Best way to add XP style to your controls

[diekick]

Let's Start (without introduction)

Design your form and put your necessary controls in it (e.g. Form1)

Change "Startup Object" to Sub Main

Add a module and insert in it this code

Private Type tagInitCommonControlsEx
   lngSize As Long
   lngICC As Long
End Type
Private Declare Function InitCommonControlsEx Lib "comctl32.dll" _
   (iccex As tagInitCommonControlsEx) As Boolean
Private Const ICC_USEREX_CLASSES = &H200
 
Public Function InitCommonControlsVB() As Boolean
   On Error Resume Next
   Dim iccex As tagInitCommonControlsEx
   ' Ensure CC available:
   With iccex
       .lngSize = LenB(iccex)
       .lngICC = ICC_USEREX_CLASSES
   End With
   InitCommonControlsEx iccex
   InitCommonControlsVB = (Err.Number = 0)
End Function
 
Public Sub Main()
InitCommonControlsVB
 
' Start your Application here ( e.g. Form1.Show )
Form1.Show
End Sub

Now Build EXE Program ( for example test.exe )

Open Notepad and type

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
    <assemblyIdentity 
        version="1.0.0.0" 
        processorArchitecture="X86" 
        name="CompanyName.ProductName.YourAppName" 
        type="win32" />
    <description>Your application description here</description>
    <dependency>
        <dependentAssembly>
            <assemblyIdentity 
                type="win32" 
                name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls" 
                version="6.0.0.0" 
                processorArchitecture="X86" 
                publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df" 
                language="*" />
        </dependentAssembly>
    </dependency>
</assembly>

Save it in the directory you saved test.exe in it with name (test.exe.manifest)

Finally, execute your program (test.exe) you will see all comon controls with XP Styles...