Classes and styles

From EuWiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Contents

[edit]

What's this?

As mentioned in other pages, each control belongs to a class, and each class has a variety of defaults, among which styles and extended styles. The latter are distinct only for historical reasons.

For each Window control class, the list of recognised (extended) style flags is given in the API documentation, as well as what these styles do. Please refer to that documentation for style complete lists and meanings.

Controls which are not Window and have an underlying Win32 class are created as instances of that class, with a certain set of styles.

Windows are created from classes whose name is made from the application name, plus a serial number. This enables commands related to basic drawing (like setting the background color) to operate only on the designated window. However, sometimes, it might be useful to create windows from the same class as another window, so that style change apply to all of the windows at once. No documented mechanism is provided.

The name of the class a control belongs to is available by calling getClassName(control_id). The kick2.exw demo program shows how it may help.

You can register a class yourself by calling the undocumented procedure registerClass(className). The argument is either:

  • an atom, the address of the class name string in RAM, or a global Windows atom;
  • A string;
  • A 3 element sequence: the first one is a string or string pointer, the second one is the default class style and the third is the amount of user data you want to associate which each instance of the class.
[edit]

Setting and retrieving styles

[edit]

For a whole class

Use 

oldData=classDefaults(class_name,flag_data)

where class_name is a class name as a string, and flag_data is a sequence of zero or more pairs {flag_type,value}. flag_type is an atom, which must be any of:

  • CCflags to get normal style flags
  • CCexflags to get extended style flags
  • CCwinstyle to get the windows class style flags.

Values are either sums of flags (or rather logical ORs of them), or sequences of flags, or'ed together by the library.

A special useful case arises from setting flag_data to {}; this simply returns the current values.

[edit]

For an individual control

  • At creation time, you can specify extra styles to be or'ed to the default styles of the control class, or a list of flags to be used replacing any prior setting. See documentation for createEx().
  • You can use addStyle() or removeStyle() to add or remove a style after a control was created. However, some of the removals or additions are not taken into account at run time.
  • Use getControlInfo(control_id,CONTROLINFO_classinfo) to get a sequence among the items of which are the current style and extended style flags for the control. Of course, the second argument may be a sequence one of the atoms of which is classinfo.
  • There is also a getStyleFlags(control_id) which returns a pair {style flags,extended style flags};
  • Extended styles are so pivotal in how ListViews behave that the library supplies a setLVStyles() procedure to set these extended flags.

When the MSDN documentation states that "you can use SetWindowLong() to change this style", it concretely means that add/removeStyle() will work.

[edit]

Windows' class styles

CS_BYTEALIGNCLIENT
Aligns the window's client area on a byte boundary (in the x direction) to enhance performance during drawing operations. This style affects the width of the window and its horizontal placement on the display.
CS_BYTEALIGNWINDOW
Aligns the window on a byte boundary (in the x direction) to enhance performance during operations that involve moving or sizing the window. This style affects the width of the window and its horizontal placement on the display.
CS_CLASSDC
Allocates one device context to be shared by all windows in the class. For more information about device contexts, see Class and Private Device Contexts and Device Contexts.
CS_DBLCLKS
Instructs Windows to send a double-click message to the window procedure when the user double-clicks the mouse while the cursor is within a window belonging to the class. For more information about double-clicks, see Mouse Input.
CS_GLOBALCLASS
Specifies that the window class is an application global class. For more information, see Application Global Classes.
CS_HREDRAW
Specifies that the entire window is to be redrawn if a movement or size adjustment changes the width of the client area.
CS_NOCLOSE
Disables the Close command on the System menu.
CS_OWNDC
Allocates a unique device context for each window in the class. For more information about device contexts, see Class and Private Device Contexts and Device Contexts.
CS_PARENTDC
Sets the clipping rectangle of the child window to that of the parent window so that the child can draw on the parent. A window with the CS_PARENTDC style bit receives a regular device context from the system's cache of device contexts. It does not give the child the parent's device context or device context settings. Specifying CS_PARENTDC enhances an application's performance. For more information about device contexts, see Class and Private Device Contexts and Device Contexts.
CS_SAVEBITS
Saves, as a bitmap, the portion of the screen image obscured by a window. Windows uses the saved bitmap to re-create the screen image when the window is removed. Windows displays the bitmap at its original location and does not send WM_PAINT messages to windows obscured by the window if other screen actions have not invalidated the stored image. Use this style for small windows that are displayed briefly and then removed before other screen activity takes place (for example, menus or dialog boxes). This style increases the time required to display the window, because the operating system must first allocate memory to store the bitmap.
CS_VREDRAW
Specifies that the entire window is to be redrawn if a movement or size adjustment changes the height of the client area.
[edit]

