I took one of the examples and wish to make it modeless.
As I understand modeless correctly it allows the form to run without locking Rhino.
A very important thing for me.
Here’s the code:
###################
### TESTING ETO ###
###################
import System
import rhinoscriptsyntax as rs
import scriptcontext as sc
import Rhino
import time
tol = sc.doc.ModelAbsoluteTolerance
# Imports
import Rhino.UI
import Eto.Drawing as drawing
import Eto.Forms as forms
#################
# #
#################
class CollapsableEtoDialog(Eto.Forms.Form): # return True or False from ShowModal()
def __init__(self):
self.Title = "My Collapsible Eto Form"
self.Resizable = False
self.Padding = drawing.Padding(5)
# very important hook!
self.Closed += self.OnFormClosed
# Custom label helper to set alignment
def L(text):
m_label = forms.Label()
m_label.Text = text
m_label.VerticalAlignment = forms.VerticalAlignment.Center
m_label.TextAlignment = forms.TextAlignment.Right
return m_label
# set content of the collapsed section
self.collapsePanel = forms.DynamicLayout(Visible = False, Padding = drawing.Padding(40, 10), DefaultSpacing = drawing.Size(5, 5))
self.collapsePanel.BeginVertical()
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, L("Value1:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, L("Value2:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, L("Value3:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, L("Value4:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, L("Value5:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, L("Value6:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, L("Value7:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(forms.Button(Text="Atta boy, a button"))
self.collapsePanel.EndVertical()
self.collapsePanel.BeginVertical()
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox1"))
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox2"), forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox2.1"), None)
self.collapsePanel.AddRow(None, forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox3"))
self.collapsePanel.EndVertical()
# button to toggle collapsing
self.collapseButton = forms.Button(Text = "v", MinimumSize = drawing.Size.Empty)
self.collapseButton.Click += self.collapseButton_Click
self.collapsePanel1 = forms.DynamicLayout(Visible = False, Padding = drawing.Padding(40, 110), DefaultSpacing = drawing.Size(5, 5))
self.collapsePanel1.BeginVertical()
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, L("Value1:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, L("Value2:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, L("Value3:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, L("Value4:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, L("Value5:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, L("Value6:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, L("Value7:"), forms.NumericUpDown())
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(forms.Button(Text="Atta boy, a button"))
self.collapsePanel1.EndVertical()
self.collapsePanel1.BeginVertical()
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox1"))
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox2"), forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox2.1"), None)
self.collapsePanel1.AddRow(None, forms.CheckBox(Text = "CheckBox3"))
self.collapsePanel1.EndVertical()
# button to toggle collapsing
self.collapseButton1 = forms.Button(Text = "v", MinimumSize = drawing.Size.Empty)
self.collapseButton1.Click += self.collapseButton_Click1
toleranceUpDown = forms.NumericUpDown()
# our main layout
layout = forms.DynamicLayout(DefaultSpacing = drawing.Size(2,2))
layout.AddSeparateRow(None, L("Tolerance"), toleranceUpDown, L("millimeters"), self.collapseButton)
layout.AddCentered(self.collapsePanel) # we need this auto-sized so we can get its width to adjust form height
layout.Add(None) # expanding space, in case you want the form re-sizable
###################################
#layout = forms.DynamicLayout(DefaultSpacing = drawing.Size(2,2))
layout.AddSeparateRow(None, L("Tolerance"), toleranceUpDown, L("millimeters"), self.collapseButton1)
layout.AddCentered(self.collapsePanel1) # we need this auto-sized so we can get its width to adjust form height
layout.Add(None) # expanding space, in case you want the form re-sizable
self.Content = layout
# a few buttons always shown at the bottom
self.previewButton = forms.Button(Text = "Preview")
self.cancelButton = forms.Button(Text = "Cancel")
self.okButton = forms.Button(Text = "OK")
def collapseButton_Click(self, sender, e):
if self.collapsePanel.Visible:
self.ClientSize = drawing.Size(self.ClientSize.Width, self.ClientSize.Height - self.collapsePanel.Height)
self.collapsePanel1.Visible = False
self.collapseButton.Text = "^"
else:
self.collapsePanel.Visible = True
self.collapseButton.Text = "v"
self.ClientSize = drawing.Size(max(self.ClientSize.Width, self.collapsePanel.Width), self.ClientSize.Height + self.collapsePanel.Height)
def collapseButton_Click1(self, sender, e):
if self.collapsePanel1.Visible:
self.ClientSize = drawing.Size(self.ClientSize.Width, self.ClientSize.Height + self.collapsePanel1.Height - self.collapsePanel1.Height)
self.collapsePanel1.Visible = False
self.collapseButton1.Text = "+"
else:
self.collapsePanel1.Visible = True
self.collapseButton1.Text = "-"
self.ClientSize = drawing.Size(max(self.ClientSize.Width, self.collapsePanel1.Width), self.ClientSize.Height + self.collapsePanel.Height + self.collapsePanel1.Height)
def OnFormClosed(self, sender, e):
# Dispose of the form and remove it from the sticky dictionary
if sc.sticky.has_key('sample_modeless_form'):
form = sc.sticky['sample_modeless_form']
if form:
form.Dispose()
form = None
sc.sticky.Remove('sample_modeless_form')
################################################################################
# Creating a dialog instance and displaying the dialog.
################################################################################
def TestSampleEtoModelessForm():
# See if the form is already visible
if sc.sticky.has_key('sample_modeless_form'):
return
# Create and show form
form = CollapsableEtoDialog()
#form = SampleEtoPushPickButtonDialog()
form.Owner = Rhino.UI.RhinoEtoApp.MainWindow
form.Show()
# Add the form to the sticky dictionary so it
# survives when the main function ends.
sc.sticky['sample_modeless_form'] = form
if __name__ == "__main__":
ts = time.time()
#rs.EnableRedraw(False)
TestSampleEtoModelessForm()
print "Elapsed time is {:.2f}".format(time.time()-ts)
First thing one can see right away is the missing buttons that are supposed to be always visible.
Then I cannot make it work creating a second drop-down. 
NOTE:
Since one cannot create dockable form with Python. This is my workaround.