delphi - Fake modal dialog using Show?

Question

My application have several modules, each in one tab on the mainform. When using a dialog it is convenient to call ShowModal because you know when the dialog is finished. But for the user it is not good as it lock the whole program until the dialog closes.

I want to have a locally modal dialog. So one module can open a dialog and it locks current module only. The user can still switch to another module and continue to work. If the user return to the first module the dialog is there waiting for close before the user can continue to work in that module.

I have to make some kind of framework for this that all dialogs in the application can use. I have a baseclass for all dialogs TAttracsForm and I think here is the place to add my Show() method.

This should lock access to all wincontrols only in the current module. It should simulate a call to ShowModal(). How can I achieve this ?

Regards

Answer 1

You will have to do the following:

1. Have an identity for each module
2. Have a flag that is active or inactive for each module
3. Have a flag that stores the modality of the attached dialog. If it is modal and the module is active, then call the show method in the appropriate eventhandler. Remember to update these values in the onshow and onclose events of each dialog.

You may have to fine tune this suggestion till you achieve the exact functionality that you require.