Windows XP Look

[SomethinCool]

Ok..i know this question has been asked over and over again but..i'm kinda confused.

I want my apps to have that Windows XP look. The nice green option buttons or the light blue scroll bars..

I tried making a manifest file with the XML code (which i dont have anymore..) and that only worked like once for me.

Can't you just make the WinXP look in VB instead of having an extra file there? Isnt there some sort of option in VB.net 2002 that will make it look like XP?

[wrack]

Originally posted by SomethinCool
Ok..i know this question has been asked over and over again but..i'm kinda confused.

I want my apps to have that Windows XP look. The nice green option buttons or the light blue scroll bars..

I tried making a manifest file with the XML code (which i dont have anymore..) and that only worked like once for me.

Can't you just make the WinXP look in VB instead of having an extra file there? Isnt there some sort of option in VB.net 2002 that will make it look like XP?

I am not sure about VB.NET but when I run them in 2000 they looks same as 2000 thingy except colours are different...

I think someone posted code to make command buttons and other stuff looks like XP...Try serching more and you should find something but that might be different than what u r looking for...

Cheers...

[James Stanich]

If running on xp system, you can use MANIFEST file.

Else, trying these controls : www.vbsmart.com

[Colonel Klink]

try the following:

Mizo Themer : excellent auto manifest generator, just point it to an exe and walla... it be themed (if the exe supports themes)

progress bar : the ccrp progress bar (unlike the common controls... ummm control ) can handle XP manifested themed look

status bar & tabs : there is a xp status bar, and tabstrip (will keep the xp look even if not on xp)
statusbar : http://www.freevbcode.com/ShowCode.Asp?ID=5418
tabstrip: http://www.freevbcode.com/ShowCode.Asp?ID=5417

hope i helped

[i_am_tux]

how then, does one use xp style controls in vb 6 apps? without writing custom user controls?
the manifest/xml files wont work the same way they will with vb.net apps.

[Ideas Man]

All controls can have the XP look applied, but for VB6, you need to use the older common controls. They still work the same, so simply just select common controls 5 instead of 6, i think the first batch of 6 work fine (default controls) but the progress bar doesn't work unless it's common controls v5. But yeah, just make one manifest file and your away, doesn't need to be customized in any way and you can use it for VB6. The only issue i've had with using the manifest on VB6.exe is the colour picker doesn't work, you can't see the colours, but if you know where they are, it's not much of a problem (Though i wouldn't mind knowing how to get the colours back without removing the manifest file).

Anyway, there really isn't much of a way to get it working without it, that's what i've read, and that's what the microsoft site says, but it's quick and easy and doesn't require a lot of code. The code to get is working is....

'Place in Module
 
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)
 
On Error GoTo 0
End Function

and place this in the startup form...

Private Sub Form_Initialize()
InitCommonControlsVB
End Sub

[i_am_tux]

wow! works like a charm! thx m8!

[Ideas Man]

No problem.

[AvisSoft]

Well i see many different solutions and many different answers all are working and everything so here's mine also:

http://www.maxvb.com/viewtopic.php/p/217