It's a nice usercontrol that enables you to skin the form. It includes 6 attractive styles, 5 theme colors and 3 backcolor styles. In this version I have added new features and fixed some errors. Have a look at screenshot. Enjoy it!.
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Great and beautifull control. However: - Resize is not smoothly as normal - Form border disapeared when resize the form smaller (when the form border meet the frame control's border inside the form) - If possible, pls try it in win98, 2k,....
Many thanks for your controls collection. 5 globals from me (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Close buttons, minimize and maximize buttons does not interact with the form. if disable MaxButton or MinButton in a form is modified jcform should be affected or control it in jcForm control. Any way nice work (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Juan, I'm having the same problem when I close jcForms with the "X" close button - VB crashes. I have a button control that uses the exact same subclassing you're using, and I have the same problem when I unload a project by clicking on a button that incorporates Paul's subclassing. It's very frustrating because I've never been able to figure it out. I figured I messed something up but now I think it's something in Caton's code that is either wrong or we're not accounting for properly. I'm thinking maybe the form unloads before the Terminate events in the controls stop the subclassing? (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Juan, another beautiful bit of code! Your creativity seems endless....keep it going, as it is inspires us all to do more....BTW, the issue when closing seems to be with older versions of windows as this occured in my iCatchterLabel as well. Have a version of Caton's code which "should" prevent crashing on Win9X machines if you are interested....TerriTop (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thank you for your advices and comments. I have Windows xp sp 2, I didn´t test jcForms in Windows 98 or Windows 2000. As told you, it crashes when you try to close form using "X" close button. Maybe a solution will be to unload a form in usercontrol terminate event, after stopping subclassing (as said option explicit).
Terriptop: Do you have this version of Caton's code which "should" prevent crashing on Win9X machines?. Because I'm interesting in solving this problem.
All detected problems by Cris Friolo, TuanHai, Gary Stauton, etc can be solve. It is just a first version of UC.
For me the problem more difficult to solve will be problem related with form border, when it meet a control contained inside the form. I have seen that in other control used to skin form, it solves this problem using fixed borders, or paints border directly in forms (without using UC).
Ok, I will be very busy now, I must finish my other Uc control (jcToolbar) and this one. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
In this version 1.0.1 I fixed resize, resizing process is now smoothly as normal. I have added borderstyle property. Now the Minimize and maximize buttons in the UC interact with the form MaxButton and MinButton properties. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Hi Juan. Potentially some good news regarding the subclass crash in Win9x. TerriTop sent me a version of Caton's subclasser that was the same as yours and mine, except in the Subclass_Start routine, change the value of CODE_LEN from 200 to 204. My subclassed button control now closes an app without a crash so hopefully that's it! I'm looking forward to hearing feedback from people about this fix, if it's OK across different Windows versions. Anyway hope it works for you Juan. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Juan you may want to just replace the whole Subclass_Start routine with the one TerriTop sent you... I have another subclassed control that when I changed from 200 to 204, I got an array index out of bounds error. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Juan I tried just changing the value of CODE_LEN from 200 to 204 in your app and the problem is solved in Win98. I can close jcForms any number of times without the subclasser crashing. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Oh great as usual, thnx for your code another winning code of yours keep up the good work. The improvements make it more impressive 5* (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thanks for sharing. Have found one issue however although its not specifically with this control - I have a project that I have added 2 of your usercontrols to, jcFrames and jcForms. What I have found is that both controls have the same gradient enumeration and VB obviously doesn't like it as it sets up and Ambigous declaration - Public Enum jcGradConst (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Another thing I've found that makes this control alot less useful, for me, is that it does not handle default menus without displaying as a form within a form - the menu bar sits about the jcForm. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Sir, I hope that, if I change the borderstyle to fixed, the maximized and minimized button will be disappeared. could you add an option to display the minimised button? thanks! 5 globes from me! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Sir, there's another comment, could you make the border become semi-transparency? like the Vista style~~ (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
This is an excellent post with great features. I appreciate the clear and commented code. Suggestion: the title bar caption has a nice 3D effect I would also like to see on the command buttons. Remark: In your code comments you stated you would like to receive credit for your work if somebody else uses your code. A legitimate request, but you yourself don't give due credit to the author(s) of code you used or were inspired by (Paul Caton and maybe others). Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit. 4 planets. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
ĄExcelente!, lástima de no poder usar los menús, pero por lo demás es una forma simple y elegante de personalizar los forms. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
AFAIK, the win9x self-sub fix that's floating around does the trick. Big credit to Kasia for finding it, especially as I have no idea what the problem actually with Win9x is. Anyway... a new version should be coming soon... hopefully. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Beautiful stuff, great work! Only comment: the color themes don't seem to match between jfForms & jcFrames. For instance, the Norton theme is yellow/orange in Frames; it is kind of bronze in Forms. At any rate, that's a really minor quibble that's fixable by the user. Great job! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thank to everybody for your comments, advices and praises. I must analyze all your comments. Thanks again (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Tan Jiunn Yann: I'm sorry I haven't answered your questions before, because I don't have internet connections during 24 hours, only during my 8 working hours, and I must work in my job, and that is why It's take me so long to reply your requests. I hope that comment made by Evilgenious has been clarified. I respect so much each comment or suggestion from anybody. As I said before, I have learned a lot thanks to PSC.
