[VB6] - Custom rendering window.

[The trick]

In Windows 7, there was a remarkable thing - indication of progress on the taskbar button. To use this feature on VB6 (and any other language) you need to create an object TaskBarList, get ITaskBarList3 interface and use its methods - SetProgressState and SetProgressValue. In my module, I added the ability to set the state of the progress bar on the taskbar, and duplicated this indicator on the form itself + added ability to use animated icons in the form header (also supported by the usual icons). From this example, you can learn how to draw the non-client area of the window, make buttons that are highlighted when hovering. The example uses double buffering, so everything works smoothly and without flicker. This module can be connected to any project with any forms.
Functions:
SetNCSkin - set new style window;
RemoveNCSkin - remove style from window;
SetIcon - set animated (or simple) icon to window;
PlayAnimation - enable playing icon animation;
StopAnimation - stop animation playing;
SetProgressState - set state of taskbar button;
GetProgressState - get state of taskbar button;
SetProgressValue - set value of progressbar in the taskbar button (0..1);
GetProgressValue - same, only get a value.

Example use:

Option Explicit
 
' Тестовая форма модуля пользовательской отрисовки окна
' © Кривоус Анатолий Анатольевич (The trick), 2014
 
Dim Value As Single
 
Private Sub cboIcon_Click()
    Select Case cboIcon.ListIndex
    Case 0: SetIcon Me, LoadResPicture("TRICKICON", vbResBitmap), 21
    Case 1: SetIcon Me, LoadResPicture("WAITICON", vbResBitmap), 20
    End Select
End Sub
 
Private Sub cmdDuplicate_Click()
    Dim frm As frmTest
    Set frm = New frmTest
    frm.Show
End Sub
 
Private Sub cmdHideProgress_Click()
    SetProgressState Me, TBPF_NOPROGRESS
End Sub
 
Private Sub cmdIcon_Click()
    PlayAnimation Me, 32, False
End Sub
Private Sub cmdIconLoop_Click()
    PlayAnimation Me, 32, True
End Sub
Private Sub cmdProgress_Click()
    tmrTimer.Enabled = True
    Value = 0
End Sub
Private Sub cmdShowProgress_Click()
    If optState(0).Value Then SetProgressState Me, TBPF_NORMAL
    If optState(1).Value Then SetProgressState Me, TBPF_PAUSED
    If optState(2).Value Then SetProgressState Me, TBPF_ERROR
End Sub
Private Sub cmdStopAnimation_Click()
    StopAnimation Me
End Sub
Private Sub cmdStopProgress_Click()
    tmrTimer.Enabled = False
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Load()
    SetNCSkin Me
    cboIcon.ListIndex = 0
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
    RemoveNCSkin Me
End Sub
Private Sub optState_Click(Index As Integer)
    Call cmdShowProgress_Click
End Sub
 
Private Sub tmrTimer_Timer()
    Value = Value + 0.01
    SetProgressValue Me, Value
End Sub

[AAraya]

Thanks for sharing this. I'm considering different ways to display progress in my app and this looks interesting!

[The trick]

AAraya, thanks! This is worked project that uses that approach.

[AAraya]

Thanks for the link to the working project - I'll definitely check that out too. Not only for the progress bar code but for the music generation portion. I'm a musician and have a side app I've been working with slowly over the years - I may be able to borrow some ideas from you in that area as well.

[Karl77]

Problem getting it to work

There is a reference to test.tlb.
Test.tlb is not to find in the project folder.
So I think I can select the Taskbar.tlb.

It is checked in the references dialog.
When I click OK, then this comes up:
Microsoft Visual Basic - Error in loading DLL

What do I miss?
Thanks for a hint.

(Win10/64, IDE manifested)

[Karl77]

Solved.

The tlb failed to create a reference also in a new, empty project.

I used the MIDL compiler to create a new tlb from the idl.
Interestingly it has another GUID than the original, only the very last number.

This new tlb loads fine, and with Custom rendering window as well.

