HOWTO: Change Window Attributes in an MFC Application

• The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) included with:

      - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.5, 1.51, 1.52
      - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, versions 2.0, 2.1, 4.0
  

SUMMARY

To change the default window attributes used by a framework application created in AppWizard, override the window's PreCreateWindow() virtual member function. PreCreateWindow() allows an application to access the creation process normally processed internally by the CDocTemplate class. The framework calls PreCreateWindow() just prior to creating the window. By modifying the CREATESTRUCT structure parameter to PreCreateWindow(), your application can change the attributes used to create the window.

MORE INFORMATION

The CTRLBARS sample application, provided with the Microsoft Foundation Class Library, demonstrates this technique to change window attributes. Note that depending on what your application changes in PreCreateWindow(), it may be necessary to call the base class implementation.

In a single document interface (SDI) application, the default window style in the framework is a combination of the WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW and FWS_ADDTOTITLE styles. FWS_ADDTOTITLE is a framework-specific style that instructs the framework to add the document title to the window's caption. To change the window attributes in an SDI application, override the PreCreateWindow() function in your class derived form CFrameWnd. For example:

   BOOL CMainFrame::PreCreateWindow(CREATESTRUCT& cs)
   {
      // Create a window without min/max buttons or sizable border
      cs.style = WS_OVERLAPPED | WS_SYSMENU | WS_BORDER;

      // Size the window to 1/3 screen size and center it
      cs.cy = ::GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYSCREEN) / 3;
      cs.cx = ::GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXSCREEN) / 3;
      cs.y = ((cs.cy * 3) - cs.cy) / 2;
      cs.x = ((cs.cx * 3) - cs.cx) / 2;

      return CFrameWnd::PreCreateWindow(cs);
   }

The default window style used in an MDI application is a combination of the WS_CHILD, WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, and FWS_ADDTOTITLE styles. To change the window attributes of an MDI application's child windows, override the PreCreateWindow() function in your class derived from CMDIChildWnd. For example:

   BOOL CMyChildWnd::PreCreateWindow(CREATESTRUCT& cs)
   {
      // Create a child window without the maximize button
      cs.style &= ~WS_MAXIMIZEBOX;
      return CMDIChildWnd::PreCreateWindow(cs);
   }