Current defaults

[edit]

Windows class defaults

They are set to CS_CBLCKS, which enables double clicks to be processed by the control event handlers.

[edit]

Default settings

Here is a list of the default flags used when creating controls. The list is arranged by control type.

[edit]

Styles that apply to windows

See the swin.exw or Wstyles.exw demo programs for example of using these constants.

[edit]

Non extended styles

WS_BORDER
Creates a window that has a thin-line border.
WS_CAPTION
Creates a window that has a title bar (includes the WS_BORDER style).
WS_CHILD
Creates a child window. A window with this style cannot have a menu bar. This style cannot be used with the WS_POPUP style.
WS_CHILDWINDOW
Same as the WS_CHILD style.
WS_CLIPCHILDREN
Excludes the area occupied by child windows when drawing occurs within the parent window. This style is used when creating the parent window.
WS_CLIPSIBLINGS
Clips child windows relative to each other; that is, when a particular child window receives a WM_PAINT message, the WS_CLIPSIBLINGS style clips all other overlapping child windows out of the region of the child window to be updated. If WS_CLIPSIBLINGS is not specified and child windows overlap, it is possible, when drawing within the client area of a child window, to draw within the client area of a neighboring child window.
WS_DISABLED
Creates a window that is initially disabled. A disabled window cannot receive input from the user. To change this after a window has been created, use EnableWindow.
WS_DLGFRAME
Creates a window that has a border of a style typically used with dialog boxes. A window with this style cannot have a title bar.
WS_GROUP
Specifies the first control of a group of controls. The group consists of this first control and all controls defined after it, up to the next control with the WS_GROUP style. The first control in each group usually has the WS_TABSTOP style so that the user can move from group to group. The user can subsequently change the keyboard focus from one control in the group to the next control in the group by using the direction keys. ou can turn this style on and off to change dialog box navigation. To change this style after a window has been created, use SetWindowLong.
WS_HSCROLL
Creates a window that has a horizontal scroll bar.
WS_ICONIC
Creates a window that is initially minimized. Same as the WS_MINIMIZE style.
WS_MAXIMIZE
Creates a window that is initially maximized.
WS_MAXIMIZEBOX
Creates a window that has a maximize button. Cannot be combined with the WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP style. The WS_SYSMENU style must also be specified.
WS_MINIMIZE
Creates a window that is initially minimized. Same as the WS_ICONIC style.
WS_MINIMIZEBOX
Creates a window that has a minimize button. Cannot be combined with the WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP style. The WS_SYSMENU style must also be specified.
WS_OVERLAPPED
Creates an overlapped window. An overlapped window has a title bar and a border. Same as the WS_TILED style.
WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW
Creates an overlapped window with the WS_OVERLAPPED, WS_CAPTION, WS_SYSMENU, WS_THICKFRAME, WS_MINIMIZEBOX, and WS_MAXIMIZEBOX styles. Same as the WS_TILEDWINDOW style.
WS_POPUP
Creates a pop-up window. This style cannot be used with the WS_CHILD style.
WS_POPUPWINDOW
Creates a pop-up window with WS_BORDER, WS_POPUP, and WS_SYSMENU styles. The WS_CAPTION and WS_POPUPWINDOW styles must be combined to make the window menu visible.
WS_SIZEBOX
Creates a window that has a sizing border. Same as the WS_THICKFRAME style.
WS_SYSMENU
Creates a window that has a window menu on its title bar. The WS_CAPTION style must also be specified.
WS_TABSTOP
Specifies a control that can receive the keyboard focus when the user presses the TAB key. Pressing the TAB key changes the keyboard focus to the next control with the WS_TABSTOP style. You can turn this style on and off to change dialog box navigation. To change this style after a window has been created, use SetWindowLong.
WS_THICKFRAME
Creates a window that has a sizing border. Same as the WS_SIZEBOX style.
WS_TILED
Creates an overlapped window. An overlapped window has a title bar and a border. Same as the WS_OVERLAPPED style.
WS_TILEDWINDOW
Creates an overlapped window with the WS_OVERLAPPED, WS_CAPTION, WS_SYSMENU, WS_THICKFRAME, WS_MINIMIZEBOX, and WS_MAXIMIZEBOX styles. Same as the WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW style.
WS_VISIBLE
Creates a window that is initially visible.

