Stupid JS Trick #2: Dragging a Window Around

• sending coordinates to a thispatcher object in Max using the window size messages. If you've tried this, then you know the problem is that this puts a tremendous load on the system and does not function smoothly for dragging a window around (it was meant to change the size of a window not the position). If you do this, it is redrawing the window constantly.
• using a custom extern, such as tap.windowdrag from the Tap.Tools collection. This external basically pulls the rug out from underneath Max and directly manipulates the window provided by the operating system. This technique is what applications such as current versions of radiaL do to move windows around the screen.

// windowdragger.js
// by Andrew Pask

var vrgb2 = [0.35,0.35,0.35,1.];
var last_x = 0;
var last_y = 0;

sketch.default2d();
draw();

// DRAWING ************************************************
function draw()
{
	var theta;
	var width = box.rect[2] - box.rect[0];

	with (sketch) {
		moveto(0,0);
		glclearcolor(vrgb2);
		glclear();
		glcolor(vrgb2);
		quad(0., 0., 0., 1., 0., 0., 1., 1., 0., 0., 1., 0.);
	}
}

// MOUSE EVENTS ************************************************
function onclick(x,y,but,cmd,shift,capslock,option,ctrl)
{
	// cache mouse position for tracking delta movements
	last_x = x;
	last_y = y;
}
onclick.local = 1; //private. 

function ondrag(x,y,but,cmd,shift,capslock,option,ctrl)
{
	var dx, dy;

	// calculate delta movements from onclick()
	dx = x - last_x;
	dy = y - last_y;

	if (dx || dy) {
		pos = this.patcher.wind.location;
		pos[0] += dx;
		pos[1] += dy;
		pos[2] += dx;
		pos[3] += dy;
		this.patcher.message("window", "size", pos[0], pos[1], pos[2], pos[3]);
		this.patcher.message("window", "exec");
	}
}
ondrag.local = 1; //private.

function onresize(w,h)
{
	draw();
	refresh();
}
onresize.local = 1; //private