This function retrieves the current color of the specified display element. Display elements are the parts of a window and the Windows display that appear on the system display screen.
At a Glance
| Header file: | Winuser.h |
| Windows CE versions: | 1.0 and later |
Syntax
DWORD GetSysColor(int nIndex);
Parameters
nIndex
Specifies the display element whose color is to be retrieved. This parameter must be one of the following values:
| Value | Description |
| COLOR_3DDKSHADOW | Dark shadow for three-dimensional display elements. |
| COLOR_3DFACE, COLOR_BTNFACE | Face color for three-dimensional display elements. |
| COLOR_3DHILIGHT, COLOR_3DHIGHLIGHT, COLOR_BTNHILIGHT, COLOR_BTNHIGHLIGHT | Highlight color for three-dimensional display elements (for edges facing the light source.) |
| COLOR_3DLIGHT | Light color for three-dimensional display elements (for edges facing the light source.) |
| COLOR_3DSHADOW, COLOR_BTNSHADOW | Shadow color for three-dimensional display elements (for edges facing away from the light source). |
| COLOR_ACTIVEBORDER | Active window border. |
| COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION | Active window title bar. |
| COLOR_APPWORKSPACE | Background color of multiple document interface (MDI) applications. |
| COLOR_BACKGROUND, COLOR_DESKTOP | Desktop. |
| COLOR_BTNTEXT | Text on push buttons. |
| COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT | Text in caption, size box, and scroll bar arrow box. |
| COLOR_GRAYTEXT | Grayed (disabled) text. This color is set to 0 if the current display driver does not support a solid gray color. |
| COLOR_HIGHLIGHT | Item(s) selected in a control. |
| COLOR_HIGHLIGHTTEXT | Text of item(s) selected in a control. |
| COLOR_INACTIVEBORDER | Inactive window border. |
| COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION | Inactive window caption. |
| COLOR_INACTIVECAPTIONTEXT | Color of text in an inactive caption. |
| COLOR_INFOBK | Background color for tooltip controls. |
| COLOR_INFOTEXT | Text color for tooltip controls. |
| COLOR_MENU | Menu background. |
| COLOR_MENUTEXT | Text in menus. |
| COLOR_SCROLLBAR | Scroll bar gray area. |
| COLOR_STATIC | Background color for static controls and dialogs. Supported in Windows CE versions 2.0 and later. |
| COLOR_STATICTEXT | Text color for static controls. Supported in Windows CE versions 2.0 and later. |
| COLOR_WINDOW | Window background. |
| COLOR_WINDOWFRAME | Window frame. |
| COLOR_WINDOWTEXT | Text in windows. |
Return Values
The red, green, blue (RGB) color value that determines the color of the specified element indicates success. Zero indicates failure. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.
Remarks
Windows CE versions 1.0 and 1.01 only support a 2 bit gray scale palette, so GetSysColor returns a palette index rather than an RGB value. Windows CE graphic display interface (GDI) functions that accept a COLORREF structure can use either a palette index or an RGB value. However, if the application attempts to interpret the color value, be aware of this difference.
Windows CE version 2.0 supports 2 bits per pixel (2-bpp), 4 bits per pixel (4-bpp), and 8 bits per pixel (8-bpp) color devices, and can logically support 32 bits per pixel device independent bitmaps (DIBs). In Windows CE version 2.0, GetSysColor returns an RGB value.
System colors for monochrome displays are usually interpreted as shades of gray.