This style can be turned on and off by using ShowWindow or SetWindowPos.

WS_VSCROLL
Creates a window that has a vertical scroll bar.
[edit]

Extended styles

WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES
Specifies that a window created with this style accepts drag-drop files.
WS_EX_APPWINDOW
Forces a top-level window onto the taskbar when the window is visible.
WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE
Specifies that a window has a border with a sunken edge.
WS_EX_COMPOSITED
Windows XP: Paints all descendants of a window in bottom-to-top painting order using double-buffering. Bottom-to-top painting order allows a descendent window to have translucency (alpha) and transparency (color-key) effects, but only if the descendent window also has the WS_EX_TRANSPARENT bit set. Double-buffering allows the window and its descendents to be painted without flicker.
This cannot be used if the window has a class style of either CS_OWNDC or CS_CLASSDC.
WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP
Includes a question mark in the title bar of the window. When the user clicks the question mark, the cursor changes to a question mark with a pointer. If the user then clicks a child window, the child receives a WM_HELP message. The child window should pass the message to the parent window procedure, which should call the WinHelp function using the HELP_WM_HELP command. The Help application displays a pop-up window that typically contains help for the child window.
WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP cannot be used with the WS_MAXIMIZEBOX or WS_MINIMIZEBOX styles.
WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT
The window itself contains child windows that should take part in dialog box navigation. If this style is specified, the dialog manager recurses into children of this window when performing navigation operations such as handling the TAB key, an arrow key, or a keyboard mnemonic.
WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME
Creates a window that has a double border; the window can, optionally, be created with a title bar by specifying the WS_CAPTION style in the dwStyle parameter.
WS_EX_LAYERED
Windows 2000/XP: Creates a layered window. Note that this cannot be used for child windows. Also, this cannot be used if the window has a class style of either CS_OWNDC or CS_CLASSDC.
To work on layered windows, use the SetLayeredWindowAttributes() and UpdateLayeredWindow() API routines, not wrapped.
WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL
Arabic and Hebrew versions of Windows 98/Me, Windows 2000/XP: Creates a window whose horizontal origin is on the right edge. Increasing horizontal values advance to the left.
WS_EX_LEFT
Creates a window that has generic left-aligned properties. This is the default.
WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR
If the shell language is Hebrew, Arabic, or another language that supports reading order alignment, the vertical scroll bar (if present) is to the left of the client area. For other languages, the style is ignored.
WS_EX_LTRREADING
The window text is displayed using left-to-right reading-order properties. This is the default.
WS_EX_MDICHILD
Creates a multiple-document interface (MDI) child window.
WS_EX_NOACTIVATE
Windows 2000/XP: A top-level window created with this style does not become the foreground window when the user clicks it. The system does not bring this window to the foreground when the user minimizes or closes the foreground window.
To activate the window, use the SetActiveWindow or SetForegroundWindow function.
The window does not appear on the taskbar by default. To force the window to appear on the taskbar, use the WS_EX_APPWINDOW style.
WS_EX_NOINHERITLAYOUT
Windows 2000/XP: A window created with this style does not pass its window layout to its child windows.
WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTIFY
Specifies that a child window created with this style does not send the WM_PARENTNOTIFY message to its parent window when it is created or destroyed.
WS_EX_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW
Combines the WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE and WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE styles.
WS_EX_PALETTEWINDOW
Combines the WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE, WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW, and WS_EX_TOPMOST styles.
WS_EX_RIGHT

