[.NET 1.0+] Explorer Themed Controls (Windows Aero Visuals)

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Fairly simple, using the SetWindowTheme API call you can change the appearance of a couple controls so that they look a bit nicer:

Before:


After:


Code:

Public Class UnsafeNativeMethods

    '//the character set needs to be Unicode
    <DllImport("uxtheme.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)> _
    Friend Shared Function SetWindowTheme(ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, _
                                          ByVal pszSubAppName As String, _
                                          ByVal pszSubIdList As String) As Integer
    End Function

End Class

Example implementation:

''' <summary>
''' Applies the explorer theme to the specified control.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="control">Indicates the control to apply the theme to.</param>
Public Function ApplyTheme(ByVal control As Control) As Integer
    Return Me.ApplyTheme(control, "Explorer")
End Function

Private Function ApplyTheme(ByVal control As Control, ByVal theme As String) As Integer
    Try
        If control IsNot Nothing Then
            If control.IsHandleCreated Then
                Return UnsafeNativeMethods.SetWindowTheme(control.Handle, theme, Nothing)
            End If
        End If
    Catch ex As DllNotFoundException
        Return -1
    End Try
    Return -1
End Function

''' <summary>
''' Clears the applied theme from the specified control.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="control">Indicates the control to clear the theme from.</param>
Public Function ClearTheme(ByVal control As Control) As Integer
    Return Me.ApplyTheme(control, String.Empty)
End Function