multicolor dialog & multicolor text

Hey how would i create a multicolor dialog? For example I want the top half to be black that contains a edit text box and a list box. While the bottom is purple and has another text box, a combo box, and a pushbutton.

Attached is what I would like to have.

One solution is to derive your own relevant controls and the dialog class. Do custume-draw.

Kuphryn

Another option is to handle the WM_ERASEBKGND and draw the dialog's background, eg:

Code:

---

case WM_ERASEBKGND:
  {
  RECT rcDlg,rcTop,rcBottom;
  HBRUSH hbrTop,hbrBottom;
  HDC hdc;
 
  hdc=(HDC)wParam;
  GetClientRect(hDlg,&rcDlg);
  SetRect(&rcTop,0,0,rcDlg.right,rcDlg.bottom-60);
  SetRect(&rcBottom,0,rcDlg.bottom-60,rcDlg.right,rcDlg.bottom);
  //create a black and a purple brush...
  hbrTop=CreateSolidBrush(RGB(0,0,0));
  hbrBottom=CreateSolidBrush(RGB(200,0,200));
  //...and use them to paint designated areas
  FillRect(hdc,&rcTop,hbrTop);
  FillRect(hdc,&rcBottom,hbrBottom);
  //free gdi resources
  DeleteObject(hbrTop);
  DeleteObject(hbrBottom);
  return TRUE;
  }

---

Where hDlg is the handle of your dialog box. If you intend resizing your dialog you should handle the WM_SIZE and InvalidateRect(hDlg,0,1); to ensure proper drawing of the background. Adjust proportions to suit and it's probably better to initialise the background brushes when your app starts and delete them when your app finishes.

Hope that helps. :)

edit: typos

Thank you for your help. Your solution helped me achieve what I wanted.

I have more one question. Do you know how to give the controls a 2-D border instead of the 3-D look?

>>Do you know how to give the controls a 2-D border instead of the 3-D look?<<

Depends on the control. For flat buttons, give them the BS_FLAT style, for other controls you'll have to experiment but make sure that they don't have the WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE as this style is responsible for making them appear 'sunken'.

I have checked the recourse script and there is WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE style.

I'm trying make my program output different colors for different type of messages.
For regular messages I want them to be white.
For Private Messages I want them to be cyan.
For Actions I want them to be yellow.
For Arrive and Leave messages I want them to be Green.

I have tried using if statements while handling the WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC message, but they all stay one color.

If you want that degree of colour formatting with a single control then you should probably either use a rich edit control or design your own owner drawn control.

How do I write a rich edit control using a resource script?

Is this it?

Code:

---

RICHEDIT IDC_EDIT2, 4, 3, 149, 120, ES_AUTOVSCROLL | ES_READONLY

---

You are probably better using CreateWindowEx in your WM_INITDIALOG handler (for dialogs) because there are different versions of richedit control with different wnd class names depending on the system dll available (richedit20.dll or richedit32.dll).

However, if you are certain that your target system will only use one or the other then you may be able use the CONTROL resource definition statement in your resource script giving the specific class name eg for richedit v2.0+:

Code:

---

CONTROL "some text", IDC_EDIT2, RICHEDIT_CLASS, WS_CHILD|WS_VISIBLE|WS_BORDER|ES_MULTILINE, 0, 0, 400, 400, WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE

---

You will still have to use LoadLibrary (your WM_INITDIALOG handler is a good place) to map the necessary richedit dll into the address space of your app, eg for richedit v2.0+:

Code:

---

HINSTANCE hLib=LoadLibrary(TEXT("riched20.dll"));

---

Don't forget to use FreeLibrary when you are done with the HINSTANCE returned from your use of LoadLibrary.

Hope that helps. :)

I have change the resource to your method but the borland resource compiler says "Expecting class name or ID." I also tried using CreateWindowEx and it always failed.

Code:

---

hEdit = CreateWindowEx(0,"RICHEDIT_CLASS", "",
WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_VSCROLL | WS_HSCROLL |  ES_MULTILINE | ES_AUTOVSCROLL | ES_AUTOHSCROLL, 0, 0, 100, 100,
hwnd, (HMENU)IDC_MAIN_EDIT,
GetModuleHandle(NULL), NULL);
if(hEdit == NULL)
  MessageBox(hwnd, "Could not create edit box", "Error!", MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR);

---

...and #include <richedit.h>

RICHEDIT_CLASS is defined as follows:

Code:

---

#if defined UNICODE
#define RICHEDIT_CLASS L"RichEdit20W"
#else
#define RICHEDIT_CLASS "RichEdit20A"   
#endif

---

so if you still get errors with the resource script then just use the explicit UNICODE or ANSI string class name.

Assuming you have #included richedit.h, have you remembered to load the correct richedit dll prior to attempting to create the richedit wnd? If you have not, then creation will fail in either case.

That appears to make it compile. The code you have posted defines RichEdit v2.0 and not v1.0?

>>The code you have posted defines RichEdit v2.0 and not v1.0?<<

Yes. I suggested that for ease of use. If you would like a more complete example that ensures the loading of the most recent richedit dll available then see the one on [shameless plug]my wee, humble website[/shameless plug]; but it's only good when using CreateWindowEx/CreateWindow.

Thank you for your help.:) All my questions have been answered. I have look at your website and will be spending some time there.