I have VB 5 learning edition which has suited me fine thus far believe it or not!
One thing has really been annoying me for quite some time. I can't find how to set the command buttons forecolor (at least with the VB version I have). Backcolor is no problem, and the forecolor property seems o.k for the other controls. Any clues, or is this one of the limitations with the "learning edition".
MrConfused 0 Light Poster
Comatose 290 Taboo Programmer Team Colleague
The forecolor, do you mean the color of the text (font), or the face of the button?
invisal 381 Search and Destroy
you can't do it there no easy to set command button forecolor. but you can use CheckBox instead, set Style = Graphical (it exactly look like button) , and copy this code in
Private Sub Check1_Click()
Check1.Value = 0
End Sub
there are hard way to do it using API
Option Explicit
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Copyright ©1996-2005 VBnet, Randy Birch, All Rights Reserved.
' Some pages may also contain other copyrights by the author.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Distribution: You can freely use this code in your own
' applications, but you may not reproduce
' or publish this code on any web site,
' online service, or distribute as source
' on any media without express permission.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'***********************************************************************
'* *
'* Copyright 1999 by Steve Derderian - The National Software Company *
'* *
'* Overview: *
'* *
'* This module allows you to colour the button text in a Visual Basic *
'* application. The module can only be used from VB program code *
'* (probably in the Form_Load event). *
'* *
'* Button text will appear black in the development environment. It *
'* will only be coloured while the program is running. All other *
'* button properties, methods and events will work normally. *
'* *
'* *
'* Only three steps are required to use this module. *
'* 1. Include this module in your VB project. *
'* 2. When you add a button to the form set the style property *
'* to Graphical. *
'* 3. Call "RegisterButton" for each button you want to colour. *
'* *
'* *
'* *
'* *
'* RegisterButton: *
'* *
'* Used to start colouring a button's text. *
'* *
'* Syntax -- RegisterButton(<Button>, <Forecolor>) *
'* *
'* Part Description *
'* ------------------------------------------------------------ *
'* Button The command button to register *
'* Forecolor The colour for the button text *
'* *
'* Returned Value -- Returns a Boolean value. True if the *
'* registration succeeded and false if it failed. *
'* *
'* Remarks -- To change the button text colour, call RegisterButton *
'* again with the new colour. This will not register the button *
'* twice. It will only change the colour of an already registered *
'* button. *
'* *
'* *
'* *
'* *
'* UnregisterButton: *
'* *
'* Used to stop colouring a button's text. *
'* *
'* Syntax -- UnregisterButton(<Button>) *
'* *
'* Part Description *
'* ------------------------------------------------------------ *
'* Button The command button to unregister *
'* *
'* Return Value -- Returns a Boolean value. True if the *
'* unregistration succeeded and false if it failed. *
'* *
'* Remarks -- You don't need to unregister all button that were *
'* registered. This will automatically be done when a form is *
'* closed. This function is only provided so that a VB program may *
'* stop colouring a button before the form is closed. *
'* *
'***********************************************************************
Private colButtons As New Collection
Private Const KeyConst = "K"
Private Const PROP_COLOR = "SMDColor"
Private Const PROP_HWNDPARENT = "SMDhWndParent"
Private Const PROP_LPWNDPROC = "SMDlpWndProc"
Private Const GWL_WNDPROC As Long = (-4)
Private Const ODA_SELECT As Long = &H2
Private Const ODS_SELECTED As Long = &H1
Private Const ODS_FOCUS As Long = &H10
Private Const ODS_BUTTONDOWN As Long = ODS_FOCUS Or ODS_SELECTED
Private Const WM_DESTROY As Long = &H2
Private Const WM_DRAWITEM As Long = &H2B
Private Const VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_NT As Long = 2
Private Type RECT
Left As Long
Top As Long
Right As Long
Bottom As Long
End Type
Private Type SIZE
cx As Long
cy As Long
End Type
Private Type DRAWITEMSTRUCT
CtlType As Long
CtlID As Long
itemID As Long
itemAction As Long
itemState As Long
hWndItem As Long
hDC As Long
rcItem As RECT
itemData As Long
End Type
Private Type OSVERSIONINFO
OSVSize As Long
dwVerMajor As Long
dwVerMinor As Long
dwBuildNumber As Long
PlatformID As Long
szCSDVersion As String * 128
End Type
Private Declare Function CallWindowProc Lib "user32" _
