Skin Customization Page for the BCGControlBar Library

The BCGToolbar Library

This article decribes how to add a custom page to the Customisation dialog box, which is displayed when you right click on a toolbar or menu and choose "Customize...” The sample program is based on the sample "CustomPages", which comes with the library. Parts of the code are also based on the BCGSkins sample, which demonstrate how to add skins to your application with the BCGControlBar library. I will not describe the CSkinPage class in detail, but rather describe how to use it.

Getting Started

• Macstyle.*
• Funnystyle.*
• MyVisualManager.*
• SkinPage.*

The CSkinPage Class

void  AddSkin(LPCSTR szName, LPCSTR szDescription, UINT nIDBitmapPreview);

Return Value

Parameters

• szName - The name of the skin as it is displayed in the list.
• szDescription - A short description of the skin, that is displayed below the list with available skins
• nIDBitmapPreview - A bitmap resource to be displayed as a preview when the skin is selected from the list.

Remarks

Adding the Custom Page

CList  lstCustomPages;
lstCustomPages.AddTail (RUNTIME_CLASS (CSkinPage));

//------------------------------------
// Create a customize toolbars dialog:
//------------------------------------
CBCGToolbarCustomize* pDlgCust = 
 new CBCGToolbarCustomize (this, 
                           TRUE, // Automatic menus scaning
                           BCGCUSTOMIZE_MENU_SHADOWS 
                           | BCGCUSTOMIZE_TEXT_LABELS 
                           | BCGCUSTOMIZE_LOOK_2000 
                           | BCGCUSTOMIZE_MENU_ANIMATIONS, // default parameters
                           &lstCustomPages); // ptr to custom prop pages runtime classes

pDlgCust->Create ();

// Very ugly cast!!!
CMyBCGToolbarCustomize* pTemp = (CMyBCGToolbarCustomize*)pDlgCust;

// Get a ptr to the skinpage and add some skins
CSkinPage* pSkinPage = DYNAMIC_DOWNCAST(CSkinPage, 
                                        pTemp->GetCustomPageList()->GetHead());

pSkinPage->AddSkin("Office XP", 
                   "The new Windows look", 
                   IDB_PREVIEW2);

pSkinPage->AddSkin("Mac", 
                   "That ol\' mac style. For people that just can't let go :-)", 
                   IDB_PREVIEW1);

pSkinPage->AddSkin("Stas on mushrooms", 
                   "A weird and strange windows look, "
                   "that you propably won't stand for long", 
                   IDB_PREVIEW3);


int iSelectedSkin = theApp.GetInt("ActiveSkin", 0);
pSkinPage->SelectSkin(iSelectedSkin);

That's it! Go ahead and try it out. If you are not familiar with the BCGControlBar library go ahead and download a copy. The library are free to use for freeware develpment, and quite inexpensive for commercial applications compared to similar libraries like the ones from Stingray and Dundas. Keep up the good work Stas!!

Please note that I'm not in any way connected to BCGSoft, other than I use the library in my daily work.

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