Environment: VC6 SP2, WinNT 4.0 SP3, Win98 GOLD
Ever since Windows 95 first came out, I have noticed that just about every
developer was scambling to get all the new common controls and UI features into
their applications… but it seems like nobody has yet to make a taskbar-like
control. So I set out to make one.
After looking at how Microsoft made their task switcher control (they use a
modified Tab Control), I decided to just use MFC and subclass a CWnd to make mine.
It was actually pretty simple to make. I simply subclassed a CWnd for the
button – CSwitcherButton – and subclassed a window to manage the buttons –
CSwitcherWnd.
To use, download the source or demo below and add CSwitcherButton.cpp,
CSwitcherButton.h, CSwitcherWnd.cpp, and CSwitcherWnd.h to your project. Then,
include CSwitcherWnd.h and CSwitcherButton.h in your window or dialog (or whatever
file you want to use it in; it *must* be derived from CWnd, tho). An easy way to
include these files globally is to include them in stdafx.h or YourApp.h.
To implement, simply create a CSwitcherWnd object, and call DoCreate.
Example:
(m_wndSwitcher created in the .h file)
m_wndSwitcher.DoCreate(this, 0, 200);
Which will create a switcher at the top of the window with width 200.
That about covers it. Enjoy.
Updates MON MAR 15 1999 – JIMMY BRUSH:
- Fixed RemoveButton to correctly decrement selected button
- Added CMemDC by Keith Rule
- Fixed up Animation a bit