[RESOLVED] Custom form drag-bar

[smUX]

Is there a way, if I set form-borderstyle to none, to put (for instance) a label or image at the top (or anywhere, for that matter) and make it control the form's location on-screen?

I can imagine an "on mousedown" event that notes the location which was clicked and if mouse moves form's top/left moves accordingly, but I don't know if I could write code that could handle this efficiently enough.

Also, could I do something like this on a form that is *embedded* within another form. I am currently thinking about designing a Windows 3.11 *style* OS (you know, just trying to build a basic OS look with functional design) in VB as a form with embedded forms within...I will of course only go as far as I feel I am able with a project like ths, so if it's a lot of work to do all the embedding and such I won't bother :-)

I know that certain aspects of VB allow for drag and drop, but that's not really what I am trying to do...I don't think, anyway...this is going to be a pet project of mine and mostly a playaround to see what I can achieve on my own and with help :-)

[RhinoBull]

Search forum for ReleaseCapture() api and you will find many many sample code to move borderless form. For more advanced sample include my name in the user field.

[smUX]

Thanks, that helped me find http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...ecapture%28%29 which seems to be perfect for the job if it works...simple to understand and short...just right for me :-)

I'll take a proper look tomorrow at other possibilities...I don't need anything too advanced, but I am basically looking at this with the intent of being able to skin windows like XP does (or like windowblinds does to XP :-))...something classy but functional is what I am aiming for...simple yet unique if possible :-)

[Static]

I have code at work for moving objects using other objects. fairly simple.. yet effective. if u dont have an answer by the am i will post it

[RhinoBull]

If you're after skinning then take a look @ vbAccelerator's NeoCaption control (full source is available) - it's worth visiting that place.

[smUX]

Yeah, I've been to vbAccelerator a few times and tried out their code before...some of it's nice, but I kinda get the feeling that a lot of it is over-the-top eye-candy, if you know what I mean. Not that I'm putting the site down or anything, just too much bloat can kill a program :-)

I'll probably have a good look through their available code and see if any of them interest me or give me any ideas. I've got a few useful functions planned that programmers could use within their "forms" if they wished...I want to try to limit what I do with this to as little as possible so that it doesn't get too bogged down with half-finished and buggy functions that are no use to anyone :-)

[RhinoBull]

...it is over-the-top eye-candy, if you know what I mean. ...

No I don't exactly know what that mean. However, applying skins to your app usually creates the "eye-candy" with little functionality (or what I call "right between the eye) effect.
You're more than welcome to accept or deny any suggestion - this part is entirely upto you but don't underestimate the value of Steve Mac's samples that he provides for free to VB community world wide.

Best regards.

[smUX]

Like I said, it's nothing against the site's code...I'm not saying that the code is useless in any way, just that *usually* it isn't my style of coding, that's all :-)

I've marked this thread as resolved despite not actually having achieved the objective...but I can't code at the moment so can't test it :-)

[Static]

here is the code I was talking about...

borderless form with a label across the top... u can drag the form with the label

Private lngOldX As Long
Private lngOldY As Long
Private blnIsMoving As Boolean
 
Private Sub Label1_MouseDown(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
    lngOldX = X
    lngOldY = Y
    blnIsMoving = True
End Sub
 
Private Sub Label1_MouseMove(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
    If blnIsMoving Then
        Me.Top = Me.Top - (lngOldY - Y)
        Me.Left = Me.Left - (lngOldX - X)
    End If
End Sub
 
Private Sub Label1_MouseUp(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
    blnIsMoving = False
End Sub

[smUX]

Yeah, that was the sort of code I was thinking about using if I couldn't find anything specifically suited to what I wanted...I'll probably try both :-)