Render WinXP Style

[arpan_de]

I want to render the various Form controls in my app in WinXP style for which I used this code. Prior to adding the code showed in the above URL, the start-up object in my app was a Form named frmIntro. Since the code tells to use Sub Main as the start-up object, I made Sub Main as the start-up object by going to the project properties & modified Sub Main showed in the above URL as follows:

Public Sub Main()
    'Call the function before other codes
    InitCommonControlsVB
    frmIntro.Show
End Sub

But it doesn't render WinXP style in all the Forms. Only the controls in the parent Form in the app get rendered in WinXP style. Any idea what I could be missing?

I went through other posts as well in this forum regarding WinXP & all of them suggested something as shown in the above URL.

[Jottum]

I want to render the various Form controls in my app in WinXP style for which I used this code. Prior to adding the code showed in the above URL, the start-up object in my app was a Form named frmIntro. Since the code tells to use Sub Main as the start-up object, I made Sub Main as the start-up object by going to the project properties & modified Sub Main showed in the above URL as follows:

Public Sub Main()
    'Call the function before other codes
    InitCommonControlsVB
    frmIntro.Show
End Sub

[...]

Hello Arpan,

From what you post here, I would say there's nothing wrong with your code. Are you using a manifest file or a resource file with an XP manifest?

Another question, where did you put the Sub main?

[arpan_de]

Are you using a manifest file or a resource file with an XP manifest?

I am using a manifest named MyApp.exe.manifest.

where did you put the Sub main?

In a module....

EDIT

I tried using a resource file as well but the outcome remains the same i.e. only the controls in the parent Form get rendered in WinXP style. Controls in the other Forms don't.

BTW, in case of a resource file, which file should the resource point to? To the manifest file??

[DigiRev]

I'm attaching a template you can use that always works for me, and it uses a resource file manifest.

You will need to go into the \res folder and change the names of the .manifest and .rc files. Where it says MyApp.manifest and MyApp.rc, change them to the name of your EXE file.

This has always worked for me. Hope it helps.

[Jottum]

I am using a manifest named MyApp.exe.manifest.

In a module....

EDIT

I tried using a resource file as well but the outcome remains the same i.e. only the controls in the parent Form get rendered in WinXP style. Controls in the other Forms don't.

BTW, in case of a resource file, which file should the resource point to? To the manifest file??

Not sure I understand the last question, you should load the resourcefile in the IDE.

To do so, go to the Project menu, click Add File..., and load the resource file that contains the XP manifest. I'll attach a sample - that I made with XNResource Editor - which you can actually use, no matter what it's name says.

Beware not to open the resource with the VB6 resource editor, it doesn't seem to like resources it doesn't know.

HTH

[DigiRev]

which you can actually use, no matter what it's name says.

Not sure what this means exactly, but just to state for the OP: You can keep the .manifest and .rc filenames how they are and it should still work, but it is best practice to change them to the names of your EXE.

The result will be a single EXE file that does not need you to include a .manifest file with your application, as it will have been embedded into the actual EXE itself.

It will also work if your program does not use the Microsoft Common Controls library (some other XP style code out there will crash if you do not use this library in your program).

[Jottum]

Not sure what this means exactly [...]

Just that he can give it a try, if it works, he can give it a proper name. I don't know if he has another res file with his exe name, now he won't overwrite anything.

[arpan_de]

Digirev, I already tried what you have suggested from this post (thread #43) but again, it just renders the controls of the parent Form in WinXP style; not the controls on the other Forms.

I will give your suggestion a try, Jottum but before that I guess I need to mention that I am already using a Resource file in my project & VB doesn't allow adding 2 Resource files in one project.

Not sure I understand the last question, you should load the resourcefile in the IDE

What I mean is in the Resource Editor, when you click the Add Custom Resource button, a dialog box opens up to select a resource. Should the manifest file be selected as the resource in this case? I believe yes.

EDIT

Anyway, Digirev, I will give your template another try. Do I need to do anything else apart from chaning the name of the RC file & the manifest file to my app name? But here again, you are using a RES file & I am already using a RES file

[Jottum]

[...]

I will give your suggestion a try, Jottum but before that I guess I need to mention that I am already using a Resource file in my project & VB doesn't allow adding 2 Resource files in one project.

What I mean is in the Resource Editor, when you click the Add Custom Resource button, a dialog box opens up to select a resource. Should the manifest file be selected as the resource in this case? I believe yes.

[...]

No, the VB6 resource editor doesn't understand a manifest resource. As soon as you open a resource file holding a manifest you're bound to get into trouble.

The best thing you can do, is to download XNResource Editor (freeware), install it, close your VB project, open your res file in XNResource (make a backup of the original first, just to be save), go to the Resource Menu, click Add Resource, click Xp Theme Manifest, click Ok, click the save button (or File->Save) and start your project in VB again.

HTH

[arpan_de]

Hey guys I just now figured out why the controls (atleast the CommandButtons) in the other Forms weren't getting rendered in XP style. This is because I had set the Style property of all the CommandButtons to Graphical! When I changed it to Standard, they got rendered in XP style!

But then this gives rise to another problem - my app is with skins. In other words, changing the skin changes the color of the CommandButtons as well which means the Style of the CommandButtons have to be set to Graphical else the CommandButtons won't change the color!

To add to my woes, most of the controls in other Forms are grouped in Frames which leads to another problem i.e. the controls don't get rendered as they should. They have to be placed inside PictureBoxes to render the XP style!

Problems galore.....I guess finally I have to drop the idea of rendering the controls in XP style!