Alias "CallWindowProcA" _
(ByVal lpPrevWndFunc As Long, _
ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal msg As Long, _
ByVal wParam As Long, _
lParam As DRAWITEMSTRUCT) As Long
Private Declare Function GetParent Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetProp Lib "user32" _
Alias "GetPropA" _
(ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal lpString As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetTextExtentPoint32 Lib "gdi32" _
Alias "GetTextExtentPoint32A" _
(ByVal hDC As Long, _
ByVal lpSz As String, _
ByVal cbString As Long, _
lpSize As SIZE) As Long
Private Declare Function RemoveProp Lib "user32" _
Alias "RemovePropA" _
(ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal lpString As String) As Long
Private Declare Function SetProp Lib "user32" _
Alias "SetPropA" _
(ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal lpString As String, _
ByVal hData As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetTextColor Lib "gdi32" _
(ByVal hDC As Long, _
ByVal crColor As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "user32" _
Alias "SetWindowLongA" _
(ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal nIndex As Long, _
ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function TextOut Lib "gdi32" _
Alias "TextOutA" _
(ByVal hDC As Long, _
ByVal x As Long, _
ByVal y As Long, _
ByVal lpString As String, _
ByVal nCount As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetVersionEx Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetVersionExA" _
(lpVersionInformation As Any) As Long
Private Function FindButton(sKey As String) As Boolean
Dim cmdButton As CommandButton
On Error Resume Next
Set cmdButton = colButtons.Item(sKey)
FindButton = (Err.Number = 0)
End Function
Private Function GetKey(hWnd As Long) As String
GetKey = KeyConst & hWnd
End Function
Private Function ProcessButton(ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal uMsg As Long, _
ByVal wParam As Long, _
lParam As DRAWITEMSTRUCT, _
sKey As String) As Long
Dim cmdButton As CommandButton
Dim bRC As Boolean
Dim lRC As Long
Dim x As Long
Dim y As Long
Dim lpWndProC As Long
Dim lButtonWidth As Long
Dim lButtonHeight As Long
Dim lPrevColor As Long
Dim lColor As Long
Dim TextSize As SIZE
Dim sCaption As String
Const PushOffset = 2
Set cmdButton = colButtons.Item(sKey)
sCaption = cmdButton.Caption
lColor = GetProp(cmdButton.hWnd, PROP_COLOR)
lPrevColor = SetTextColor(lParam.hDC, lColor)
'in Pixels/Logical Units
lRC = GetTextExtentPoint32(lParam.hDC, sCaption, Len(sCaption), TextSize)
'in Pixels/Logical Units
lButtonHeight = lParam.rcItem.Bottom - lParam.rcItem.Top
lButtonWidth = lParam.rcItem.Right - lParam.rcItem.Left
'the button is pressed! Offset the text
'so it looks like the button is pushed
If ((lParam.itemState And ODS_BUTTONDOWN) = ODS_BUTTONDOWN) Then
cmdButton.SetFocus
DoEvents 'unneeded on XP - could use If Not IsWinXPPlus() Then DoEvents
x = (lButtonWidth - TextSize.cx + PushOffset) \ 2
y = (lButtonHeight - TextSize.cy + PushOffset) \ 2
Else
x = (lButtonWidth - TextSize.cx) \ 2
y = (lButtonHeight - TextSize.cy) \ 2
End If
'get the default WndProc address
lpWndProC = GetProp(hWnd, PROP_LPWNDPROC)
'do the default button processing
ProcessButton = CallWindowProc(lpWndProC, hWnd, uMsg, wParam, lParam)
'put our text on the button
bRC = TextOut(lParam.hDC, x, y, sCaption, Len(sCaption))
'Restore the device context to the original color
lRC = SetTextColor(lParam.hDC, lPrevColor)
ProcessButton_Exit:
Set cmdButton = Nothing
End Function
Private Sub RemoveForm(hWndParent As Long)
Dim hWndButton As Long
Dim cnt As Integer
UnsubclassForm hWndParent
On Error GoTo RemoveForm_Exit
For cnt = colButtons.Count - 1 To 0 Step -1
hWndButton = colButtons(cnt).hWnd
If GetProp(hWndButton, PROP_HWNDPARENT) = hWndParent Then
RemoveProp hWndButton, PROP_COLOR
RemoveProp hWndButton, PROP_HWNDPARENT
colButtons.Remove cnt
End If
Next cnt
RemoveForm_Exit:
End Sub
Private Function UnsubclassForm(hWnd As Long) As Boolean
Dim lpWndProC As Long
lpWndProC = GetProp(hWnd, PROP_LPWNDPROC)
If lpWndProC = 0 Then
UnsubclassForm = False
Else
Call SetWindowLong(hWnd, GWL_WNDPROC, lpWndProC)
RemoveProp hWnd, PROP_LPWNDPROC
UnsubclassForm = True
End If
End Function
Private Function ButtonColorProc(ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal uMsg As Long, _
ByVal wParam As Long, _
lParam As DRAWITEMSTRUCT) As Long
Dim lpWndProC As Long
Dim bProcessButton As Boolean
Dim sButtonKey As String
bProcessButton = False 'Assume default processing
If (uMsg = WM_DRAWITEM) Then
'Do we have this button? To find out, just
'try to reference the item in the collection.
