VB.Net Standard Control Appearance Problems

[=?Utf-8?B?R3JlZw==?=]

I am used to using third party controls when it comes to setting up
appearences. But, now I am using Visual Basic.Net controls that come standard
with the product. I've come across a frustration situation with the combo box
and text box controls.

I setup the text box control appearence settings the way I want the control
to appear. Basically, I have set the "Border Style=FixedSing le", which
results in the control taking on a flat appearence and a black border around
the control.

Now, I want to make my combo box take on the same appearence, as I like all
of the controls in my application to take on the same characteristics . Now,
for the combo box I look in the Apperance Group and do not find a "Border
Style" property. The only thing clost to it that I see is the
"FlatStyle=Flat ", which makes the combo box control appear flat, but the
border of the control is not highlight with a black border, thus both of my
controls look nothing alike.

Now, I have read some books on VB.Net and if I recall correctly, these
controls inherit from the Control class. I would take this to mean that all
the controls take on the same properties and methods as inherited from the
base control class.

But, what I have found is that both the text box and combo box controls have
different Appearence properties and thus I cannot use a common set of
settings to make the controls look the same, using the same appearance
settings. I come from an Access background, and I always give the controls in
my application the same appearance and it makes my application look very
professional.

How can I make the combo box and text box controls take on the same
appearancees so they look to take on the same Appearance characteristics .

If anyone can help me get these two controls to take on the same appearance
characteristics , that would be greatly appreciated.

Greg

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

Greg,

Be aware that something can be inherited, but also a piece can be shadowed,
which means that the behaviour is changed.

However, maybe this helps

http://www.vb-tips.com/ControlBorder.aspx

Cor

"Greg" <Ac**********@n ewsgroups.nospa mschreef in bericht
news:55******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

>I am used to using third party controls when it comes to setting up
appearences. But, now I am using Visual Basic.Net controls that come
standard
with the product. I've come across a frustration situation with the combo
box
and text box controls.

I setup the text box control appearence settings the way I want the
control
to appear. Basically, I have set the "Border Style=FixedSing le", which
results in the control taking on a flat appearence and a black border
around
the control.

Now, I want to make my combo box take on the same appearence, as I like
all
of the controls in my application to take on the same characteristics .
Now,
for the combo box I look in the Apperance Group and do not find a "Border
Style" property. The only thing clost to it that I see is the
"FlatStyle=Flat ", which makes the combo box control appear flat, but the
border of the control is not highlight with a black border, thus both of
my
controls look nothing alike.

Now, I have read some books on VB.Net and if I recall correctly, these
controls inherit from the Control class. I would take this to mean that
all
the controls take on the same properties and methods as inherited from the
base control class.

But, what I have found is that both the text box and combo box controls
have
different Appearence properties and thus I cannot use a common set of
settings to make the controls look the same, using the same appearance
settings. I come from an Access background, and I always give the controls
in
my application the same appearance and it makes my application look very
professional.

How can I make the combo box and text box controls take on the same
appearancees so they look to take on the same Appearance characteristics .

If anyone can help me get these two controls to take on the same
appearance
characteristics , that would be greatly appreciated.

Greg

[Joergen Bech]

That example would have a few problems in the real world, e.g.

1) It does not enumerate the controls recursively. Only the
controls that are direct children of the form, but not those of
groupboxes, etc.

2) It draws the rectangles on the form, rather than the
textboxes. In other words, the rectangles would be drawn
behind the textboxes. I have not run the sample, but I cannot
see how it could possibly work.

3) If a single pixel of the form background is exposed (i.e.
invalidated by another form moved away from it), all the
textbox borders would be redrawn (or rather, they would not
- see above). If, on the other hand, a textbox on the form
was invalidated (the textbox window - not the value),
nothing would happen, which is the exact opposite of what
is needed.

4) Even if it worked, similar code would have to be written
to handle other control types, i.e. the TypeOf case would
have to be extended.

5) This snippet of code would have to be added to every
form that needed to control its children in this manner.

The correct approach would be to create a "MyTextBox" class
(or whatever) that inherits from TextBox and override some of the
base methods to handle custom drawing and provide properties
for controlling its appearance when dropped on a form.

Regards,

Joergen Bech

On Tue, 20 May 2008 06:37:27 +0200, "Cor Ligthert[MVP]"
<no************ @planet.nlwrote :

>Greg,

Be aware that something can be inherited, but also a piece can be shadowed,
which means that the behaviour is changed.

However, maybe this helps

http://www.vb-tips.com/ControlBorder.aspx

Cor

"Greg" <Ac**********@n ewsgroups.nospa mschreef in bericht
news:55******* *************** ************@mi crosoft.com...

