Button Color

[Jim Seekamp]

This may sound silly, but I've noticed that

sendmessage hbutton&,%tvm_setbkcolor,0,byval %blue

does not change the color of a button.
I've never had reason to change a button color before...

Any ideas on how to change the color of a button right after creation?

Thanks
Jim

[Chris Boss]

First,

TVM_SETBKCOLOR

is a treeview message and not a button message. It is used to set the background color of a treeview control. Definitely wrong message to use with a button control.

Second,

You can not set the color of a button control.

The button class does send the WM_CTLCOLORBTN message, but it only works for specific window styles which means only when the button class is a checkbox, radio button or frame.

When the button class uses the styles to be a normal Button, then you can't set its colors. Thats defined by Windows.

You can though create your own custom looking button controls, but this requires using ownerdraw, which means you have to draw the button yourself (which means you can define its colors).

[Fred Buffington]

Or, you can use a static control to emulate a button but this takes quite a bit more code if you emulate a button press, etc. Or, if using ddt, you can use
imgbutton/imgbuttonx and use small bmps with the text wanted in different colors.

[Jim Seekamp]

Thanks for the info!
I've done ownerdraw buttons before, but that explains why I never colorized a button before!! LOL

[Gösta H. Lovgren-2]

After reading this thread (I've always wanted to be able to color buttons too), jff I thought I'd try to do it with Labels. And you'll never guess what I found. When I tried to use the %Etch styles to emulate a button, it won't print text.

Kinda cool though. Can make an "invisible" button in that the Callback still detects a click in the area where the faux button (Label) is drawn.

'

'PBWIN 9.01 - WinApi 05/2008 - XP Pro SP3
#Dim All 
#Compile Exe  
#Optimize SPEED
#Debug Display On'off for production code
 
#Include "WIN32API.INC"
#Include "COMDLG32.INC"
#Include "InitCtrl.inc"
'
Global hdlg As Dword                
%Id_Exit_Btn = 1000
%Id_Label01 = 1001
%Id_Show_Result_Btn = 1002
' 
Macro Common_Locals 'Macro easier than retyping and maintains coding consistency
  Global Dlg_hght, Dlg_Wd As Long 'Global in case want to use in Controls
  Local Stile, Row, col, hght, wd, Longest,ctr, ln, ln1, i As Long
  Local  l, s As String
End Macro  
'
CallBack Function Dialog_Processor              
  Common_Locals
  Select Case CbMsg     'This is TO determine the message TYPE 
     '       
     Case %WM_INITDIALOG'<- Initialiaton when the program loads 
     '
     Case %WM_SYSCOMMAND 'Traps Any Alt key but only F4 closes              
     '
     Case %WM_COMMAND  'This processes command messages
       Select Case CbCtl
         Case %Id_Label01 
              ? "Label01 clicked", , FuncName$
         Case %Id_Exit_Btn
           Select Case CbCtlMsg        
              Case 0
                Dialog End CbHndl 'Applikation beenden
           End Select
       End Select
  End Select
End Function
'
Function PBMain
  Common_Locals
 
   Stile = Stile Or %WS_CAPTION
   Stile = Stile Or %WS_SYSMENU
   Stile = Stile Or %WS_THICKFRAME 
   Stile = Stile Or %WM_HELP 
   Stile = Stile Or %WS_Border  'doesn't do anything
  Dlg_hght = 400
  Dlg_Wd = 400
  Dialog New Pixels, hdlg, "Demo", , , Dlg_Wd, Dlg_Hght, Stile To hdlg 'centered
  Row = 10
  col = 10
  Wd = 100
  Hght = 25                              
  Reset stile
  Stile = stile Or %ss_Notify
  Stile = Stile Or %ss_Center
'
'      [COLOR=red]To see the different effects, (un)rem the Etch stiles.[/COLOR]
'  Stile = Stile Or %ss_EtchedHorz [COLOR=red]'only shws a line[/COLOR]
'  Stile = Stile Or %ss_EtchedVert '[COLOR=red] ""[/COLOR]
  Stile = Stile Or %ss_EtchedFrame  [COLOR=red]'shows nothing?[/COLOR]               
  s$ = " I am a button. "
  Control Add Label, hdlg, %Id_Label01, s$ & "z", Col, Row, Wd, Hght, stile
  Control Set Text hdlg, %Id_Label01, s$ & "Y" [COLOR=red]'overwrite Etching? - Nope[/COLOR]
  Control Set Color hdlg, %Id_Label01, -1, %Yellow
   Col = col + wd + 10 
     Control Add Button, hdlg, %Id_Show_Result_Btn, s$ & "x", col, row, Wd, Hght
   Row = Dlg_hght - Hght - 2 'Just off bottom
     Control Add Button, hdlg, %Id_Exit_Btn, "Abandon Ship", col, row, Wd, Hght
     Control Set Focus hdlg, %Id_Exit_Btn
     Dialog Show Modal hDlg   Call Dialog_Processor
End Function  'Applikation beenden
'

=========================================
"The man who goes alone can start today;
but he who travels with another
must wait till that other is ready."
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
=========================================