(VB6) SSTabEx: SSTab replacement. Themed and with new features

[softv]

Dear Eduardo,

1. Regarding 'gap after the last tab'

I agree with you. I myself already felt that a slight gap after the last tab looks nice too. So, it would be good to have an option (Extend last tab to align with right edge) in the 'Property Pages' windows so that according to one's choice (or based on what is best for a particular tabbed interface), one can avail this option or not. This option can be provided for 'Visual Styles' off case also, in my opinion.

Quoting you:
// If you set visual styles off, that doesn't happen. //
Actually, when 'Visual Styles' is off also, the misalignment issue arises, if the 'TabAppearance' is ssTAPropertyPageRounded or ssTAPropertyPage. It is a slight misalignment, either slightly pulled in (i.e. slight gap between last tab and right edge) or slightly pushed out. 'Pulled in' - perhaps may be by design it is so (for PropertyPage appearance)? But, 'Pushed out', I don't know. Well, you are the best person to let me know the right info on both the cases. Await the same. Well, just now I observed that when 'Style' is set to 'ssStylePropertyPage' also, same issue arises (even when TabAppearance is still ssTATabbedDialog only). In fact, at some widths, the last tab's caption is slightly getting cut (please see screenshot below), when it is the case of the last tab being 'pushed out'.





And, thanks, as always, Eduardo, for taking up the above task for your consideration. I understand your time constraints. So, will surely wait until you get time to put in your invaluable efforts on the above task, which would be of benefit to us all, as ever.

Note that I had my 'TabSelFontBold' as 'Yes' during most of my observations. Anyway, I observed the case of the "last tab's caption slightly being cut" even when I set 'TabSelFontBold' to 'No'.

2. Regarding 'gap between tabs'

a) With respect to dpi, I am working on 1366x768 resolution at 100% scaling, with an external monitor (having a wider screen than the laptop screen) connected to the laptop.

b) With respect to SSTabEx version I am working with, yes, its the latest version. Actually, if I remember right, after last year's June/July updates also I noticed the 'gaps between tabs' with VisualStyles ON but with VisualStyles OFF, all seemed to work well. So, for that time being, I did not write back to you immediately. Plus, I think I thought I will give some time interval before writing to you again. But thereafter, since September 2021 or so I did not get to use SSTabEx in my new project screens and so I just postponed writing to you. Now, having come back to working with SSTabEx again with full focus on it, I have been sharing what all I noticed with you.

c) As of now, with VisualStyles Off (and with my present preferred 'TabAppearance' of 'ssTAPropertyPageRounded' and 'Style' of 'ssStyleTabbedDialog'), gaps do not appear between tabs at any time when the final ".exe" is run. The only issue during final .exe execution is the slight 'pushing in' and 'pushing out' I have mentioned in Point 1.
Note: With above setting, in IDE runtime, gaps do appear sometimes but if and when the gaps appear, they do appear between "all" tabs at same width. Anyway, it is in IDE runtime only. So, not an issue except that new users who see the gaps might get to presume that they will appear in final .exe also.

d) And, as of now, with VisualStyles On also, the same above behaviour can be replicated, if 'Style' is set to 'ssStylePropertyPage' (along with 'TabAppearance' of 'ssTAPropertyPageRounded'). I notice no gaps between tabs but only 'push-pull' problem.
Note: With above setting, when VisualStyles is Off also, same behaviour seen. I notice no gaps between tabs but only 'push-pull' problem.

Sorry, due to my time constraints, I am unable to put all my above observations together in a sample project and send to you, right now. Actually, it has taken a few hours to try out the above and correctly document my observations to you (as above) itself. May be I can try to make a sample project after some days but I very much doubt whether I will get the time. Sorry about it. I am not able to put the above in a tabulated form too. Sorry again. But, I am sure you got all the points, anyway. And, I hope all or at least some of my observations are correct. Sorry, if not. Kindly please bear with me in that case. The thing is that different combinations of the properties have to be set in the 'Property Pages' sheet and each one tried out for gap between tabs, gap after last tab, last tab pushing out, etc.

Thanks once again for all your stupendous efforts with regard to fabulous SSTabEx control. God Bless you! God Bless all!

Kind Regards.