Is a BeginRefresh() / EndRefresh() really required?

[AGS]

Hi,

I have read that for a SMARTREFRESH window the minimum 'refresh'-action to perform is to act on incoming IDCMP_REFRESHWINDOW messages with a call to BeginRefresh(window) followed directly by an EndRefresh(window,TRUE) to discard unneeded cliprects data. But the information I read did not tell me what happens when I turn off these messages.

Is it mandatory to listen to IDCMP_REFRESHWINDOW or does intuition handle the cliprects by itself when I clear the IDCMP_REFRESHWINDOW bit with ModifyIDCMP(window) so that I don't get these refresh messages? It seems worth to ask this for me because if it is mandatory, why is it possible to turn the messages off? Thus the bit doesn't have a true sense.

greets,
AGS

[Cylon]

In my understanding, a smartrefresh window gets its refreshs done smart by the system (Intuition). so, you are doing something completely wrong. unless i am wrong. :

[thomas]

Even with smart refresh you have do deal with IDCMP_REFRESHWINDOW.

The only way to avoid it is to set WFLG_NOCAREREFRESH (or WA_NoCareRefresh) during OpenWindow/OpenWindowTags.

[matthey]

Originally Posted by AGS

I have read that for a SMARTREFRESH window the minimum 'refresh'-action to perform is to act on incoming IDCMP_REFRESHWINDOW messages with a call to BeginRefresh(window) followed directly by an EndRefresh(window,TRUE) to discard unneeded cliprects data. But the information I read did not tell me what happens when I turn off these messages.

With the messages off, you probably have a NOCAREREFRESH window. This can be set at window open also. I believe you need to get/reply the IDCMP messages and at a minimum call BeginRefresh()+EndRefresh() for a SMARTREFRESH window. The BeginRefresh()/EndRefresh() graphics calls call the layers.library equivalents which I believe are needed to automatically update the parts of the SMARTREFRESH window that can be updated. It has been awhile so hopefully you will get some better help from someone else and/or read the RKM Libraries on intuition.library, graphics.library and layers.library.

Originally Posted by AGS

Is it mandatory to listen to IDCMP_REFRESHWINDOW or does intuition handle the cliprects by itself when I clear the IDCMP_REFRESHWINDOW bit with ModifyIDCMP(window) so that I don't get these refresh messages? It seems worth to ask this for me because if it is mandatory, why is it possible to turn the messages off? Thus the bit doesn't have a true sense.

I believe the AmigaOS will no longer handle any layers updating with NOCAREREFRESH windows. NOCAREREFRESH windows can be used as backdrops and/or to get intuition window input from the mouse and keyboard.

Originally Posted by Cylon

In my understanding, a smartrefresh window gets its refreshs done smart by the system (Intuition). so, you are doing something completely wrong. unless i am wrong. :

SMARTREFRESH windows automatically update the on screen parts but scrolling can require new data updates. A SUPERBITMAP window knows the data off the screen so scrolling can be done automatically but this is slow on the Amiga and sometimes much slower with RTG while needing lots of graphics memory. SIMPLEREFRESH is generally fastest on RTG. SMARTREFRESH is generally fastest with the custom chips.

[AGS]

Thanks. I am doing it, use the ...Refresh() functions. As far I understand it, in my case, a SMARTREFRESH window, the refresh is supposed to relate only to the areas that become visible when the window is dragged bigger.