How to use 256 Color Bitmaps in ImageList (Win32 SDK solution)

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This is how to use 256(or 16bit, 24bit)-color bitmaps in ImageLists for
ListViews, TreeViews, etc…

Usually you use something like this to load/create your imagelist:

hScreens = ImageList_LoadImage(GetModuleHandle(NULL),
 MAKEINTRESOURCE(BMP_SCREENS), 100, CLR_NONE, CLR_NONE, IMAGE_BITMAP,
 LR_LOADTRANSPARENT);

However it will always convert your bitmap to 16 colors or fail.
now, simply replace it with this code:

HBITMAP hScrBM;

hScreens = ImageList_Create(100, 70, ILC_COLOR8, 0, 999);
hScrBM = LoadImage(GetModuleHandle(NULL),
 MAKEINTRESOURCE(BMP_SCREENS256), IMAGE_BITMAP, 0, 0,
 LR_LOADTRANSPARENT);

ImageList_Add(hScreens, hScrBM, NULL);

DeleteObject(hScrBM);

Of course, you can use other values instead of ILC_COLOR8 (256color):
ILC_COLOR16, ILC_COLOR24, … (see “ImageList_Create()” online help in
VC++)

Hope this helps…