'If it's there, we own the button. If it's
'not there, we'll get an error.
sButtonKey = GetKey(lParam.hWndItem)
bProcessButton = FindButton(sButtonKey)
End If
If bProcessButton Then
ProcessButton hWnd, uMsg, wParam, lParam, sButtonKey
Else
lpWndProC = GetProp(hWnd, PROP_LPWNDPROC)
ButtonColorProc = CallWindowProc(lpWndProC, hWnd, uMsg, wParam, lParam)
If uMsg = WM_DESTROY Then RemoveForm hWnd
End If
End Function
Public Function RegisterButton(Button As CommandButton, _
Forecolor As Long) As Boolean
Dim hWndParent As Long
Dim lpWndProC As Long
Dim sButtonKey As String
'Make the colButtons key for the button
sButtonKey = GetKey(Button.hWnd)
'If we already own the button, just change the
'color otherwise we need to process the whole thing.
If FindButton(sButtonKey) Then
SetProp Button.hWnd, PROP_COLOR, Forecolor
Button.Refresh
Else
'Get the handle to the buttons parent form.
hWndParent = GetParent(Button.hWnd)
'If we can't find a parent form, report a
'problem and get out.
If (hWndParent = 0) Then
RegisterButton = False
Exit Function
End If
'found the parent, gather all of the necessary
'button values and add it to the collection.
colButtons.Add Button, sButtonKey
SetProp Button.hWnd, PROP_COLOR, Forecolor
SetProp Button.hWnd, PROP_HWNDPARENT, hWndParent
'Determine if we've already subclassed this form.
lpWndProC = GetProp(hWndParent, PROP_LPWNDPROC)
'It's a new form. Subclass it and add the
'Window proc address to the collection.
If (lpWndProC = 0) Then
lpWndProC = SetWindowLong(hWndParent, _
GWL_WNDPROC, AddressOf ButtonColorProc)
SetProp hWndParent, PROP_LPWNDPROC, lpWndProC
End If
End If
RegisterButton = True
End Function
Public Function UnregisterButton(Button As CommandButton) As Boolean
Dim hWndParent As Long
Dim sKeyButton As String
sKeyButton = GetKey(Button.hWnd)
If (FindButton(sKeyButton) = False) Then
UnregisterButton = False
Exit Function
End If
hWndParent = GetProp(Button.hWnd, PROP_HWNDPARENT)
UnregisterButton = UnsubclassForm(hWndParent)
colButtons.Remove sKeyButton
RemoveProp Button.hWnd, PROP_COLOR
RemoveProp Button.hWnd, PROP_HWNDPARENT
End Function
Private Function IsWinXPPlus() As Boolean
'returns True if running WinXP (NT5.1) or later
Dim osv As OSVERSIONINFO
osv.OSVSize = Len(osv)
If GetVersionEx(osv) = 1 Then
IsWinXPPlus = (osv.PlatformID = VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_NT) And _
(osv.dwVerMajor >= 5 And osv.dwVerMinor >= 1)
End If
End Function
this code i take from http://vbnet.mvps.org/index.html?code/subclass/buttoncolour.htm
and another way is using another Button Components, there are alot of free components.
Comatose commented: Good Job Visal +1
MrConfused 0 Light Poster
Yes. The color of the caption on the command button, believe it or not!
MrConfused 0 Light Poster
Thanks. Is this a limitation put on VB5 learning edition only, or does the same apply for the other versions? Also do you know if VB6 is still available?
Thanks.
Comatose 290 Taboo Programmer Team Colleague
This is a limitation of all the VB's that I know of. I'm trying to find a less complicated way to accomplish what Visal had posted... but it looks like his plan so far is the best. I've still got a couple of tricks up my sleeve, that I'm trying to work out right now, and I'll let you know what I come up with. I don't believe vendors still carry VB6, but I'm sure you can find a copy on Ebay.
Comatose 290 Taboo Programmer Team Colleague
I think Visal Hit the nail on the head with that one..... it's easiest to use a checkbox with the style set to graphical...
danomac 0 Newbie Poster
you could always use photshop or a similar program, edit the picture the way you wanted to, then import it as a picture..... it does take a little bit in order to get the sizing right, but may be easier then writing a bit of code for it especially for those who are just getting into the language
hope this helps
dan
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