HOWTO: Change the Background Color of a Common Dialog

• The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), included with:
  • Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition, versions 1.0, 1.5, 1.51, 1.52
  • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, versions 1.0, 2.0, 4.0

SUMMARY

The common dialog-box classes provided by MFC can be used to modify the background color for common dialog boxes such as the File Open dialog box and the Print dialog box. It is necessary to derive a class from one of the MFC common dialog classes then override the OnCtlColor() and OnDestroy() member functions.

MORE INFORMATION

The sample code below uses the CFileDialog common dialog-box class to demonstrate the process. Class Wizard was used to a generate message- handling function for the WM_CTLCOLOR message. The function called is "CMyDlg::OnCtlColor()".

Sample Code

   // mydlg.h : header file
   // 
   #include <dlgs.h>
   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 
   // CMyDlg dialog

   class CMyDlg : public CFileDialog
   {
   // Construction
   public:
       CMyDlg(CWnd* pParent = NULL);   // standard constructor

       // Add a CBrush pointer to store the new background brush
       CBrush m_pBkBrush;

   // Dialog Data
       //{{AFX_DATA(CMyDlg)
       enum { IDD = FILEOPENORD };
           // NOTE: the ClassWizard will add data members here
       //}}AFX_DATA

   // Implementation
   protected:
       virtual void DoDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX);  // DDX/DDV support

       // Generated message map functions
       //{{AFX_MSG(CMyDlg)
       afx_msg HBRUSH OnCtlColor(CDC* pDC, CWnd* pWnd, UINT nCtlColor);
       //}}AFX_MSG
       DECLARE_MESSAGE_MAP()
   };

   // mydlg.cpp : implementation file
   // 
   #include "stdafx.h"
   #include <afxdlgs.h>
   #include "mydlg.h"

   #ifdef _DEBUG
   #undef THIS_FILE
   static char BASED_CODE THIS_FILE[] = __FILE__;
   #endif

   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 
   // CMyDlg dialog

   CMyDlg::CMyDlg(CWnd* pParent /*=NULL*/)
       : CFileDialog(TRUE, NULL, NULL, OFN_HIDEREADONLY)
   {
       //{{AFX_DATA_INIT(CMyDlg)
           // NOTE: the ClassWizard will add member initialization here
       //}}AFX_DATA_INIT
   }

   void CMyDlg::DoDataExchange(CDataExchange* pDX)
   {
       CDialog::DoDataExchange(pDX);
       //{{AFX_DATA_MAP(CMyDlg)
           // NOTE: the ClassWizard will add DDX and DDV calls here
       //}}AFX_DATA_MAP
   }

   BEGIN_MESSAGE_MAP(CMyDlg, CFileDialog)
       //{{AFX_MSG_MAP(CMyDlg)
       ON_WM_CTLCOLOR()
       //}}AFX_MSG_MAP
   END_MESSAGE_MAP()

   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 
   // CMyDlg message handlers

   HBRUSH CMyDlg::OnCtlColor(CDC* pDC, CWnd* pWnd, UINT nCtlColor)
   {
       switch (nCtlColor) {

       case CTLCOLOR_STATIC:
           // Set the static text to white on blue.
           pDC->SetTextColor(RGB(255, 255, 255));
           pDC->SetBkColor(RGB(0, 0, 255));
           // Drop through to return the background brush.

       case CTLCOLOR_DLG:
           return (HBRUSH)(m_pBkBrush.GetSafeHandle());

       default:
            return CFileDialog::OnCtlColor(pDC, pWnd, nCtlColor);
       }
   } 

Keywords : kbMFC KbUIDesign kbVC kbfaq
Version : WIN3.X:1.0,1.5,1.51,1.52;WINNT:1.0,2.0,2.1,4.0;
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbhowto