CommonControls (Replacement of the MS common controls)

[Krool]

Please direct me to instruction on how to test/use the Std-EXE version. I have only just discovered your .ocx.
Thank you

In the first post in this thread is the Std-EXE version. On that Demo you can actually test. You may need only to copy the OLEGuids.tlb in your SysWoW64 (64bit OS) or System32 (32bit OS) path first.

[Krool]

How often do you update the OCX? I see in the latest revision (10) some thing are not included (like RTL support)

I update the OCX only for internal improvements or bugfixes. Additional features are not implemented to ensure compatibility.
The new features are collected and will be implemented all together in the next OCX release. (would be then VBCCR14.OCX)

I am not sure where this fall into which of the three options.

When an imagelist is set for the toolbar and there are buttons with images and there are also buttons without images, then for those buttons that do not have images there be no space for the image.

Edit to add:
This to apply only when TextAlignment is set to 1-Right. When TextAlignment is 0-Bottom, then images are expected for all buttons.

I have thought about this and came to the conclusion that by default the MS behavior should be respected.
Therefore when no ImageList is set the default image dimension will be set. Due to a bug in my ToolBar (and also in MS ToolBar) the image dimensions were set to 0x0 when removing an ImageList after a valid ImageList was set. I have fixed this bug now by setting the default dimensions "back" via TB_SETBITMAPSIZE.

But, as a second step, there could be also new properties to have actually control of what behavior you want to have.
So the new properties could be called "DefaultImageWidth" and "DefaultImageHeight" and would contain the image dimensions if no ImageList is set. (so called Default)
Of course, these properties would be set on init to the MS image dimensions to have the MS behavior.
But by changing these properties, e.g. to 0x0, you can actually then change the behavior.
What do you think?

[chosk]

...

I have thought about this and came to the conclusion that by default the MS behavior should be respected.
Therefore when no ImageList is set the default image dimension will be set. Due to a bug in my ToolBar (and also in MS ToolBar) the image dimensions were set to 0x0 when removing an ImageList after a valid ImageList was set. I have fixed this bug now by setting the default dimensions "back" via TB_SETBITMAPSIZE.

But, as a second step, there could be also new properties to have actually control of what behavior you want to have.
So the new properties could be called "DefaultImageWidth" and "DefaultImageHeight" and would contain the image dimensions if no ImageList is set. (so called Default)
Of course, these properties would be set on init to the MS image dimensions to have the MS behavior.
But by changing these properties, e.g. to 0x0, you can actually then change the behavior.
What do you think?

Good.

[Krool]

Update released.

Bugfix in the ToolBar control, quite important in my opinion.
The bug appeared when all buttons have no caption and at least one button has the AutoSize property set to true.
That resulted in a messed up ButtonWidth/ButtonHeight property.

[Krool]

Again update released. This time an internal improvement.

WM_SETREDRAW was replaced with the LockWindowUpdate API in all internal ReCreate methods.

Problem was when the size of a control changed while the redraw state was locked, a "ghost" painting occured.
This will not happen with the LockWindowUpdate API, as it will invalidate the old bounding rectangle, forcing an eventual redraw.
Also LockWindowUpdate will not clear the WS_VISIBLE style bit, thus it is not necessary to check the visibility anymore.
The only downside is that LockWindowUpdate can only lock one window at a time.
So if another window is already locked then the ReCreate method will not clear the locking to break nothing. If that's the case there is no other option to have no locked redraw state, which results then in a flicker.

So the pros outweigh that single disadvantage of an eventual flicker when another window is already locked.

So instead of

Private Sub ReCreate[...]
Dim Visible As Boolean
Visible = Extender.Visible
With Me
If Visible = True Then SendMessage UserControl.hWnd, WM_SETREDRAW, 0, ByVal 0&
[...]
If Visible = True Then SendMessage UserControl.hWnd, WM_SETREDRAW, 1, ByVal 0&
.Refresh
End With
End Sub

now:

Private Sub ReCreate[...]
Dim Locked As Boolean
With Me
Locked = CBool(LockWindowUpdate(UserControl.hWnd) <> 0)
[...]
If Locked = True Then LockWindowUpdate 0
.Refresh
End With
End Sub

[Krool]

Update relased.

Finally the Transparent property is included in the ToolBar control.
DEXWERX has requested this twice.

Slightly unrelated, but something possibly omitted (but is in the link you posted) Are you going to add TBSTYLE_TRANSPARENT to the toolbar?

Now the question remains, can we get the Toolbar itself transparent (Design time Property of the toolbar / TBSTYLE_TRANSPARENT )

But, TBSTYLE_TRANSPARENT was not used for the Transparent property. It was implemented only to have the BackColor property shown/visible at design-time.
Instead, like in the other controls where a Transparent property is available, it makes a replica of the underlying background. (simulated transparency)
However, the property is ignored when the control paints via double-buffering. (same as BackColor; only working when DoublerBuffer = False)

[Sam_]

I love these controls, but I'm struggling with the DT Picker. Everything is as expected, apart from GetDayBold. Here's the code I am currently using but the behivior seems to happen in all cases even if i replace my code with the demo code

Private Sub dtp_CalendarGetDayBold(ByVal StartDate As Date, ByVal Count As Long, State() As Boolean)
    Dim rs As New ADODB.Recordset
    If Not QCOnly Then
        Set rs = LoadDatabase.Execute("SELECT DateDue, Count(*) AS [OrderCount] FROM Orders WHERE DateDue Between #" & Date2US(StartDate) & "# And #" & Date2US(StartDate + Count - 1) & "# AND HospitalCode = '" & HospitalCode & "' AND Hidden = False GROUP BY DateDue ORDER BY DateDue")
    Else
        Set rs = LoadDatabase.Execute("SELECT DateDue, Count(*) AS [OrderCount] FROM Orders WHERE DateDue Between #" & Date2US(StartDate) & "# And #" & Date2US(StartDate + Count - 1) & "# AND Investigation = 'Point Source' GROUP BY DateDue ORDER BY DateDue")
    End If
    Do While Not rs.EOF
        State(DateDiff("d", StartDate, rs.Fields("DateDue")) + 1) = True
        rs.MoveNext
    Loop
    rs.Close
    Set rs = Nothing
End Sub

(Date2US formats as mm/dd/yyyy string)

It is a hard feature to test, as the bold dates are only visible in a compiled program, but essentially I must change months then return for the correct dates to be highlighted. Any ideas?

Edit:
If i remove

dtp.Value = Date

from my form load event the dates are highlighted as I would expect (with a default value of '1/1/16' in the property page - also struggling to make this value stay when compiling not sure why). If I use 1/11/16 (so this month) I get the same behavior though, incorrect dates highlighted, switch months and switch back and all is well. I have tried

Private Sub dtp_DropDown()
    Dim tDate As Date
    tDate = dtp.Value
    dtp.Value = "1/1/2001"
    dtp.Value = tDate
End Sub

along with various combinations of switching on and off .CalenderDayState and .Refresh in the Form_Load event.

If appropriate I can create my one thread, but this problem seems so specific to these controls I thought here would be fine...

[Krool]

Update released.

@ Sam_,
the CalenderDayState should work now as expected.
Thanks for reporting.

[VbNetMatrix]

Hi Krool ... about that bug...

just wondering... do you take into account that when using module (.bas) in an OCX, all "public" variable are SHARED for all instance ?

only variable in the .CTL are not shared (public and private)

I had a similar issue in past with that. I can post you an exemple project that show the bug.

[Sam_]

Update released.

Thanks for reporting.

Fantastic, thanks.

[Krool]

just wondering... do you take into account that when using module (.bas) in an OCX, all "public" variable are SHARED for all instance ?

only variable in the .CTL are not shared (public and private)

I had a similar issue in past with that. I can post you an exemple project that show the bug.

Which bug? Please show example.

[ChenLin]

Hi Krool,Why open the mainform vb6 collapse in the IDE?

[VbNetMatrix]

Which bug? Please show example.

good question... my previous post didn't post

I'll make an example, it's easier to explain.

[Karl77]

Hello Krool,

there is a small glitch in the ProgressBar control.
If you change the height by code, a 1px frame is seen around it.

To retrace:
Use the ComCtlsDemo.
In MainForm, set VisualStyles = false for ProgressBar1.

At the end of Form_Load, add:

With ProgressBar1
.Left = 100
.Top = 600
.Width = 5530
.Height = 270
End With

Now comment out the .Height = 270.
See the difference?

Karl

P.S.: tested at 125% screen

EDIT2:
While we are at that, a caption property for the progressbar would be nice.
Like in the old old CCRP.

[Krool]

there is a small glitch in the ProgressBar control.
If you change the height by code, a 1px frame is seen around it.

To retrace:
Use the ComCtlsDemo.
In MainForm, set VisualStyles = false for ProgressBar1.

At the end of Form_Load, add:

With ProgressBar1
.Left = 100
.Top = 600
.Width = 5530
.Height = 270
End With

Now comment out the .Height = 270.
See the difference?

Karl

P.S.: tested at 125% screen

EDIT2:
While we are at that, a caption property for the progressbar would be nice.
Like in the old old CCRP.

Update released.

The problem was that normally a ProgressBar will be created with the WS_EX_STATICEDGE style bit.
However, when visual styles are enabled the style bit WS_EX_STATICEDGE is not set on window creation.
That's why this border issue only appears when using a manifest for comctl32.dll version 6.0 or higher and the VisualStyles property is set to False.

The solution was to set or remove the style bit WS_EX_STATICEDGE in the VisualStyles property.

Thanks for reporting.

For the caption property:
Yes, certainly good idea. But there are many ways of how to implement.
I imagine an "inverted" color text for classic theme and for visual theme a theme text within a white box rectangle. (for readability)

[Karl77]

Hello Krool,

The problem was that normally a ProgressBar will be created with the WS_EX_STATICEDGE style bit.

great, it is fixed now.

In fact I meant it the other way around :-).
The border is not wanted, it makes problems when the control is nested in another control (statusbar in this case).

I'll try to change it myself, now as I know where to look.
Otherwise we would need a Border property...

For the caption property:
Yes, certainly good idea. But there are many ways of how to implement.
I imagine an "inverted" color text for classic theme and for visual theme a theme text within a white box rectangle. (for readability)

Let the user decide:
TextAutocolor
TextForeColor
TextBackColor
TextBackgroundColor
something like that.

Thank you.

[Krool]

The border is not wanted, it makes problems when the control is nested in another control (statusbar in this case).

I'll try to change it myself, now as I know where to look.
Otherwise we would need a Border property...

It's difficult to have no border as it's back always when the control size has been changed.

[VbNetMatrix]

Update released.
...
That's why this border issue only appears when using a manifest for comctl32.dll version 6.0 or higher and the

Speaking of it, can you post a full example on how to use a manifest for comctl32.dll ?
I never succeeded to make it right on Win7

thanks

[Krool]

Speaking of it, can you post a full example on how to use a manifest for comctl32.dll ?
I never succeeded to make it right on Win7

thanks

Just look the Demo..

[Karl77]

It's difficult to have no border as it's back always when the control size has been changed.

Yes, I experienced this too.
Solution seems to be simple:

Public Property Let VisualStyles(ByVal Value As Boolean)
PropVisualStyles = Value
If ProgressBarHandle <> 0 And EnabledVisualStyles() = True Then
    Dim dwExStyle As Long, dwExStyleOld As Long
    dwExStyle = GetWindowLong(hWnd, GWL_EXSTYLE)
    dwExStyleOld = dwExStyle
    If PropVisualStyles = True Then
        ActivateVisualStyles ProgressBarHandle
        If (dwExStyle And WS_EX_STATICEDGE) = WS_EX_STATICEDGE Then dwExStyle = dwExStyle And Not WS_EX_STATICEDGE
    Else
        RemoveVisualStyles ProgressBarHandle
        If Not (dwExStyle And WS_EX_STATICEDGE) = WS_EX_STATICEDGE Then
            dwExStyle = dwExStyle And Not WS_EX_STATICEDGE
        End If
    End If
    'If dwExStyle <> dwExStyleOld Then
    SetWindowLong ProgressBarHandle, GWL_EXSTYLE, dwExStyle
    Call ComCtlsFrameChanged(ProgressBarHandle)
    'End If
    Me.Refresh
End If
UserControl.PropertyChanged "VisualStyles"
End Property

EDIT:
This is also the place where a Border property could snap to.

[Krool]

Yes, I experienced this too.
Solution seems to be simple:

Public Property Let VisualStyles(ByVal Value As Boolean)
PropVisualStyles = Value
If ProgressBarHandle <> 0 And EnabledVisualStyles() = True Then
    Dim dwExStyle As Long, dwExStyleOld As Long
    dwExStyle = GetWindowLong(hWnd, GWL_EXSTYLE)
    dwExStyleOld = dwExStyle
    If PropVisualStyles = True Then
        ActivateVisualStyles ProgressBarHandle
        If (dwExStyle And WS_EX_STATICEDGE) = WS_EX_STATICEDGE Then dwExStyle = dwExStyle And Not WS_EX_STATICEDGE
    Else
        RemoveVisualStyles ProgressBarHandle
        If Not (dwExStyle And WS_EX_STATICEDGE) = WS_EX_STATICEDGE Then
            dwExStyle = dwExStyle And Not WS_EX_STATICEDGE
        End If
    End If
    'If dwExStyle <> dwExStyleOld Then
    SetWindowLong ProgressBarHandle, GWL_EXSTYLE, dwExStyle
    Call ComCtlsFrameChanged(ProgressBarHandle)
    'End If
    Me.Refresh
End If
UserControl.PropertyChanged "VisualStyles"
End Property

EDIT:
This is also the place where a Border property could snap to.

What does that solve when resizing?
You changed the part on RemoveVisualStyles, but there is an error on your change.

        RemoveVisualStyles ProgressBarHandle
        If Not (dwExStyle And WS_EX_STATICEDGE) = WS_EX_STATICEDGE Then
            dwExStyle = dwExStyle And Not WS_EX_STATICEDGE
        End If

Should be:

        RemoveVisualStyles ProgressBarHandle
        If (dwExStyle And WS_EX_STATICEDGE) = WS_EX_STATICEDGE Then
            dwExStyle = dwExStyle And Not WS_EX_STATICEDGE
        End If

As you want no border in both cases.

[swambast]

Had a clarifying question - does the new CommandButtonW make any improvements to visual styles/themes? For example, when doing a side by side comparison of the new CommonControls replacement command button vs. the default VB6 style, they look identical. I know there are a lot more features with the new CommandButtonW such as side-by-side captioning, image alignment, split buttons, etc. but is there any change in the actual visual style (e.g., a more modern WinXP or other style upgrade)?

[Karl77]

What does that solve when resizing?

Apparently it works, no border comes back on resize.
Try it...

As you want no border in both cases.

Not exactly, I don't want the border in classic style only.

Karl

[Karl77]

any improvements to visual styles/themes?

The style is given by the OS setting, and the controls use exactly this style.
Nothing less and nothing more.

Karl

[Krool]

Update released.

Critical bugfix in the ListBoxW control. The Click event was not fired in two cases:
- User has de-selected an item in a multiple-selection list box
- User has clicked again on a selected item in a single-selection list box

I'm surprised that this bug did not pop up earlier..

[Romeo91]

Hi, Krool!
Quiet updated common.bas file(Not seen in the history of changes) - it has new features replaces the standard-VB
There is an error:
FileLen function has always "0" return value.

[Krool]

Quiet updated common.bas file(Not seen in the history of changes) - it has new features replaces the standard-VB
There is an error:
FileLen function has always "0" return value.

Yes, thanks for this side note. The common.bas includes also functions not necessary for this project. Therefore I do not add in history of changes when updating.
The function FileLen was actually not complete..
I completed the function now and actually improved it. The return value is now as a 'Decimal' Variant. So it can hold unsigned big integer value. (kind of ULONGLONG)

[VbNetMatrix]

Hi,

did I missed something ?

in post #1

The latest update of ComCtlsDemo.zip (december 7th 2016)

doesn't compile because of missing reference "OLE Guid and interface definition"
"Implements OLEGuids.IOleInPlaceActiveObjectVB" in "IpAdress.ctl"

Do I need any tlb that I doesn't have ?

thanks for your help

[chosk]

From post #1:

At design time (IDE) there is only one dependency. (OLEGuids.tlb)

It is included in the download.

[VbNetMatrix]

From post #1:

It is included in the download.

you're right... when I first installed it, I read everything about the component, now I was at work and tried to download and nothing worked... forgot about it. litle brain, litle brain...

[Krool]

Update released.

Modified the OLEGuids.tlb. (with new uuid)
And sorry for this inconvenience. I know it is a pain in the *** to replace everything, but I couldn't keep it like it is.

The IEnumerationVB interface is now removed as not necessary anymore as the Enumeration.cls is event driven since a while. (due to de-coupling issues)
The IEnumeration interface was actually always IEnumVARIANT. But it was named as IEnumeration to not intefere with the stdole.IEnumVARIANT.
But as the IUnknown interface was already named IUnknownUnrestricted to not interfere with the stdole.IUnknown I could also name it likewise to IEnumVARIANTUnrestricted, so I did now. So it is now a clear definition..

And, of course, the correction in IDispatch.GetIDsOfNames was made. (thanks to DEXWERX)

your IDispatch.GetIDsOfNames has the wrong definition?
It should be LPWSTR, so you can pass in a BSTR. This way VB skips the Conversion, and you can skip the DoubleUnicode hack you did here.

[ScriptBASIC]

Thanks for the update to 1.3. It works fine on XP, Win7 and Win10.

HERE is a Script BASIC IDE/Debugger (VB6 app) example.

I hope to be test your library with an OLE interface from Script BASIC to VB6 form controls.

Update

Your COM replacement control works fine when generated as an ActiveX .exe control.

[Krool]

Update released.

I need to explain a little bit about the recent changes in the ListView control...

The included NewWidth parameter in the ColumnAfterResize event is useful when TrackSizeColumnHeaders property is False, because when ColumnAfterResize is called the new width is not yet applied. So doing ColumnHeader.Width will return the old width.
Also the NewWidth parameter is 'ByRef', which means it can be modified in that event. By that it is possible to define a min/max width for column resizing.
Or to cancel the new width at all, example:

Private Sub ListView1_ColumnBeforeResize(ByVal ColumnHeader As LvwColumnHeader, Cancel As Boolean)
ColumnHeader.Tag = ColumnHeader.Width
End Sub

Private Sub ListView1_ColumnAfterResize(ByVal ColumnHeader As LvwColumnHeader, NewWidth As Single)
If [CancelCondition] = True Then NewWidth = ColumnHeader.Tag
End Sub

In the 15-Dec-2016 update I included the HDN_DIVIDERDBLCLICK handler in the ColumnBeforeResize event as it effects the width of a column header.
However, there is no HDN_ENDTRACK fired by HDN_DIVIDERDBLCLICK.
That's why on this update (16-Dec-2016) I isolated HDN_DIVIDERDBLCLICK and included the new event ColumnDividerDblClick, which also has a Cancel parameter.

When the ResizableColumnHeader property is set to False there is no resizing possible at all and also no ColumnBeforeResize nor ColumnDividerDblClick are generated.

Your COM replacement control works fine when generated as an ActiveX .exe control.

I don't get it. You mean generating an ActiveX .exe control? (do you mean .OCX or really .exe ?)
The downside for ActiveX .exe is that they don't work with regfree manifest..

[ScriptBASIC]

I don't get it. You mean generating an ActiveX .exe control? (do you mean .OCX or really .exe ?)
The downside for ActiveX .exe is that they don't work with regfree manifest..

The reason I'm using a .exe ActiveX control rather that a .dll version is the .exe version doesn't need to be registered before use. Good to know about the regfree issue. I was just playing around with the idea of using VB forms as controls and interacting with them from Script BASIC but IUP as a cross platform native GUI is the better solution. Using VB to create the IDE is a good example how I plan to us your library in the future.

