this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the
application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at night, only
dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the radar
display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright colors.
When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application into
night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over 1000) to
change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the palette of
Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my
application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of
SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at night mode
and return to normal on day mode?
Thanks in advance. 11 1348
anthony wrote: this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at
night, only dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the
radar display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright colors.
When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application
into night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over 1000)
to change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the palette
of Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at night
mode and return to normal on day mode?
Given that your app has sole use of the PC, sounds like the easiest way
would be to make sure all your controls use SystemColors, then change
the *global* Windows colour scheme (you know, where you set what colour
title bars and stuff are). I just did a quick test and a VB.NET 2002
app running on Win2k changes colours *automatically* when the Windows
colour scheme changes, so you should be alright.
Now the question becomes how to change that Windows setting? I suspect
it will involve P/Invoke'ing the API, but I don't expect it to be
particularly difficult. You can find this yourself, or you want more?
--
Larry Lard
Replies to group please
Larry Lard wrote: anthony wrote: this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at night, only dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the radar display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright
colors. When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application into night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over
1000) to change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the
palette of Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at
night mode and return to normal on day mode? Given that your app has sole use of the PC, sounds like the easiest
way would be to make sure all your controls use SystemColors, then change the *global* Windows colour scheme (you know, where you set what
colour title bars and stuff are). I just did a quick test and a VB.NET 2002 app running on Win2k changes colours *automatically* when the Windows colour scheme changes, so you should be alright.
Now the question becomes how to change that Windows setting? I
suspect it will involve P/Invoke'ing the API, but I don't expect it to be particularly difficult. You can find this yourself, or you want more?
[replying to self]
(it's SetSysColor but...)
Actually, why re-invent the wheel? Just make sure your app uses only
SystemColor's for its colours, then the user can just use Control Panel
| Display to switch to a night-time scheme at night, and (as I have
established) your app will switch automatically.
--
Larry Lard
Replies to group please
"anthony" <an*******@controlengineer.com> wrote in
news:u$*************@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl: this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at night, only dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the radar display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright colors.
When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application into night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over 1000) to change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the palette of Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at night mode and return to normal on day mode?
Thanks in advance.
See getsyscolors and setsyscolors in the library (Platform SDK), not sure
how to use it. I'll have a go...
Thanks Larry,
Do you know which API to invoke? GDI+ or DirectX API or sth else...?
"Larry Lard" <la*******@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:11*********************@c13g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com... anthony wrote: this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at night, only dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the radar display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright colors.
When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application into night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over 1000) to change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the palette of Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at night mode and return to normal on day mode?
Given that your app has sole use of the PC, sounds like the easiest way would be to make sure all your controls use SystemColors, then change the *global* Windows colour scheme (you know, where you set what colour title bars and stuff are). I just did a quick test and a VB.NET 2002 app running on Win2k changes colours *automatically* when the Windows colour scheme changes, so you should be alright.
Now the question becomes how to change that Windows setting? I suspect it will involve P/Invoke'ing the API, but I don't expect it to be particularly difficult. You can find this yourself, or you want more?
-- Larry Lard Replies to group please
I actually have to place a button or menu item on my application to do so, I
would have a hard time to explain what a Windows Control Panel to the boat
user/captain, so a one-click way is essental, I will look at the SetSysColor
you suggest.
Thanks!
"Larry Lard" <la*******@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:11*********************@f14g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com... Larry Lard wrote: anthony wrote: this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at night, only dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the radar display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright colors. When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application into night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over 1000) to change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the palette of Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at night mode and return to normal on day mode?
Given that your app has sole use of the PC, sounds like the easiest way would be to make sure all your controls use SystemColors, then change the *global* Windows colour scheme (you know, where you set what colour title bars and stuff are). I just did a quick test and a VB.NET 2002 app running on Win2k changes colours *automatically* when the Windows colour scheme changes, so you should be alright.
Now the question becomes how to change that Windows setting? I suspect it will involve P/Invoke'ing the API, but I don't expect it to be particularly difficult. You can find this yourself, or you want more?
[replying to self] (it's SetSysColor but...) Actually, why re-invent the wheel? Just make sure your app uses only SystemColor's for its colours, then the user can just use Control Panel | Display to switch to a night-time scheme at night, and (as I have established) your app will switch automatically.