Your first request (add option to mantain minimize button when fixed border is selected), it is possible to do, the second one is more complicated, but I'll try to do.
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Paul Turcksin: Everybody knows that I always put in my jobs comments about piece of works taken from other psc friends, It was just a "mental lapse" as We say in spanish, I will fix it, it is a big error from me, thanks.
Heriberto: I'm thinking of adding properties to change colors for borders, caption, gradients, etc.
M@rks and Manuel: I have tried to use form system menu, but my UC needs form borderstyle= none, and when you try to show form system menu when form borderstyle=none it doesn't appear, and that's why I had created my own menu. I must study other way to solve this problem. Any help is wellcome. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
John you have a right, I have change the color themes a little in this control, but it was to obtain a metallic color. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
I found a bug: when I enlarge the form, the width of the JCForm Control can automatically adjust, but the height if the JCForm control is not able to automatically adjust. Hope sir can fixed this minor bug. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Tan Jiunn Yann You are right, the Usercontrol automatically enlarges only its width in design time, but when you execute demo automatically resizes its width and height. In design time you must change manually its height (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
In the version 1.0.2 the following additions were made: - Paul Caton's modification of his self subclasser to avoid crashing in w98 when unload form. - another type of borderstyle: it is a fixed border with minimize button - Added CustomColors Theme, ColorFrom and ColorTo properties (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
The sizing still doesn't work properly - could be cause I use large not small fonts - the cursor is moved inside the border and there is no sizing curors on the top/left borders.
Can't understand why you haven't just use Sendmessage - lot simpler - you're using it for the form move. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Excuse my post before Juan, no "MDI Pai", but "MDI Form = Fader" and not Child. OK? This Pai in Portuguese. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
One Suggestion, is possible include a option (property) in control for put the titlebar visible = false? That to expose only the border of form?
My objective is include image in top of form, with my skin for titlebar. Or if your control include this resource for receive files JPG or BMP for include in corner left, right and center to titlebar? (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
SkyLiver you rename the form´s, update de property caption this form. Select the form and not tho control. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
- After turning the form's BorderStyle to None and putting the control, turn the BorderStyle to Fixed Single and then back to None: the borders of the control are lost and the Close button appears only after moving the mouse over where it should be and is not vertically centered anymore. - When changing CustomBackColor, the backcolor of some VB controls is not changed: textbox, combobox, listbox, drivelistbox, dirlistbox and commandbutton. This can be fixed doing the following changes in ControlsChangeBackColor:
'If mControl.BackColor <> &H80000005 Then mControl.BackColor = lBackColor If TypeOf mControl Is CommandButton Then mControl.Style = 1 'doesn't affect the Style property of other controls like CheckBox and OptionButton 'End If
(Changing the backcolor of ALL the controls in the form gives it a more "skinned" and cool look, I think) (It can also be changed the forecolor of all controls at once adding just one line of code)
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
- Should allow to show in the title bar the icon with its original size (32x32) and colors instead of only painting the 16x16 decolorized version. The titlebar will need to be wider of course. - In the IDE the control should automatically take the 2 dimensions (not just the width), and show the caption and min/max settings of the form in the instant that is placed in the form. And there is no need that the programmer remember to set the BorderStyle property of the form to None: the control can do it (adding "UserControl.Parent.BorderStyle = 0" in InitProperties) (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
The current version doesn't work either for forms (used as mdichild) or mdi form. I have checked it.
