Easy way to use Skins (visual styles)
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Hello, is it a good way (and easy) to use skins (visual styles) in c# with .net ? I have a custom control called XPExplorer Bar : http://www.codeproject.com/KB/miscctrl/XPTaskBar.aspx It's a great control and to use a skin with it (from a .dll that contains an UI file) I just use something like : taskPane1.UseCustomTheme("themes/4.dll"); If I use the above line the visual style from the DLL is applied to the control. I would like to do the same with the TopMenu (the menu strip) and other buttons/controls ... I hope some one can guide me with this, thanx
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Hello, is it a good way (and easy) to use skins (visual styles) in c# with .net ? I have a custom control called XPExplorer Bar : http://www.codeproject.com/KB/miscctrl/XPTaskBar.aspx It's a great control and to use a skin with it (from a .dll that contains an UI file) I just use something like : taskPane1.UseCustomTheme("themes/4.dll"); If I use the above line the visual style from the DLL is applied to the control. I would like to do the same with the TopMenu (the menu strip) and other buttons/controls ... I hope some one can guide me with this, thanx
It is not as simple as that for using visual styles in applications as everything is drawn using the uxtheme WinAPI within Windows XP/Vista. One of my articles might be able to assist with a different method of theming controls with WinForms. Theming in general gets easier with WPF, but even then you are not able to alter aspects using visual styles of the uxtheme engine.
Regards, Thomas Stockwell Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. Visit my Blog