-- Larry Lard Replies to group please
Just an idea, why not cut the wire to the monitor and install a switch that cuts or attenuates the
blue and green pins' signals? I'm not familiar with marine standards, but I know that red is a good
color for not affecting night vision. Not exactly a software solution, but it's also the simplest
and most general... I also happen to know it works from when I had to use a monitor with a bad blue
pin. The captain may also appreciate a nice beefy physical switch instead of having to shade the
monitor in full sunlight to be able to see it well enough to get it out of night mode.
Robert
"anthony" <an*******@controlengineer.com> wrote in message
news:u$*************@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl... this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at night, only dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the radar display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright colors.
When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application into night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over 1000) to change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the palette of Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at night mode and return to normal on day mode?
Thanks in advance.
You could cycle through the controls collection of the form and modify all
the controls that way. If you do it static this way you only have to check
if the control is a type you want to change. Have every form pass in it's
controls and you have it solved with only writing one function.
Public Class ColorChange
Pulblic Static Sub NightMode(byref Ctrs as Collection)
dim Ctr as Control
For each ctr in ctrs
if ctr typeof ...... then 'forget the code to check if the type
is the same
end if
next
End Sub
End Class
Hope it helps some..
Chris
"anthony" <an*******@controlengineer.com> wrote in message
news:u$*************@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl... this one is really a challenge to me.
the application i developed in VB.NET 2003 runs on marine boat, the application has many screens and controls. On a marine boat at night, only dark cyan (or similar) color must be used on display (much like the radar display) otherwise the captain will be blinded by the bright colors.
When at night, the user clicks on a button to turn the application into night mode. I do not want to go through all the objects (over 1000) to change each color, I am thinking that maybe I can change the palette of Windows or VB, the computer they are using is designated to run my application only, so it will not affect other application.
Is there a way i can change for example the definition of SystemColors.Control.Yellow to SystemColors.Control.DarkCyan at night mode and return to normal on day mode?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for all your suggestions, I am trying each one right now, I found the
API working like this:
Private Declare Function SetSysColors Lib "user32" _
(ByVal nChanges As Integer, ByRef lpSysColor As Integer, ByRef lpColorValues
As Integer) As Integer
Private Declare Function GetSysColor Lib "user32" (ByVal nIndex As Long) As
Long
Const COLOR_SCROLLBAR = 0 'The Scrollbar colour
Const COLOR_BACKGROUND = 1 'Colour of the background with no wallpaper
Const COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION = 2 'Caption of Active Window
Const COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION = 3 'Caption of Inactive window
Const COLOR_MENU = 4 'Menu
Const COLOR_WINDOW = 5 'Windows background
Const COLOR_WINDOWFRAME = 6 'Window frame
Const COLOR_MENUTEXT = 7 'Window Text
Const COLOR_WINDOWTEXT = 8 '3D dark shadow (Win95)
Const COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT = 9 'Text in window caption
Const COLOR_ACTIVEBORDER = 10 'Border of active window
Const COLOR_INACTIVEBORDER = 11 'Border of inactive window
Const COLOR_APPWORKSPACE = 12 'Background of MDI desktop
Const COLOR_HIGHLIGHT = 13 'Selected item background
Const COLOR_HIGHLIGHTTEXT = 14 'Selected menu item
Const COLOR_BTNFACE = 15 'Button
Const COLOR_BTNSHADOW = 16 '3D shading of button
Const COLOR_GRAYTEXT = 17 'Grey text, of zero if dithering is used.
Const COLOR_BTNTEXT = 18 'Button text
Const COLOR_INACTIVECAPTIONTEXT = 19 'Text of inactive window
Const COLOR_BTNHIGHLIGHT = 20 '3D highlight of button
Const COLOR_2NDACTIVECAPTION = 27 'Win98 only: 2nd active window color
Const COLOR_2NDINACTIVECAPTION = 28 'Win98 only: 2nd inactive window color
Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As
System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
Dim col As Long, t As Long
'Get the caption's active color
col = GetSysColor(COLOR_BACKGROUND)
'Change the active caption's color to red
t = SetSysColors(1, COLOR_BACKGROUND, RGB(255, 0, 0))
MsgBox("The old title bar color was" + Str$(col) + " and is now" +
Str$(GetSysColor(COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION)))
End Sub
Anthony,
The definitions should be:
Private Declare Function SetSysColors Lib "user32" _
(ByVal nChanges As Integer, ByVal lpSysColor() As Integer, _
ByVal lpColorValues() As Integer) As Boolean
Private Declare Function GetSysColor Lib "user32" (ByVal nIndex As
Integer) _
As Integer
Rather then use a list of disparate constants for an API, I normally create
an Enum, something like:
Public Enum SystemColor As Integer
ScrollBar = 0 'The Scrollbar colour
BackGround = 1 'Colour of the background with no wallpaper
ActiveCaption = 2 'Caption of Active Window
InactiveCaption = 3 'Caption of Inactive window
Menu = 4 'Menu
Window = 5 'Windows background
WindowFrame = 6 'Window frame
MenuText = 7 'Window Text
WindowText = 8 '3D dark shadow (Win95)
CaptionText = 9 'Text in window caption
ActiveBorder = 10 'Border of active window
InactiveBorder = 11 'Border of inactive window
AppWorkspace = 12 'Background of MDI desktop
Highlight = 13 'Selected item background
HighlightText = 14 'Selected menu item
BtnFace = 15 'Button
BtnShadow = 16 '3D shading of button
GrayText = 17 'Grey text, of zero if dithering is used.
BtnText = 18 'Button text
InactiveCaptionText = 19 'Text of inactive window
BtnHightList = 20 '3D highlight of button
SecondActiveCatpion = 27 'Win98 only: 2nd active window color
SecondInactiveCaption = 28 'Win98 only: 2nd inactive window color
End Enum
Private Declare Function SetSysColors Lib "user32" (ByVal nChanges As
Integer, ByVal lpSysColor() As SystemColor, ByVal lpColorValues() As
Integer) As Integer
Private Declare Function GetSysColor Lib "user32" (ByVal nIndex As
SystemColor) As Integer
As this gives intellisense on the API call itself, and neatly encapsulates
the constants in a single type...
Hope this helps
Jay
"anthony" <an*******@controlengineer.com> wrote in message
news:%2****************@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl... Thanks for all your suggestions, I am trying each one right now, I found the API working like this:
Private Declare Function SetSysColors Lib "user32" _
(ByVal nChanges As Integer, ByRef lpSysColor As Integer, ByRef lpColorValues As Integer) As Integer
Private Declare Function GetSysColor Lib "user32" (ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Const COLOR_SCROLLBAR = 0 'The Scrollbar colour
Const COLOR_BACKGROUND = 1 'Colour of the background with no wallpaper
Const COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION = 2 'Caption of Active Window
Const COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION = 3 'Caption of Inactive window
Const COLOR_MENU = 4 'Menu
Const COLOR_WINDOW = 5 'Windows background
Const COLOR_WINDOWFRAME = 6 'Window frame
Const COLOR_MENUTEXT = 7 'Window Text
Const COLOR_WINDOWTEXT = 8 '3D dark shadow (Win95)
Const COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT = 9 'Text in window caption
Const COLOR_ACTIVEBORDER = 10 'Border of active window
Const COLOR_INACTIVEBORDER = 11 'Border of inactive window
Const COLOR_APPWORKSPACE = 12 'Background of MDI desktop
Const COLOR_HIGHLIGHT = 13 'Selected item background
Const COLOR_HIGHLIGHTTEXT = 14 'Selected menu item
Const COLOR_BTNFACE = 15 'Button
Const COLOR_BTNSHADOW = 16 '3D shading of button
Const COLOR_GRAYTEXT = 17 'Grey text, of zero if dithering is used.
Const COLOR_BTNTEXT = 18 'Button text
Const COLOR_INACTIVECAPTIONTEXT = 19 'Text of inactive window
Const COLOR_BTNHIGHLIGHT = 20 '3D highlight of button
Const COLOR_2NDACTIVECAPTION = 27 'Win98 only: 2nd active window color
Const COLOR_2NDINACTIVECAPTION = 28 'Win98 only: 2nd inactive window color
Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
Dim col As Long, t As Long
'Get the caption's active color
col = GetSysColor(COLOR_BACKGROUND)
'Change the active caption's color to red
t = SetSysColors(1, COLOR_BACKGROUND, RGB(255, 0, 0))
MsgBox("The old title bar color was" + Str$(col) + " and is now" + Str$(GetSysColor(COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION)))
End Sub
It's a shame that the values for the KnownColor enumeration in
System.Drawing do not match those required for the SetSysColors
function. Then you wouldn't have had to create your own enum.
Chris,
Unfortunately KnownColor has significantly more values then what
SetSysColors expects, even if the "system color" subrange of KnownColor
matched, there would be too great a chance of sending invalid arguments to
SetSysColors if you used the KnownColor enum directly!
Or were you thinking of defining the SystemColor enum in terms of
KnownColor?
' This will not work correctly! for the reason you gave
Public Enum SystemColor As Integer
ScrollBar = KnownColor.ScrollBar
...
