CXPStyleButtonST v1.0 – Windows XP buttons with all CButtonST features

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Environment: VC++ 6.0, XP, Win2k, NT 4.0, Win9x/ME

Abstract



CXPStyleButtonST is a scalable CButtonST-derived control.

If running under Windows XP the application buttons will be skinned using the current selected theme (if any), while if running under Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000 the buttons will have the standard, well known CButtonST flat style. In both cases all CButtonST features are granted! Using CXPStyleButtonST, with a zero-cost implementation, your applications running under XP will have the new, smooth and elegant style but also will run error-less under old Windows versions.

How to integrate CXPStyleButtonST in your application


In your project include the following files:

  • BtnST.h
  • BtnST.cpp
  • XPStyleButtonST.h
  • XPStyleButtonST.cpp
  • ThemeHelperST.h
  • ThemeHelperST.cpp

Create a instance of CThemeHelperST. This class encapsulates all the required APIs to access the current selected theme (if any) or to run error-less if none is selected or if running under a old Windows version. You need only one instance for all the buttons, so this can be global to the application or only to the current dialog.

CThemeHelperST m_ThemeHelper;

Create a CXPStyleButtonST object statically

With dialog editor create a standard button called, for example, IDOK (you don’t need to make it owner drawn) and create a member variable for this button:

CXPStyleButtonST m_btnOk;

Now attach the button to CXPStyleButtonST. For dialog-based applications, in your OnInitDialog:

// Call the base-class method
CDialog::OnInitDialog();

// Create the IDOK button
m_btnOk.SubclassDlgItem(IDOK, this);

Or in your DoDataExchange:

// Call the base method
CDialog::DoDataExchange(pDX);

// Create the IDOK button
DDX_Control(pDX, IDOK, m_btnOk);

Assign the CThemeHelperST instance to the button. This is fundamental or your button will not have the current theme style even if running under XP !


In your OnInitDialog:

// Assign theme helper instance to the button
m_btnOk.SetThemeHelper(&m_ThemeHelper);

Create a CXPStyleButtonST object dynamically

In your application, create a member variable for the button. Please note that this variable is a pointer:

CXPStyleButtonST* m_pbtnOk;

Now create the button. For dialog-based applications, in your OnInitDialog:

// Call the base-class method
CDialog::OnInitDialog();

// Create the IDOK button
m_pbtnOk = new CXPStyleButtonST;
m_pbtnOk->Create(_T("&Ok"),
                    WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP,
					CRect(10, 10, 200, 100),
					this,
					IDOK);
// Set the same font of the application
m_pbtnOk->SetFont(GetFont());

Assign the CThemeHelperST instance to the button as described in the previous section.

Remember to destroy the button or you will get a memory leak. This can be done, for example, in your class destructor:

if (m_pbtnOk) delete m_pbtnOk;

Class methods


SetThemeHelper

Assigns a CThemeHelperST instance to the button.

// Parameters:
//     [IN]   pTheme
//            Pointer to a CThemeHelperST instance.
//            Pass NULL to remove any previous instance.
//
void SetThemeHelper(CThemeHelperST* pTheme)

GetVersionI

Returns the class version as a short value.

// Return value:
//     Class version. Divide by 10 to get actual version.
//
static short GetVersionI()

GetVersionC

Returns the class version as a string value.

// Return value:
//     Pointer to a null-terminated string containing
//     the class version.
//
static LPCTSTR GetVersionC()

Remarks


To compile CXPStyleButtonST you need the Platform SDK (August 2001 or newer). This is not mandatory because at compile-time, if not found, it will be emulated. At run-time you don’t need any additional SDK or libraries installed.

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