True skinning question

[Perilous1]

Just wondering what the most common method of actual app skinning is for vb6. I'm not talking about color changes or XP theme look to an app, but more like a GUI with cutouts for the controls overlayed on top of the acutal app.

I hope I explained it well enough for someone to glean what I am after. I am hoping there is a step-by-step guide out there somewhere or better yet skinning software that can be tailored to a vb6 app.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tom4511]

Take a look at CodeJock. Outstanding!

http://www.codejock.com/products/overview.asp?platform=com

Tom

 

[Perilous1]

That looks pretty cool, but seems to fall under the "change colors or XP theme style" category. I'm looking for more of an overlay that is superimposed on top of the vb6 app.

 

[Tom4511]

Look at their skin control. It's not XP Theme style like a manifest. You can skin or overlay on top of VB6 app. If you download and run the examples you'll see it's exactly that... and overlay superimposed on top of vb6 app. There are some predefined skins like Office 2003 or Office 2007, Vista, etc. but you may also create your own.

 

[Perilous1]

Hmm. I did download it, but I didn't see any examples like what you're describing. I'll look through it again.

 

[Tom4511]

I just checked my version. Under Samples for the Skin Control, VB6, there should be 2 samples: Skin Framework Sample and Skin SDI Sample.

Now, I am using a licensed version but I thought the evaluation download had all the samples... but I may be wrong.

Also under Samples, Common, VB6, there is an Office 2003 GUI project that gives you a great example.

The neat thing about this is... change your Windows Theme (Classic, XP-Silver or Blue or Olive, etc.) and you'll see the controls automatically know what color's to display.

Tom

 

[Perilous1]

Ok, I see now what you meant. I think that will work nicely. Thanks for setting me straight.

Something else I'd be very interested in is Form tabs. Click on a tab at the bottom of a form and it displays another form in place of the first. I know it can be easily done with a button, but a tab seems so much more elegant.