How To Use DrawFrameControl API in Visual Basic (141999)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
This article was previously published under Q141999

SUMMARY

The Win32 API includes a handy function called DrawFrameControl. This function is useful for drawing many of the standard Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me 3D controls as graphic objects on your forms. The function only draws the controls on your form. To make these drawings behave like controls, you must add code to provide this functionality.

MORE INFORMATION

This sample demonstrates how to use the DrawFrameControl function. You create a module that declares the necessary constants and the DrawFrameControl function. The form contains code to call the function and draw the controls on your form. When you run the program, control drawings appear on the form.
  1. Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
  2. Add a BAS module to the project and add the following code to the module:
          '*****************************************************************
      ' DrawFram.bas - Contains API declarations and constants for the
      '                DrawFrameControl API function.
      '*****************************************************************
      Option Explicit

      Public Type RECT
         Left As Long
         Top As Long
         Right As Long
         Bottom As Long
      End Type

      '  flags for DrawFrameControl

      Public Const DFC_CAPTION = 1            'Title bar
      Public Const DFC_MENU = 2               'Menu
      Public Const DFC_SCROLL = 3             'Scroll bar
      Public Const DFC_BUTTON = 4             'Standard button

      Public Const DFCS_CAPTIONCLOSE = &H0    'Close button
      Public Const DFCS_CAPTIONMIN = &H1      'Minimize button
      Public Const DFCS_CAPTIONMAX = &H2      'Maximize button
      Public Const DFCS_CAPTIONRESTORE = &H3  'Restore button
      Public Const DFCS_CAPTIONHELP = &H4     'Windows 95 only:
                                              'Help button

      Public Const DFCS_MENUARROW = &H0       'Submenu arrow
      Public Const DFCS_MENUCHECK = &H1       'Check mark
      Public Const DFCS_MENUBULLET = &H2      'Bullet
      Public Const DFCS_MENUARROWRIGHT = &H4

      Public Const DFCS_SCROLLUP = &H0               'Up arrow of scroll
                                                     'bar
      Public Const DFCS_SCROLLDOWN = &H1             'Down arrow of
                                                     'scroll bar
      Public Const DFCS_SCROLLLEFT = &H2             'Left arrow of
                                                     'scroll bar
      Public Const DFCS_SCROLLRIGHT = &H3            'Right arrow of
                                                     'scroll bar
      Public Const DFCS_SCROLLCOMBOBOX = &H5         'Combo box scroll
                                                     'bar
      Public Const DFCS_SCROLLSIZEGRIP = &H8         'Size grip
      Public Const DFCS_SCROLLSIZEGRIPRIGHT = &H10   'Size grip in
                                                     'bottom-right
                                                     'corner of window

      Public Const DFCS_BUTTONCHECK = &H0      'Check box

      Public Const DFCS_BUTTONRADIO = &H4     'Radio button
      Public Const DFCS_BUTTON3STATE = &H8    'Three-state button
      Public Const DFCS_BUTTONPUSH = &H10     'Push button

      Public Const DFCS_INACTIVE = &H100      'Button is inactive
                                              '(grayed)
      Public Const DFCS_PUSHED = &H200        'Button is pushed
      Public Const DFCS_CHECKED = &H400       'Button is checked

      Public Const DFCS_ADJUSTRECT = &H2000   'Bounding rectangle is
                                              'adjusted to exclude the
                                              'surrounding edge of the
                                              'push button

      Public Const DFCS_FLAT = &H4000         'Button has a flat border
      Public Const DFCS_MONO = &H8000         'Button has a monochrome
                                              'border

      Public Declare Function DrawFrameControl Lib "user32" (ByVal _
         hDC&, lpRect As RECT, ByVal un1 As Long, ByVal un2 As Long) _
         As Boolean
  3. Copy the following code to the Form1 Code Window:
          '********************************************************************
      ' DrawFram.frm - Demonstrates how to use DrawFrameControl
      '********************************************************************
      Option Explicit

      '********************************************************************
      ' Helper function that allows a you to load a rect on one line
      '********************************************************************
      Private Function MakeRect(l As Long, t As Long, w As Long, _
                                h As Long) As RECT
         With MakeRect
            .Left = l
            .Top = t
            .Right = l + w
            .Bottom = t + h
         End With

      End Function

      Private Sub Form_Load()
         ScaleMode = vbPixels
         AutoRedraw = True

      'Captions
      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(10, 10, 15, 15), DFC_CAPTION, _
         DFCS_CAPTIONCLOSE

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(10, 30, 15, 15), DFC_CAPTION, _
         DFCS_CAPTIONRESTORE

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(10, 50, 15, 15), DFC_CAPTION, _
         DFCS_CAPTIONMAX Or DFCS_INACTIVE

      ' Menus
      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(30, 10, 15, 15), DFC_MENU, _
         DFCS_MENUARROW

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(30, 30, 15, 15), DFC_MENU, _
         DFCS_MENUCHECK

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(30, 50, 15, 15), DFC_MENU, _
         DFCS_MENUBULLET

      ' Scrollbars
      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(50, 10, 15, 15), DFC_SCROLL, _
         DFCS_SCROLLUP

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(50, 30, 15, 15), DFC_SCROLL, _
         DFCS_SCROLLSIZEGRIP

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(50, 50, 15, 15), DFC_SCROLL, _
         DFCS_SCROLLRIGHT Or DFCS_INACTIVE

      ' Checkboxes
      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(70, 10, 15, 15), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONCHECK

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(70, 30, 15, 15), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONCHECK Or DFCS_CHECKED

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(70, 50, 15, 15), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONCHECK Or DFCS_CHECKED Or DFCS_BUTTON3STATE

      ' Option Buttons
      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(90, 10, 15, 15), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONRADIO

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(90, 30, 15, 15), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONRADIO Or DFCS_CHECKED

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(90, 50, 15, 15), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONRADIO Or DFCS_CHECKED Or DFCS_FLAT

      ' Push Button
      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(110, 10, 50, 20), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONPUSH

      DrawFrameControl hDC, MakeRect(110, 40, 50, 20), DFC_BUTTON, _
         DFCS_BUTTONPUSH Or DFCS_PUSHED

      End Sub
  4. On the Run menu, click Start or press the F5 key to start the program. The form appears with drawings of the controls.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/13/2004
Keywords:kbAPI kbhowto KB141999
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