Enabling Windows XP Visual Styles

A programming tutorial by Lim, Chooi Guan

 

 

Preface

I have created this tutorial after reading an on-line reference on Microsoft’s MSDN library on creating applications which recognise Visual XP styles.  More information can be found at http://msdn.microsoft.com but the following information should be more than enough to get you a headstart.

 

 

Introduction

Using Windows XP you can now define the appearance of Window applications.

There are a few visual styles included with Windows XP.  Using a few lines of code you can incorporate the Windows XP visual style into your application.

 

The non-client area is specified by the currently installed visual style, i.e. window frame and non-client scrollbars.  To enable a visual style in an application’s client area you must use the windows common controls library version 6.0 i.e. ComCtl32.dll.  Version 6.0 is non-distributable and only available in an operating system that contains it.  By default applications use version 5.0.

 

By adding an application manifest which indicates that version 6.0 common controls should be used when available, your application will be able to take advantage of visual styles.

 

 

Enabling Visual Styles using an external manifest file

The easiest method would be to simply define a file with the following format. Make changes to the file to the name field as well as description field.

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>

<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">

<assemblyIdentity

    version="1.0.0.0"

    processorArchitecture="X86"

    name="CompanyName.ProductName.YourApp"

    type="win32"

/>

<description>Your application description here.</description>

<dependency>

    <dependentAssembly>

        <assemblyIdentity

            type="win32"

            name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls"

            version="6.0.0.0"

            processorArchitecture="X86"

            publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df"

            language="*"

        />

    </dependentAssembly>

</dependency>

</assembly>

 

Save the file in notepad as “YourApp.exe.manifest”. For example if your application is called “qfr.exe”, save the above file as “qfr.exe.manifest”.  Put the manifest file in the SAME directory as the executable.

 

The disadvantage of this method is that you’ll have to package the manifest file externally.  If it can’t be found, the application will not be able to take advantage of the visual styles.

Enabling Visual Styles using an embedded manifest file

This method will guarantee the application takes advantage of visual styles, without an external manifest file.  The manifest file is included as application source code.

 

You will need the Windows XP Beta 2 SDK or later.

 

Steps to follow

 

1. Include the common controls header file in the main application’s .cpp file.

·          #include “commctrl.h”

 

2. Define a preprocessor definition in the main application’s .cpp file.

·          #define SIDEBYSIDE_COMMONCONTROLS 1

 

3. Add a file called “YourApp.manifest” (For example if your application is called “qfr.exe”, save the above file as “qfr.manifest”.) to your source tree that has the following XML format. Make changes to the file to the name field as well as description field.

·          <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>

<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">

<assemblyIdentity

    version="1.0.0.0"

    processorArchitecture="X86"

    name="CompanyName.ProductName.YourApp"

    type="win32"

/>

<description>Your application description here.</description>

<dependency>

    <dependentAssembly>

        <assemblyIdentity

            type="win32"

            name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls"

            version="6.0.0.0"

            processorArchitecture="X86"

            publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df"

            language="*"

        />

    </dependentAssembly>

</dependency>

</assembly>

 

4. Add the manifest to your application’s resource file as follows:

·          CREATEPROCESS_MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID RT_MANIFEST "YourApp.manifest"

 

 

That’s is! Now compile and build your program’s executable.  Switch between visual styles under Windows XP, your application should take the look of the current visual style.  If Windows XP is not available, then your application should use version 5.0 of the common controls library.  So either way, it’s a major boon for the developer as the application will be able to recognise Visual XP styles when it is released.

 

 

You can check out my application “Quick File Rename” among others, which recognises visual styles at http://minimice.cjb.net