Hi,

(please don't move this question, as it refers to graphical animation solution, using shell scripts and a number of known graphical objects
and using of foreground and background process switch control shell scripts to get objects with refresh/ animation effect).

I will provide you with more details, describing the problem.

I am trying to learn and build graphical user interface for a Unix system,
accessed from MS Vista OS via putty opened terminal session, using shell scripts and box widgets from dialog.

One good example I am just testing is Unix dialog widgets

I attach below help file of dialog, to let you know, what widgets or boxes are already available.

I have already contacted Thomas. The problem is dialog project is 15 years old and no more maintained.
Based on ncurses library.

The key idea is
"
Usage: dialog <options> { --and-widget <options> }
where options are "common" options, followed by "box" options
"
So with --and-widget syntax, in theory, I can use more than 1 widget box
on a screen, and move between boxes, using tab.
In theory.
In practice such objects should be run in background to be kept alive for all the time, or a shell script displaying boxes should loop box objects to get animation, data refresh effect.


As only one object is run in background
tailboxbg
there is an excellent example
how to write a shell script, opening 3 widgets (boxes ) on a screen
and using tab to swap between boxes.

Example :
dialog --keep-window --begin 2 2 --yesno "" 0 0 \
--and-widget --keep-window --begin 4 4 --yesno "" 0 0 \
--and-widget --keep-window --begin 6 6 --yesno "" 0 0

I get 3 yesno windows on a screen.
Unfortunately clicking on yes in first box opens 2nd box and clicking yes in 2nd box, forces 3rd box to open.

The above process is called chaining or otherwise.

And I cannot use tab to switch between boxes, as clicking on yes, closes
widget application and what is seen is --keep-window (graphics only, not a object).

So my idea is to put each object into seperate shell script
and find out a solution and procedure, to run some shell scripts in background and have --keep-window for and in each shell script on.

I don't know how to set shell script as a background process & ?
And switch between background and foreground to get refresh effect.

Exactly. I am looking shell script solution, as dialog widgets use examples come as shell scripts.

I can't expect to write new boxes on myself in due time, as c + ncurses code looks really complicated.

thanks

Jack
------
dialog help
[admin@oo root]$ dialog
cdialog (ComeOn Dialog!) version 1.1-20080819
Copyright 2000-2007,2008 Thomas E. Dickey
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

* Display dialog boxes from shell scripts *

Usage: dialog <options> { --and-widget <options> }
where options are "common" options, followed by "box" options

Special options:
[--create-rc "file"]
Common options:
[--ascii-lines] [--aspect <ratio>] [--backtitle <backtitle>]
[--begin <y> <x>] [--cancel-label <str>] [--clear] [--colors]
[--column-separator <str>] [--cr-wrap] [--default-item <str>]
[--defaultno] [--exit-label <str>] [--extra-button]
[--extra-label <str>] [--help-button] [--help-label <str>]
[--help-status] [--ignore] [--input-fd <fd>] [--insecure]
[--item-help] [--keep-tite] [--keep-window] [--max-input <n>]
[--no-cancel] [--no-collapse] [--no-kill] [--no-label <str>]
[--no-lines] [--no-ok] [--no-shadow] [--nook] [--ok-label <str>]
[--output-fd <fd>] [--output-separator <str>] [--print-maxsize]
[--print-size] [--print-version] [--quoted] [--separate-output]
[--separate-widget <str>] [--shadow] [--single-quoted] [--size-err]
[--sleep <secs>] [--stderr] [--stdout] [--tab-correct] [--tab-len <n>]
[--timeout <secs>] [--title <title>] [--trace <file>] [--trim]
[--version] [--visit-items] [--yes-label <str>]
Box options:
--calendar <text> <height> <width> <day> <month> <year>
--checklist <text> <height> <width> <list height> <tag1> <item1> <status1>...
--dselect <directory> <height> <width>
--editbox <file> <height> <width>
--form <text> <height> <width> <form height> <label1> <l_y1> <l_x1> <item1> <i_y1> <i_x1> <flen1> <ilen1>...
--fselect <filepath> <height> <width>
--gauge <text> <height> <width> [<percent>]
--infobox <text> <height> <width>
--inputbox <text> <height> <width> [<init>]
--inputmenu <text> <height> <width> <menu height> <tag1> <item1>...
--menu <text> <height> <width> <menu height> <tag1> <item1>...
--mixedform <text> <height> <width> <form height> <label1> <l_y1> <l_x1> <item1> <i_y1> <i_x1> <flen1> <ilen1> <itype>...
--mixedgauge <text> <height> <width> <percent> <tag1> <item1>...
--msgbox <text> <height> <width>
--passwordbox <text> <height> <width> [<init>]
--passwordform <text> <height> <width> <form height> <label1> <l_y1> <l_x1> <item1> <i_y1> <i_x1> <flen1> <ilen1>...
--pause <text> <height> <width> <seconds>
--progressbox <height> <width>
--radiolist <text> <height> <width> <list height> <tag1> <item1> <status1>...
--tailbox <file> <height> <width>
--tailboxbg <file> <height> <width>
--textbox <file> <height> <width>
--timebox <text> <height> <width> <hour> <minute> <second>
--yesno <text> <height> <width>

Auto-size with height and width = 0. Maximize with height and width = -1.
Global-auto-size if also menu_height/list_height = 0.
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