>>I am used to using third party controls when it comes to setting up
appearences. But, now I am using Visual Basic.Net controls that come
standard
with the product. I've come across a frustration situation with the combo
box
and text box controls.

I setup the text box control appearence settings the way I want the
control
to appear. Basically, I have set the "Border Style=FixedSing le", which
results in the control taking on a flat appearence and a black border
around
the control.

Now, I want to make my combo box take on the same appearence, as I like
all
of the controls in my application to take on the same characteristics .
Now,
for the combo box I look in the Apperance Group and do not find a "Border
Style" property. The only thing clost to it that I see is the
"FlatStyle=Fla t", which makes the combo box control appear flat, but the
border of the control is not highlight with a black border, thus both of
my
controls look nothing alike.

Now, I have read some books on VB.Net and if I recall correctly, these
controls inherit from the Control class. I would take this to mean that
all
the controls take on the same properties and methods as inherited from the
base control class.

But, what I have found is that both the text box and combo box controls
have
different Appearence properties and thus I cannot use a common set of
settings to make the controls look the same, using the same appearance
settings. I come from an Access background, and I always give the controls
in
my application the same appearance and it makes my application look very
professional .

How can I make the combo box and text box controls take on the same
appearancees so they look to take on the same Appearance characteristics .

If anyone can help me get these two controls to take on the same
appearance
characteristic s, that would be greatly appreciated.

Greg

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

Joergen,

It is only meant to show that it can be done.

For the rest, I completely agree with you about this and your other message
in this thread.

I don't think that I can add something to that.

Cor

"Joergen Bech @ post1.tele.dk>" <jbech<NOSPAMNO SPAMschreef in bericht
news:7c******** *************** *********@4ax.c om...

>
That example would have a few problems in the real world, e.g.

1) It does not enumerate the controls recursively. Only the
controls that are direct children of the form, but not those of
groupboxes, etc.

2) It draws the rectangles on the form, rather than the
textboxes. In other words, the rectangles would be drawn
behind the textboxes. I have not run the sample, but I cannot
see how it could possibly work.

3) If a single pixel of the form background is exposed (i.e.
invalidated by another form moved away from it), all the
textbox borders would be redrawn (or rather, they would not
- see above). If, on the other hand, a textbox on the form
was invalidated (the textbox window - not the value),
nothing would happen, which is the exact opposite of what
is needed.

4) Even if it worked, similar code would have to be written
to handle other control types, i.e. the TypeOf case would
have to be extended.

5) This snippet of code would have to be added to every
form that needed to control its children in this manner.

The correct approach would be to create a "MyTextBox" class
(or whatever) that inherits from TextBox and override some of the
base methods to handle custom drawing and provide properties
for controlling its appearance when dropped on a form.

Regards,

Joergen Bech

On Tue, 20 May 2008 06:37:27 +0200, "Cor Ligthert[MVP]"
<no************ @planet.nlwrote :

>>Greg,

Be aware that something can be inherited, but also a piece can be
shadowed,
which means that the behaviour is changed.

However, maybe this helps

http://www.vb-tips.com/ControlBorder.aspx

Cor

"Greg" <Ac**********@n ewsgroups.nospa mschreef in bericht
news:55****** *************** *************@m icrosoft.com...

>>>I am used to using third party controls when it comes to setting up
appearences . But, now I am using Visual Basic.Net controls that come
standard
with the product. I've come across a frustration situation with the
combo
box
and text box controls.

I setup the text box control appearence settings the way I want the
control
to appear. Basically, I have set the "Border Style=FixedSing le", which
results in the control taking on a flat appearence and a black border
around
the control.

Now, I want to make my combo box take on the same appearence, as I like
all
of the controls in my application to take on the same characteristics .
Now,
for the combo box I look in the Apperance Group and do not find a
"Border
Style" property. The only thing clost to it that I see is the
"FlatStyle=Fl at", which makes the combo box control appear flat, but the
border of the control is not highlight with a black border, thus both of
my
controls look nothing alike.

Now, I have read some books on VB.Net and if I recall correctly, these
controls inherit from the Control class. I would take this to mean that
all
the controls take on the same properties and methods as inherited from
the
base control class.

But, what I have found is that both the text box and combo box controls
have
different Appearence properties and thus I cannot use a common set of
settings to make the controls look the same, using the same appearance
settings. I come from an Access background, and I always give the
controls
in
my application the same appearance and it makes my application look very
professiona l.

How can I make the combo box and text box controls take on the same
appearancee s so they look to take on the same Appearance
characteristi cs.

If anyone can help me get these two controls to take on the same
appearance
characteristi cs, that would be greatly appreciated.

Greg