End Enum
I use the define my enum in terms of another enum when it makes sense, for
example defining a class library that encapsulates a COM object, if I need
to "expose" one of the COM object's enums, I will define my enum in terms of
the COM object's enum, to prevent consumers of my class library from being
coupled to the COM class library also...
Hope this helps
Jay
"Chris Dunaway" <du******@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:11**********************@o13g2000cwo.googlegr oups.com... It's a shame that the values for the KnownColor enumeration in System.Drawing do not match those required for the SetSysColors function. Then you wouldn't have had to create your own enum. This thread has been closed and replies have been disabled. Please start a new discussion. Similar topics |
by: Frank Buss |
last post by:
I've setup a challenge, mainly for C++, Java and Lisp, but every other
language is welcome:
http://www.frank-buss.de/challenge/index.html
There is nothing to win, but I hope there will be some...
|
by: Frank Buss |
last post by:
A new challenge:
http://www.frank-buss.de/marsrescue/index.html
Have fun! Now you can win real prices.
--
Frank Buß, fb@frank-buss.de
http://www.frank-buss.de, http://www.it4-systems.de
|
by: Richard Jones |
last post by:
The date for the second PyWeek challenge has been set: Sunday 26th March
to Sunday 2nd April (00:00UTC to 00:00UTC).
The PyWeek challenge invites entrants to write a game in one week from...
|
by: richard |
last post by:
The date for the second PyWeek challenge has been set: Sunday 26th March
to Sunday 2nd April (00:00UTC to 00:00UTC).
The PyWeek challenge invites entrants to write a game in one week from...
|
by: CMM |
last post by:
First let me say that maybe I'm having a "duh" moment and perhaps I'm
missing something... but it seems to me that no one thing in the
System.Collections namespace (even in .NET 2.0) even comes...
| |
by: wkehowski |
last post by:
The python code below generates a cartesian product subject to any
logical combination of wildcard exclusions. For example, suppose I want
to generate a cartesian product S^n, n>=3, of that...
|
by: donovan |
last post by:
OK, so I know that there has been a lot of discussion on this topic,
but none of the answers have been satisfactory. Therefore there
seems to be only one thing to do: issue a challenge to all of...
|
by: Thierry |
last post by:
For those interested in <b>programming riddles</b>, I would like to
announce a new programming challenge I'm just launching at
http://software.challenge.googlepages.com
This challenge is in its...
|
by: Richard Jones |
last post by:
The fifth PyWeek is only a month away. Come along and join the fun: write a
video game in a week!
There's some really interesting new libraries that have popped up recently.
Have a gander on the...
|
by: jacob navia |
last post by:
Several people in this group argue that standard C
is not portable since there are no compilers for it, etc.
I propose this program in Standard C, that I have compiled
in several OSes to test if...
|
by: marktang |
last post by:
ONU (Optical Network Unit) is one of the key components for providing high-speed Internet services. Its primary function is to act as an endpoint device located at the user's premises. However,...
| |
by: jinu1996 |
last post by:
In today's digital age, having a compelling online presence is paramount for businesses aiming to thrive in a competitive landscape. At the heart of this digital strategy lies an intricately woven...
|
by: Hystou |
last post by:
Overview:
Windows 11 and 10 have less user interface control over operating system update behaviour than previous versions of Windows. In Windows 11 and 10, there is no way to turn off the Windows...
|
by: tracyyun |
last post by:
Dear forum friends,
With the development of smart home technology, a variety of wireless communication protocols have appeared on the market, such as Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. Each...
|
by: isladogs |
last post by:
The next Access Europe User Group meeting will be on Wednesday 1 May 2024 starting at 18:00 UK time (6PM UTC+1) and finishing by 19:30 (7.30PM).
In this session, we are pleased to welcome a new...
|
by: TSSRALBI |
last post by:
Hello
I'm a network technician in training and I need your help.
I am currently learning how to create and manage the different types of VPNs and I have a question about LAN-to-LAN VPNs.
The...
|
by: adsilva |
last post by:
A Windows Forms form does not have the event Unload, like VB6. What one acts like?
| |
by: 6302768590 |
last post by:
Hai team
i want code for transfer the data from one system to another through IP address by using C# our system has to for every 5mins then we have to update the data what the data is updated ...
|
by: bsmnconsultancy |
last post by:
In today's digital era, a well-designed website is crucial for businesses looking to succeed. Whether you're a small business owner or a large corporation in Toronto, having a strong online presence...
| |