[shagratt]

Hi The Trick, I found that Form_Resize is not being executed.
I fixed changing WndProc with:

    Case WM_SIZE
        WndProc = OnSize(hwnd, wParam, lParam And &HFFFF&, (lParam \ &H10000) And &HFFFF&)
        Call CallOldWndProc(hwnd, msg, wParam, lParam) ' <- Added line

[James Reynolds]

Impossible reference to Taskbar.tlb

If I convert the idl also not working... Y use Win 10 32 Bits, is possible this code is for 64Bits Windows?

[The trick]

James Reynolds, i have updated the archive in the original post.

[fafalone]

Very nice project...'

I'm scratching my head trying to understand this though... you frequently use GetMem4 ByVal GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_USERDATA) + 34, stat

This is used like it's referring to the ButtonState... but why is it seemingly taking 2 bytes of empty padding space and only the first two bytes of ButtonState?

Private Type AnimIcon
    Sequence As Long '12
    NumOfFrame As Long '16
    CurFrame As Long '20
    State As Long '24
    Interval As Long '28
    Looped As Boolean '32
    (padding, 2 bytes) '34
End Type
Private Type WndExtInfo
    lpOldWndProc As Long 'Ptr + 0
    ProgressValue As Single '4
    ProgressState As TaskbarLib.TBPFLAG '8
    Icon As AnimIcon
    ButtonsState As Long '36
End Type

And SetExtInfo is using CopyMemory ByVal pt, wi, Len(wi); when Len and LenB don't match; and

GetMem4 ByVal GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_USERDATA) + 34, stat
btnidx = GetBtnIndex(pos)
stat = stat Or (&H100& * (btnidx + 1))
GetMem4 stat, ByVal GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_USERDATA) + 34

Given your skills I'm extremely hesitant to assume this is a bug; so is there another reason why the 2 bytes padding + 2 bytes ButtonsState, instead of +36 and just ButtonsState? I suppose it doesn't strictly matter as long as its consistent, but who knows when someone else will get confused and go looking

[The trick]

Very nice project...'

I'm scratching my head trying to understand this though... you frequently use GetMem4 ByVal GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_USERDATA) + 34, stat

This is used like it's referring to the ButtonState... but why is it seemingly taking 2 bytes of empty padding space and only the first two bytes of ButtonState?

Private Type AnimIcon
    Sequence As Long '12
    NumOfFrame As Long '16
    CurFrame As Long '20
    State As Long '24
    Interval As Long '28
    Looped As Boolean '32
    (padding, 2 bytes) '34
End Type
Private Type WndExtInfo
    lpOldWndProc As Long 'Ptr + 0
    ProgressValue As Single '4
    ProgressState As TaskbarLib.TBPFLAG '8
    Icon As AnimIcon
    ButtonsState As Long '36
End Type

And SetExtInfo is using CopyMemory ByVal pt, wi, Len(wi); when Len and LenB don't match; and

GetMem4 ByVal GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_USERDATA) + 34, stat
btnidx = GetBtnIndex(pos)
stat = stat Or (&H100& * (btnidx + 1))
GetMem4 stat, ByVal GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_USERDATA) + 34

Given your skills I'm extremely hesitant to assume this is a bug; so is there another reason why the 2 bytes padding + 2 bytes ButtonsState, instead of +36 and just ButtonsState? I suppose it doesn't strictly matter as long as its consistent, but who knows when someone else will get confused and go looking

Yes this is the bug. Thank you for testing! When i used GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_USERDATA) + 34 i just read/write to the padding and part of ButtonsState member. Because of i don't access to ButtonsState directly using VB6 code so this bug doesn't affect to program behavior. Thank you for the test, you are very attentive

[Nouyana]

Hi, The trick! Am I understand right that I can't use the Menu editor in this project? Or is there any workaround?

[The trick]

Hi, The trick! Am I understand right that I can't use the Menu editor in this project? Or is there any workaround?

It need to do additional steps to draw a menu because the menu is non-client area.

[Nouyana]

It need to do additional steps to draw a menu because the menu is non-client area.

It would be great! Especially if it becomes visual styled, not like in the days of Win98.