I know that I must fix at the start that Usercontrol refresh any change that you make (in runtime and design time) for example caption change, etc. It is a good idea to change iconsize (now 16 pixel size only).
xpert: Thanks for your founded bugs and suggestions, I'll try to fix these errors.
Remember any suggestion, comment or founded bugs are wellcome, that is the only way to improve the control.
Thanks you. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
please, it is possible to use the menu from jcform within code? i need it because of using systray menu..thanx (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
kontraa: As I said before in jcform I can´t use form system menu and that´s why I did my own menu. I am studying the idea of including a public sub to modify this menu by users. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
im getting an overflow error in Vertical gradient drawing, I changed the values from Single to Long then to Double, but it still generates an overflow. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Dear Juan, Five Stars from me...it is working fine. But when i maximize the form the form drawing is slow and not smooth... Did u see the Revive update(Chris Cochran) in he draw the longhorn form very nicely. Thanks for sharing this code (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Hi, Juan, the link to ur other submission is not working.... When u will fix the overflow error in vertical drawing....:) want to vote again but i cant
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thanks for the Menu functionality, works quite nicely. A couple of things - 1. How do you add a Seperator to the Menu without also adding an extra line as the Item Text field is not optional. And 2. I found the menu by accidient after clicking around the form, it would be helpful to perhaps have a down arrow or something on the top left of the form, rather than the icon, to indicate that a menu exists and can be accessed there.
Again, great submission. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Very nice control, at runtime and design time I recive overflow in DrawGradientEx when I run app from ide, but the app works (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
both xp and windows me i got this overflow error, first 2 submission of jcforms worked fine without this error... at sngDR = (sngSR - sngER)/lngY2 (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thank you for your comments, sometimes we think that something is obvious for everybody, because we know it and that isn't. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Hi Juan, sorry if I reaply only today...I've windows xp professional with service pack 2. The problem appear in this realease end in 1.0.3. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
I hope that you understand me because don't speak english very well...I've launch your app from vb ide with F8 and I think that control resize event was fired before value of some properties is initialized, in DrawGradientEx the error is in
If blnVertical Then sngDR = (sngSR - sngER) / lngY2
The values of sngSR, sngER and lngY2 is 0, so (0-0)/0 return error
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Add a small constant (say 0.0000000001) will eliminate the overflow error: sngDR = (sngSR - sngER) / (lngY2 + 0.0000000001) (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
When setting the windowState of the form at design time to 2-Maximized and run; the Maximize/restore icon is displaying wrongly and if U resize it error occured: 384. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Very nice. You have done a lot of work and helped many coders in this forum. Five big ones from me! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Thank you for your comments and advices, I'm reordering subs in my usercontrol now, in order to have predefined start and end color for DrawGadientEx sub.
Farolfo I understood you very well, I don't speak english either.
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
4/6/2006 8:51:09 AM:
Very nice Control, but it makes an Error (Error 6 in the function DrawGradientEx) (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Version 1.0.4: I confirm that when loading the form, happens error 6 (overflow) in DrawGradientEx, 2 times, before showing the form. I have Windows 98 SE. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
It's a really good uc 5* Some comments: It would be nice to have on resize event some parameters like client area width and height to resize contained controls, and use those values as return values to restrict max and min form size.
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
oh,Tooltips will draw vbNullString (UserControl.Extender.TooltipText = vbNullString)when mouse fast leaving. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
WinXPsp2 1024x768 does not draw correctly. Adds @1/4 inch to forms right & bottom probably during a draw shadow (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Juan this update 1.05 is danied of the WinXP Pro SP1. Is version 1.04 not problem, my PC.
