphasis"
Call ApplyCharStyle (MyCharStyle$)
End Sub

Sub ApplyCharStyle (MyCharStyle$ as String)
Dim document as object
Dim dispatcher as object

document = ThisComponent.CurrentController.Frame
dispatcher = createUnoService("com.sun.star.frame.DispatchHelper")

dim args1(1) as new com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
args1(0).Name = "Template"
args1(0).Value = MyCharStyle$
args1(1).Name = "Family"
args1(1).Value = 1
dispatcher.executeDispatch(document, ".uno:StyleApply", "", 0, args1())
End Sub
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[Villeroy]

You may assign any named style to a shortcut, toolbar-button or menu-entry. No need for macros.
Does this help?

[mdintzis]

I'm aware of this. But I want to learn how to do it through a macro that brings up a dialog box. There are several reasons. For one thing, all of the customizations that you mentioned get saved in the OOo document. Evenually, I could have many documents, each of which has the same customizations? What do I do if I want to change the custom menus for all of them?

If I use a macro that brings up a dialog box, and the macro is in OpenOffice.Org instead of in the documents, I need to go to only one place to change the dialog box.

Can you help me here?

[Villeroy]

Some copy and paste-programming: