Windows XP visual styles

Printable View

08-06-2003
larry

Windows XP visual styles

I think this question has been already asked multiple times, but for some reason I couldn't find any related posts so I have to ask. Please just give me a link to a post if the question was asked before.

My problem with Visual styles (VC++ v.6) is that I can't let them work. (Important notes: 1] I only need to style the Windows controls like buttons and checkboxes, NOT the Common controls, so I'm not going to use ComCtl32.dll v.6 library neither. 2] I need to have the resulting app 100% compatible with older win versions.) I installed the appropriate SDK and began crawling through MSDN. I found articles where they recommend using OpenThemeData() to obtain an HTHEME handle and then owner draw a control using DrawThemeBackground() and similar functions, which is very complicated (I should do this for every control!) and incompatible, because in case Visual styles are not going to be used (e.g. w98), I should owner draw the control by myself too (I can't let system do it in such case, because the control is already owner drawn).

So my question is: Is there any easier approach to have Visual styles working with basic Windows controls (not Common controls) than the one described in MSDN?
08-06-2003
XSquared

http://www.codejock.com/support/KB/002003.asp
08-09-2003
larry

Thanks, but this is a description on how to create a manifest file, which I've seen about 50 times. If I just make a manifest file and include it in as a resource, the program doesn't even run. It ends up with an error saying something meaningless like "application is invalid".

Any clue what's wrong?
08-09-2003
Quantrizi

Quote:

Originally posted by larry
Thanks, but this is a description on how to create a manifest file, which I've seen about 50 times. If I just make a manifest file and include it in as a resource, the program doesn't even run. It ends up with an error saying something meaningless like "application is invalid".

Any clue what's wrong?

www.cpp-home.com has a tutorial or code on this....not sure if it's manifest or not. Search in both sections.
08-09-2003
XSquared

Quote:

Originally posted by larry
Thanks, but this is a description on how to create a manifest file, which I've seen about 50 times. If I just make a manifest file and include it in as a resource, the program doesn't even run. It ends up with an error saying something meaningless like "application is invalid".

Any clue what's wrong?

You add it as custom resource type #24, then rename it to IDR_MANIFEST, and change the value in resource.h?
08-09-2003
larry

Quote:

You add it as custom resource type #24, then rename it to IDR_MANIFEST, and change the value in resource.h?

Exactly. Typical Hello World application from VC++ behaves strangely after doing the modification and compiling. It works, but the Help->About menu item doesn't open the About dialog, so I even can't see if Visual styles are enabled. The other application, my bigger project, immediately falls, as I described above.

P.S. I tried to set IDR_MANIFEST to 1 as on the page you recommended me and to 2 as in MSDN - both with the same results.

Quote:

www.cpp-home.com has a tutorial or code on this....not sure if it's manifest or not. Search in both sections.

I'm unable to find it there! Could you please submit a link?
08-09-2003
Quantrizi

Quote:

Originally posted by larry
I'm unable to find it there! Could you please submit a link?

Did you type in xp?

[Edit]: It uses XML
08-09-2003
larry

Quote:

Originally posted by Quantrizi
Did you type in xp?

[Edit]: It uses XML

Aha, I was looking for it in forums. Ok, now I got it. It's a little different recipe than those I've seen, but the result is absolutely the same (first off with the Hello world application).

What am I doing wrong??
08-09-2003
Quantrizi

Quote:

Originally posted by larry
Aha, I was looking for it in forums. Ok, now I got it. It's a little different recipe than those I've seen, but the result is absolutely the same (first off with the Hello world application).

What am I doing wrong??

Maybe your version doesn't allow it. Search for CM DiscCleaner (or any other program that has XP styles), and see if it shows. If not, then you got a messed up XP version.

[Edit]: Did you download the Platform SDK?
08-09-2003
larry

Quote:

Maybe your version doesn't allow it. Search for CM DiscCleaner (or any other program that has XP styles), and see if it shows. If not, then you got a messed up XP version.

Every program that uses Visual styles works ok. E.g. ThemeExplorer I downloaded.

Quote:

[Edit]: Did you download the Platform SDK?

No, I'm browsing it online.