After many stops and starts over the past couple of weeks, I've finally posted the source code for the Desktop Alerts System.
You can download the file here (558kb).
The zip file, DesktopAlerts.zip, contains three files: a README file, the PDF version of the whitepaper from the FoxForward 2006 conference, and an additional zipped file (all source code and a compiled EXE).
I have found in my testing that if I recompile the project in VFP 7 or VFP 8, the Alert form size and placement is "off", so I recommend using VFP 9 SP1.
If you have the VFP 9 runtimes installed, you can install the EXE by running the executable (vfpalert.exe) with the /regserver switch.
Once installed, you can start the Desktop Alerts System with code like the following:
oMgr = CreateObject(“VFPAlert.AlertManager”)
If you run Windows Task Manager, you will see a new process named vfpalert.exe. This is the Desktop Alerts System, waiting for you to create some alerts.
To create a quick alert, try the following:
oAlert = oMgr.NewAlert()
then
oAlert.Alert("Hello World!")
Check the source code for all available parameters.
If you want to do something with the return value from an alert, you will need to set up a callback object before you call the Alert() method (see the PROGRAM1.PRG, PROGRAM2.PRG, and FROMVFP6.PRG files in the source code directory for more info).
If you have any questions, comments, etc, please feel free to contact me via the contact information in the README.TXT file.
I have sent a proposal to VFPX for the Desktop Alerts System, because there is still a tonof work that can be done to improve it. In the meantime, have fun with this, and let me know how/where/why you make fixes to it!