How to Create Controls w/ a 3D Border at Run Time Using MFC

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The information in this article applies to:

• Windows 95
• The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) included with: Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, versions 2.1, 2.2, and 4.0

SUMMARY

Controls placed in a dialog box under Windows 95 have a 3D border. If you want to create a control at run time that has a 3D border, specify the WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE extended style.

MORE INFORMATION

The new extended-window style WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE specifies that a window is to have a 3D border. All controls created by the dialog manager are created with that style automatically added. To create a control at run time that has a 3D border, you have to add that style yourself.

Because WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE is an extended style, you cannot use the Create() member function to create a control. You must call CreateEx(), and pass the appropriate Windows class name as well. For example, to create an edit control at run time, you could use this code:

   m_Edit.Create(WS_CHILD | WS_BORDER | WS_VISIBLE,
                 CRect(10,10,100,100),pParent,nID);

   m_Edit.CreateEx(WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE,"EDIT","",
                   WS_CHILD | WS_BORDER | WS_VISIBLE,
                   10,10,100,100,pParent->GetSafeHwnd(),(HMENU)nID);

   #define WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE        0x00000200L

Keep in mind that the WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE style applies to any window, not just controls. In Visual C++ versions 2.2 and above, MFC automatically adds WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE for frames and views but not for CWnd-based windows or controls.

To create other standard controls, you have to specify their pre-defined Windows class name: BUTTON, COMBOBOX, LISTBOX, SCROLLBAR, or STATIC.

REFERENCES

For more information about Create and CreateEx, please see the Class Library Reference in Books Online.

For more information about the new Windows styles, please see the Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK) documentation.