Custom program style (GUI look and feel)

[Adelyra]

Hello,

I've been searching the internet and so far haven't come up with any answers that can set me on te right path...

I'd like to make a program in C++ that has it's own style. I'm thinking of programs like Steam or Photoshop where the actual GUI is not the typical windows theme.

Is there a proper way to go about this?

Thanks!!

[webJose]

The basic idea is to handle the WM_NCPAINT window message. Then you're responsible of drawing everything, including the window frame which is your goal, if I understood correctly.

[Computergeek01]

Yeah, you would just use the standard WNDCLASSEX struct and fiddle around with the specific members until you get what you want. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms633577(v=vs.85).aspx here is the MSDN link to the struct. You probably want to customize the background, cursor and icon.

[blackcoder41]

webJose+1

take a look at this tutorial. http://www.rohitab.com/discuss/topic/27876-how-to-skin-your-guis-in-cc-part-1/

[Stewbond]

That's a great article backcoder41

[Adelyra]

Thanks so much for the information!!! I'll have a look at these articles and start messing around. If I come up with anything good I'll let you know!!!

[modoran]

If you only want to skin the client area you could use a webbrowser control, using only html and javascript for skinning. The program logic it is still c++. Many Microsoft programs use this trick.

[Adelyra]

If you only want to skin the client area you could use a webbrowser control, using only html and javascript for skinning. The program logic it is still c++. Many Microsoft programs use this trick.

That's not a bad idea... and I could get rid of the window titlebar and manually program the close, min/max functionality in...

Thanks!

[blackcoder41]

modoran wrote:

If you only want to skin the client area you could use a webbrowser control, using only html and javascript for skinning. The program logic it is still c++. Many Microsoft programs use this trick.

how is that done? yeah i notice some programs seems like html of some sort. and some programs are affected by installing newer version of IE. i'm guessing ActiveX controls??

[modoran]

Yes, behind the scenes the application uses ActiveX controls using IWebBrowser2 COM interface. However, your application it is just a client, not a server.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa752040(v=vs.85).aspx