[Romeo91]

Yes, thanks for this side note. The common.bas includes also functions not necessary for this project. Therefore I do not add in history of changes when updating.
The function FileLen was actually not complete..
I completed the function now and actually improved it. The return value is now as a 'Decimal' Variant. So it can hold unsigned big integer value. (kind of ULONGLONG)

Hi!
Krool, function FileLen still contains an error.
If someone does not see, it can affect its program code

' (VB-Overwrite)
Public Function FileLen(ByVal PathName As String) As Long
Const INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE As Long = (-1)
Const GENERIC_READ As Long = &H80000000, FILE_SHARE_READ As Long = &H1, OPEN_EXISTING As Long = 3, FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN As Long = &H8000000
Dim hFile As Long, Length As Double
If Left$(PathName, 2) = "\\" Then PathName = "UNC\" & Mid$(PathName, 3)
hFile = CreateFile(StrPtr("\\?\" & PathName), GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ, 0, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN, 0)
If hFile <> INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE Then
    Length = GetFileSize(hFile, 0)
    CloseHandle hFile
Else
    Err.Raise Number:=53, Description:="File not found: '" & PathName & "'"
End If
End Function

Always - FileLen=0

[Krool]

Hi!
Krool, function FileLen still contains an error.
If someone does not see, it can affect its program code

' (VB-Overwrite)
Public Function FileLen(ByVal PathName As String) As Long
Const INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE As Long = (-1)
Const GENERIC_READ As Long = &H80000000, FILE_SHARE_READ As Long = &H1, OPEN_EXISTING As Long = 3, FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN As Long = &H8000000
Dim hFile As Long, Length As Double
If Left$(PathName, 2) = "\\" Then PathName = "UNC\" & Mid$(PathName, 3)
hFile = CreateFile(StrPtr("\\?\" & PathName), GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ, 0, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN, 0)
If hFile <> INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE Then
    Length = GetFileSize(hFile, 0)
    CloseHandle hFile
Else
    Err.Raise Number:=53, Description:="File not found: '" & PathName & "'"
End If
End Function

Always - FileLen=0

You posted the old code. The new returns Decimal Variant. Please re-download and check again.

[Romeo91]

You posted the old code. The new returns Decimal Variant. Please re-download and check again.

File common.bas in fresh archive (from 17 December 2016) from 5 December.
This code from this file

[chosk]

The Function is expecting a return of FileLen as Long

I think change the line

Length = GetFileSize(hFile, 0)

to

FileLen = GetFileSize(hFile, 0)

[Krool]

The function should be like this:

' (VB-Overwrite)
Public Function FileLen(ByVal PathName As String) As Variant
Const INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE As Long = (-1), INVALID_FILE_SIZE As Long = (-1)
Const GENERIC_READ As Long = &H80000000, FILE_SHARE_READ As Long = &H1, OPEN_EXISTING As Long = 3, FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN As Long = &H8000000
Dim hFile As Long
If Left$(PathName, 2) = "\\" Then PathName = "UNC\" & Mid$(PathName, 3)
hFile = CreateFile(StrPtr("\\?\" & PathName), GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ, 0, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN, 0)
If hFile <> INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE Then
    Dim LoDWord As Long, HiDWord As Long, Value As Variant
    LoDWord = GetFileSize(hFile, HiDWord)
    CloseHandle hFile
    If LoDWord <> INVALID_FILE_SIZE Then
        If (LoDWord And &H80000000) Then
            Value = CDec(LoDWord And &H7FFFFFFF) + CDec(2147483648#)
        Else
            Value = CDec(LoDWord)
        End If
        If (HiDWord And &H80000000) Then
            HiDWord = HiDWord And &H7FFFFFFF
            Value = Value + (CDec(HiDWord) + CDec(2147483648#)) * CDec(4294967296#)
        Else
            Value = Value + CDec(HiDWord) * CDec(4294967296#)
        End If
        FileLen = Value
    Else
        FileLen = Null
    End If
Else
    Err.Raise Number:=53, Description:="File not found: '" & PathName & "'"
End If
End Function

[fafalone]

Was just noticing the columns in the ListView control weren't behaving like my normal setups... would definitely request support for column autosizing.. both the basic LVS_EX_AUTOSIZECOLUMNS style and the LVCOLUMN members you can use with it (cxMin, cxDefault, and cxIdeal)