Insert your Logo between TitleBar and MenuBar (ala Real-Player)

The Real-Player application inserts it's own Logo between the TitleBar and MenuBar (see image bove).
It was cool (now it's not that I know how to do it ). Do you want to insert your Logo like Real-Player does?
Then, Just follow me. :)

Here's how to create this very cool effect.

1. Create Dialog-based Project (can be either SDI or MDI, but we're using a dialog-based app for this demo).
2. Insert your Logo bitmap file to your project.
3. To make room for drawing your Logo, insert a dummy menu item into your menu resource like 'menu for Image' at the first position on the menu.
4. Implement the OnMeasureItem() method so that you can modify the menu width to make room for the Logo on the menu.

   void CFakeRealDlg::OnMeasureItem(int nIDCtl, 
   LPMEASUREITEMSTRUCT lpMeasureItemStruct) 
   {
    if (lpMeasureItemStruct->CtlType == ODT_MENU)
    {
     if (lpMeasureItemStruct->itemID == IDM_IMAGE)
      lpMeasureItemStruct->itemWidth = m_rectLogo.Width() + 5;
    }
   
    CDialog::OnMeasureItem(nIDCtl, lpMeasureItemStruct);
   }
   

5. Modify the OnInitDialog (assuming a dialog-based app here) to load your Logo bitmap file.

   m_hBmp = (HBITMAP)LoadImage(AfxGetInstanceHandle(), 
   
   MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDB_Logo), IMAGE_BITMAP, 
    0, 0, LR_CREATEDIBSECTION);
   
   BITMAP bm;
   GetObject(m_hBmp, sizeof(bm), &bm);	
   
   m_rectLogo.left = 15;
   m_rectLogo.right = 15 + bm.bmWidth;
   m_rectLogo.top = 2 ;
   m_rectLogo.bottom = 2 + bm.bmHeight;
   

   6. Define a DrawLogo() method to paint the Logo as follows.

   void CFakeRealDlg::DrawLogo()
   {
    CDC* pdc= GetWindowDC();
   
    CDC memdc;	
    memdc.CreateCompatibleDC(pdc);	
    memdc.SelectObject(m_hBmp);	
   
    pdc->BitBlt(15, 2, m_rectLogo.Width(), 
     m_rectLogo.Height(), &memdc, 0, 0, SRCCOPY);	
   
    ReleaseDC(pdc);	
   }
   

   7. Override the OnInitMenu() method and OnSystemMenu() method to protect Window draw line between TitleBar and MenuBar.

   void CFakeRealDlg::OnInitMenu(CMenu* pMenu) 
   {
    CDialog::OnInitMenu(pMenu);
   
    // Important!!	
    DrawLogo();
   }
   

   void CFakeRealDlg::OnSysCommand(UINT nID, LPARAM lParam)
   {
    if ((nID & 0xFFF0) == IDM_ABOUTBOX)
    {
     CAboutDlg dlgAbout;
     dlgAbout.DoModal();
    }
    else
    {
     // Important!!!
     DrawLogo();
   
     CDialog::OnSysCommand(nID, lParam);
    }
   }
   

6. Override the OnNcPaint() to paint your Logo

   void CRealDlg::OnNcPaint() 
   {
    // Default is equal 'CDialog::OnNcPaint()' .. :)
    Default();
   
    // Important!!!
    DrawLogo();
   }
   

   The 8 steps shown here are all you need to do to achieve this very cool look! However, you might want to take this even further. For example, you might want to hide system icon. I would welcome anyone wanting to amend my article with that enhancement.
   Member of Ajou University Computer Club - C.C.

   Downloads

   Download demo project - 48 Kb