Change Menu color?

Is it possible to change the color of the menu on the top of your vb program? The menu im talking about is in Tools->Menu Editor

Once you make it, it stays stupid gray and i wanted to know how i could change it!...thanks :wave:

The most I was ever to do was change the color on the menuitems, but not the actual menubar
that is always displayed. You need some APIs to color the submenus. Interested still?

Ooo, that's my favorite - create one menu and at least one submenu item:

VB Code:

Option Explicit
 
Private Const MIM_BACKGROUND As Long = &H2
Private Const MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS As Long = &H80000000
 
Private Type MENUINFO
    cbSize As Long
    fMask As Long
    dwStyle As Long
    cyMax As Long
    hbrBack As Long
    dwContextHelpID As Long
    dwMenuData As Long
End Type
 
Private Declare Function DrawMenuBar Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" (ByVal hMenu As Long, ByVal nPos As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetMenuInfo Lib "user32" (ByVal hMenu As Long, mi As MENUINFO) As Long
Private Declare Function CreateSolidBrush Lib "gdi32" (ByVal crColor As Long) As Long
 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim mi As MENUINFO
   
    With mi
        .cbSize = Len(mi)
        
        .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(vbYellow)
        SetMenuInfo GetMenu(Me.hWnd), mi  'main menu bar
        
        .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND Or MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(vbCyan)
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 0), mi 'this could a File menu perhaps
    End With
    
    DrawMenuBar Me.hWnd
 
End Sub

EDIT: my appologies :blush: - I should've mentioned that this sample was inspired by Randy Birch's original article (link in my signature).

edit**
durr "Command1"

thanks alot again!

edit2**
there a way to change the text color also?

Prop to you RB! I had worked on this a few years ago and couldnt get the main menubar.

:thumb: :thumb: 's up!

Oh ya and heres a half dozen Reps even though you dont want them ;) :p

i wish i could rate him but i cant : (

can i get a pic on there too?

For pictures in menu visit www.vbaccelerator.com - Steve Mac has all you need.

nice, but can you lead me in the right direction for which section to go to?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RobDog888

... I had worked on this a few years ago and couldnt get the main menubar. ...

---

I posted similar sample two months ago:

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=322187

thats a good thread! im sorry to keep bugging you, but how could i use a rgb value?

You can use this:

VB Code:

Form1.BackColor = RGB(22, 44, 66)

cool, ill try and use that

After coming back to this, I thought that you wanted to change the menu still.

Glad it was a new question. :wave:

it works. thanks alot guys!

you had exactly what i was looking for :wave:

:thumb: :wave:

wow thankyou sooo much, you made me the most beautiful GUI!

And heres how i used it!:

VB Code:

Option Explicit
 
Private Const MIM_BACKGROUND As Long = &H2
Private Const MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS As Long = &H80000000
 
Private Type MENUINFO
    cbSize As Long
    fMask As Long
    dwStyle As Long
    cyMax As Long
    hbrBack As Long
    dwContextHelpID As Long
    dwMenuData As Long
End Type
 
Private Declare Function DrawMenuBar Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
 
Private Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hMenu As Long, ByVal nPos As Long) As Long
 
Private Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
 
Private Declare Function SetMenuInfo Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hMenu As Long, _
     mi As MENUINFO) As Long
 
Private Declare Function CreateSolidBrush Lib "gdi32" _
    (ByVal crColor As Long) As Long
 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim mi As MENUINFO
   
    With mi
        .cbSize = Len(mi)
        
        .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetMenu(Me.hWnd), mi  'main menu bar
                .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND Or MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 0), mi 'File menu (item 0)
                .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 1), mi 'Edit menu (item 1)
                .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 2), mi 'Select menu (item 2)
            End With
        DrawMenuBar Me.hWnd
 
End Sub

its a very very nice orange color

Post a picture :)

So its an Orange menu? I thougt you were going to use a texture or image background?

So you'll feel like you're in Florida on a citrus plantation. :)

you want an awesome pic? here it is.

Another few questions, how can i change the scrollbar color? i just want it a bit darker.

Ah, so the bitmap was for the forms background.

:thumb:

What type of app is this going to be?

its for a game, lets you get updates and such :)

is there a way to add a picture behind a textbox so you can see it?