The window has generic "right-aligned" properties. This depends on the window class. This style has an effect only if the shell language is Hebrew, Arabic, or another language that supports reading-order alignment; otherwise, the style is ignored. Using the WS_EX_RIGHT style for static or edit controls has the same effect as using the SS_RIGHT or ES_RIGHT style, respectively. Using this style with button controls has the same effect as using BS_RIGHT and BS_RIGHTBUTTON styles.

WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR
Vertical scroll bar (if present) is to the right of the client area. This is the default.
WS_EX_RTLREADING
If the shell language is Hebrew, Arabic, or another language that supports reading-order alignment, the window text is displayed using right-to-left reading-order properties. For other languages, the style is ignored.
WS_EX_STATICEDGE
Creates a window with a three-dimensional border style intended to be used for items that do not accept user input.
WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW
Creates a tool window; that is, a window intended to be used as a floating toolbar. A tool window has a title bar that is shorter than a normal title bar, and the window title is drawn using a smaller font. A tool window does not appear in the taskbar or in the dialog that appears when the user presses ALT+TAB. If a tool window has a system menu, its icon is not displayed on the title bar. However, you can display the system menu by right-clicking or by typing ALT+SPACE.
WS_EX_TOPMOST
Specifies that a window created with this style should be placed above all non-topmost windows and should stay above them, even when the window is deactivated. To add or remove this style, use the SetWindowPos function.
WS_EX_TRANSPARENT
Specifies that a window created with this style should not be painted until siblings beneath the window (that were created by the same thread) have been painted. The window appears transparent because the bits of underlying sibling windows have already been painted.
To achieve transparency without these restrictions, use the SetWindowRgn function.
WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE
Specifies that a window has a border with a raised edge.


NOTE: if you create a top level window with a style of 0, the window will have the WS_CAPTION style, which includes a title bar and a border. To create a top level window that only has a client area, define a procedure which performs 

removeStyle(the_window,WS_CAPTION)

and set it as a handler for the_window and the w32HActivate event. This way, when the_window opens, it is borderless and has no title bar. Creating a window with the WS_CHILD style and a parent of 0 might seem more straightforward; but, on some systems, it causes CreateWindow() to fail and attempts to end the Windows sessionn.

[edit]

Windows XP visual styles

Or rather ComCtl32.dll v6.0 styles. For the newer controls and functionalities in this dll to be available, you must:

  • have an OS that ships with, it, as this version is not redistributable. Unfortunately, open_dll() does not enable to specify a dll version.
  • wrap the appropriate routines and constants from this dll just like for any Windows dll
  • Add in the directory of your application (the one from which it is launched) a special file. The file must be named YourApplication.manifest, and must have the following contents: 
<?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="HybridDesign.
WindowsXP.Example" type="win32" />
<description>An example of windows XP theming.</description>
<dependency><dependentAssembly>
<assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls" version="6.0.
0.0" processorArchitecture="X86" publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df" language="*" />
</dependentAssembly></dependency>
</assembly>

The application name given in the manifest doesn't seem to matter. At any rate, the .exe extension is not necessary. The "X86" architecture may be replaced by "". What matters is the file name, in the form exw.exe.manifest (indeed, that's the executable being launched).

Since this approach does not work, you may have to determine where, in your system, to find the required dll file, and edit w32comctl.ew by providing an explicit path at line 6.

Retrieved from "http://euwiki.ayo.biz/Classes_and_styles"
Personal tools