[2005] Using SetSysColor API

[campster]

I want to change the frame color of all windows on a PC using the SetSysColor API. i implemeted the API as shown below but nothign happens. No errors but no color change either. I'm testing this on an XP machine.

Public Declare Function SetSysColors Lib "user32" _
                            (ByVal nChanges As Integer, _
                             ByVal lpSysColor As Integer, _
                             ByVal lpColorValues As Integer) As Boolean
 
    Public Declare Function GetSysColor Lib "user32" _
                             (ByVal nIndex As Integer) As Integer
 
    Private Const COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION = 2           'Caption of Active Window
    Private Const COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION = 3         'Caption of Inactive window
    Private Const COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT = 9
 
    Private OriginalActiveColor As Long             ' Holds original active title bar color
    Private OriginalInactiveColor As Long           ' Holds original inactive title bar color 
 
 
    Public Sub InitColors()
        OriginalActiveColor = GetSysColor(COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION)
        OriginalInactiveColor = GetSysColor(COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION)
    End Sub
 
    Public Sub ResetColors()    ' Resets the original system colors 
        SetSysColors(1, COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION, OriginalActiveColor)
        SetSysColors(1, COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION, OriginalInactiveColor)
    End Sub
 
    Public Sub ChangeColors()
        ' Change active title bar color to black  
        SetSysColors(1, COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION, RGB(0, 0, 0))
        ' Change inactive title bar color to black   
        SetSysColors(1, COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION, RGB(0, 0, 0))
    End Sub

[RobDog888]

Perhaps this will help?

http://allapi.mentalis.org/apilist/SetSysColors.shtml

You may need to pass the args ByRef like shown in the code examples at the bottom of the linked page.

[bmahler]

Also
http://pinvoke.net is a good resource. They have more .net examples than allapi does.

[RobDog888]

Old habbits die hard. I keep forgetting about pinvoke.

[bmahler]

Someday... someday lol

[campster]

You may need to pass the args ByRef like shown in the code examples

You were right. I missed the fact that I was passing the arguments byVal versus byRef. I still can't get the window frame bar to change color. I had to fall back and simply change the color of the caption text.

Is there any reason that I can't change the window frame color? If I look in the dispaly properties, the frame color is set to red but all of my frames still appear as blue.