1) the option ChangeAllBackgroun apearence RuntimError 438 em VB in line: If ctrlMyControl.BackColor <> &H80000005 Then
The module: Private Sub ControlsChangeBackColor(lngBackColor As Long)
2) The click in button Another Form, if the checkbox ChangedAllBackgroun selected, caused runtim error 380 (Invaled Property Value) in line: m_frmPForm.Height = m_frmPForm.Height + intInitialTop * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
in module: Private Sub ControlsChangeTop(Optional ByVal intOption As Integer = 1)
3) If clicked this button, not checked checkbox ChangeAllBackgroun, open this forms, but this form closed is occured runtime error 0 (module: DrawTitleBarInitial) in Smart form in corner right down? (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Suggestion: Demo form should not start maximized (I have no time to see where to change that). It should start with the size set at IDE time. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Can you add a property to the control to change the font size in the title bar so we can use a large font(24 points). (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Resizing doesn't work Hello When resize form Fire a error in UserControl_Resize Function Change below code in Sub UserControl_Resize() ' .Move m_frmPForm.ScaleWidth - 4 * Screen.TwipsPerPixelX, _ ' (m_lngHeightAux + 9) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY, 3 * Screen.TwipsPerPixelX, _ ' m_frmPForm.ScaleHeight - (m_lngHeightAux + 10) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY with This code:
Bug Report: I see a small white box when I focus the mouse pointer to Minimize or Maximize or Close Button and move the mouse pointer outward. Please remove that small white box! If the Form AutoRedraw = False, then you run the program with jcForms and you click the minimize button, the program may hang! It does not show the Icon in the Taskbar because Form BorderStyle = None. And also it does not show the PopUpMenu in Taskbar when you right it. With this code, now it will show the Icon in the Taskbar and also right click now show PopUpMenu. If you used it in Form, it must be place in Form_Load() with FormBorderStyle=None, ShowInTaskbar=True (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Quińones You are right we can see a small white box when you are over minimize or maximaze or close buttons, I have tried to elimite it but I don't know how to do it, any solution is wellcome. When you have a form without borders it is impossible to show system menu, this that you see it is made by me with api.
Thank you for yuor other comments I will check them.
(If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
this control is really great however it would be a lot for developers to make it a ocx because somtimes other components conflict with it especially those with subclas (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
maybe you can try vbskinner, try to save skin in a single bmp file. then we can design our own skins~! (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
In the user control I paint the buttons and the title bar. I will be possible to load these objects in a single bmp file, and in that way you can design your skins. I don´t have free time to do it know, I have to finish some projects, I you want to do you can do it. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Juan this OCX JCForms introduce error eventually in forms, when used Unload me in Command Button.
Error 1 ======= The error is in button Closed of the OCX. This link have the image of the erro: http://www.vbmania.com.br/vbmania/userfiles/errojcforms0QBYBPI1.jpg
Erro r 2 ======= Other error is in button Minimized. This button generate error in loop to boot this project (VB):
Andre and Engin Sorry for my delay, I have been very busy and I'll be for a while. Thank you very much for your comments about jcForms control, I will take them in mind when I make a new version. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Hello Juan, Thank you for sharing this control, however I get the same error as Andre in my project. I have put jcForms into a DLL that performs a user interface task as part of an application. In an exe it works, in a dll it crashes.
Appreciate if you can tackle this ASAP as I cannot implement.
thanks (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Hi Juan! This controls, in button Close, Minimize and Maximized, not have a propertie ToolTips of the developement in other language. My language is Portuguese and text "Close" this button, not igual. The text in my language is "Fechar".
1) There is as including this property tooltips for as it buttons?
2) Is there as having a form easier to create new skins for this control? (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Great control. Two issues. I hope that you understand my english. I email you too
1.- In a form i have a treeview, a sstab1 and a jcforms. When i run the app, the form load completely but the jcforms not have all heigth of the form only an 70% of it. when i move the mouse over that area, the jcforms complete the it size.
2.- How i use a jcforms with VB menu on Top. If i use Ctrl-E for edit a menu this appears on top of jcforms. So, how use a menu with jcforms.
Thanks in advance.
Again nice work. (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
Hello Sir, Just Excellent control. By the way, I also uses "jc" prefix in my all programs coz i m Juned Chhipa. Soon, I am going to upload my program "JC Inventory System" in which I used jcforms, but unfortunately, when I uses images in the forms, it was heavily flickering. Check it. Hope u will fix this earlier. Thanks again for sharing such a nice work. ***** (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
i use it with chameleon button with patch in frame and use initcommon control and use cham but as trigger that give error and the frame container doesnt work not seem.. BTW this is great thanks.... Please inform me whether it can be use with cham init control and frame (If this comment was disrespectful, please report it.)
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3/14/2006 10:06:52 AM: 