Not that I know of off hand, but if you can use a label control instead then the background can show
through when its set to transparent.
Is that what you need?

no, they need to be able to type into it : (, i think itd look really neat to have a picture behind it, ill try and do it myself but all know how that will end up

But then wouldnt it be hard to see the text?

i guess so, but i was going to make it somewaht transparent and on the left, as you can see i dont have very much room on my form..maybe ill just leave it out.

See attachments.

um, well im not sure what im supposed to do with that...

i tested out, but what am i supposed to do? Drag the label around?

it doesnt go over the textboxes either in my vb : (

wow, i figured it out, but i had to move the picture box over the text before runtime..
thanks again!

edit**
wait then they wont be able to type in the textbox : (
thanks anyways, ill just leave it

You could probably fake it when the user clicks the picture box. When this happens you can place the pb behind
the textbox and the textbox will be in fornt ready for entries. Then switch back when the cursor leaves focus.

What are you guys trying to do ? Transparent textbox ? You need to BitBlt it and I posted quick sample project ...

yes, but they cant type thru it..its fine i just wont use it :thumb:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by |2eM!x

yes, but they cant type thru it. ...

---

Not sure I follow you. Do you want them to type or not? Sample I posted does allow this so what's the problem? If you don't want to allow typing then simply set Text1.Locked = True - that's it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by |2eM!x

And heres how i used it!:

VB Code:

Option Explicit
 
Private Const MIM_BACKGROUND As Long = &H2
Private Const MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS As Long = &H80000000
 
Private Type MENUINFO
    cbSize As Long
    fMask As Long
    dwStyle As Long
    cyMax As Long
    hbrBack As Long
    dwContextHelpID As Long
    dwMenuData As Long
End Type
 
Private Declare Function DrawMenuBar Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
 
Private Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hMenu As Long, ByVal nPos As Long) As Long
 
Private Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
 
Private Declare Function SetMenuInfo Lib "user32" _
    (ByVal hMenu As Long, _
     mi As MENUINFO) As Long
 
Private Declare Function CreateSolidBrush Lib "gdi32" _
    (ByVal crColor As Long) As Long
 
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim mi As MENUINFO
   
    With mi
        .cbSize = Len(mi)
        
        .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetMenu(Me.hWnd), mi  'main menu bar
                .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND Or MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 0), mi 'File menu (item 0)
                .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 1), mi 'Edit menu (item 1)
                .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(244, 147, 8))
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 2), mi 'Select menu (item 2)
            End With
        DrawMenuBar Me.hWnd
 
End Sub

its a very very nice orange color

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im not able to apply color to drop down menus in menu editor?

What??

The code colors both the menu and the submenu items..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by |2eM!x

What??

The code colors both the menu and the submenu items..

---

not for me... seems something is se wrong?

Did you add a command button and click it :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by |2eM!x

Did you add a command button and click it :D

---

added it form_load. its not changing drop downs tho.

This flag (MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS) should be painting the submenus. Can you attach a sample project showing the issue?

i even tried to change the value of the const but it didnt like the RGB at all and couldnt figure out how to change it to HEX. a search on VBF gave me no luck.

Complete project attached.
username/password: test

wouldnt let me attach: file too large.
can download project here:

Havent finished but giot the menu bar to draw correctly but not the submenus.

VB Code:

Dim mi As MENUINFO
    With mi
        .cbSize = Len(mi)
        .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(vbRed) 'RGB(111, 140, 223)
        SetMenuInfo GetMenu(Me.hWnd), mi  'main menu bar
        
        .fMask = MIM_BACKGROUND Or MIM_APPLYTOSUBMENUS
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(vbRed) 'RGB(111, 140, 223)
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 0), mi  'File menu (item 0)
        
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(vbRed) 'RGB(111, 140, 223)
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 1), mi 'Add menu (item 1)
        
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(vbRed) 'RGB(111, 140, 223)
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 2), mi 'View menu (item 2)
        
        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(vbRed) 'RGB(111, 140, 223)
        SetMenuInfo GetSubMenu(GetMenu(Me.hWnd), 3), mi 'Settings menu (item 3)
        
'        .hbrBack = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(111, 140, 223))
    End With
    
    DrawMenuBar Me.hWnd

the code is still useful in year 2008, thank you.

I want to ask a question:
I have a menu with four items : File, Edit, Tools, Help.

Can I just make the menu bar "Help" in red color while the others three menu items (that is, File, Edit and Tools) remains default grey color.

Thank you a lo

it doesnt work if the menu is invisible! I like to hide the main menu and use the menu in a ownerdrawn menu