What are the good layout managers for MFC apps ?
For MFC dialogs, have a look at ResizableLib.
I have been using http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dialog/layoutmgr.aspx for years, it's great. I have yet to find a situation where I can't get a certain layout done with this class. The only thing I 'miss' is a visual layout designer, but I don't think there's a layout manager that has one.
MFC resizer with anchor properties
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dialog/WndResizer.aspx
I found this: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/MFC/UltimateToolbox_Layout.aspx
I'm looking for the same thing. I doubt Microsoft will ever come up with anything as nice as glade. It truly sucks developing for windows.
I have used this CSizingDialog class several times:
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/11538/Resize-Reposition-the-Controls-in-a-Dialog-at-your
However, are you aware that in Visual Studio 2015 you can use the resource editor itself to manage control resizing? The concept is tricky to get your head around, but when you use it right you need no additional layout manager.
Related
I just started developing an MFC application for the first time and I'm hoping to get more familiar with the whole "controls" concept. I am using the dialog editor in visual studio and so far I was not able to find functionality to add a simple table/grid. It seems quite basic to me, but I can't even find reliable information on how to do it on the internet.
I am looking for something similar to Qt's QTableWidget, something that I can later program with variable amount of rows and columns tailored to my application's use cases.
Do you have any ideas how to do it?
I use CGridCtrl which is very powerful and does a lot of the legwork for you.
Sounds like you're after a List View Control, which is wrapped by MFC's CListCtrl class. The dialog editor will enable you to add one and set its properties.
I am wondering which way is the best to start building a GUI+SOFT in Qt. I am trying to build a sound media player based on a MVC pattern. Until now i have found 3 ways to do so.
1- Should I use a .ui file thanks to Qt designer, is it flexible enough ?
2- Should I use QML to make the design than integrate it to a C++ development ?
3- Should I just start from scratch and do it by hand without Qt Designer and using Qt library ?
Thank you very much for your answers.
NOTE: I'm using PyQt, so my comment may not be the most relevant.
I found Qt Designer to be great to create UIs, but then, when comes the time to modify them later, it becomes somewhat of a problem. Inserting new elements in an existing layout is often tricky, and you have to break all your layouts and re-assemble them (hoping you didn't mess anything up). Moreover, if your app is not trivial, you'll likely end up with code "fixing" what the .ui can't do. There are other tricky cases like that, but I don't remember them right now.
I ended up getting rid of my .ui files. So what I'd recommend is to initially use the designer to create the UI, and then use only the generated code from that point forward.
If you want your UI to be animated and it is not a requirement to follow platform UI appearance, QML is by far the best way to achieve this. If you want a UI that appears like any other application on your system and has limited animation then stick with QtDesigner and standard widgets.
I prefer building UI completely from scratch. This gives a lot of flexibility and better understanding of what is where, but on the other hand changing layout sometimes is a big headache.
I would use Qt Designer, as this is the easiest method IMHO.
Is there an easy way in MFC to add a hyperlink in a button? I've searched the net and they seem to offer complicated stuff.
Thanks.
This video shows how to use the SysLink common control (CLinkCtrl). Beware that MFC support for this control is new and requires VS2008 and the Feature Pack.
Bear in mind that the SysLink control is XP+. If you have to support older platforms, or if you use an older VS, your best bet is probably the good old CStaticLink by Paul DiLascia (RIP).
MFC doesn't implement buttons with hyperlinks (actually win32 common buttons don't support it).
You'll have to use 3rd party buttons.
One option is to use the FooButton class which supports hyperlinks.
Ive been looking a long time for this, but can't seem to find it. When I add a menu strip in vb .net, it looks like this:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4341/menu1sbo.jpg http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4341/menu1sbo.jpg
and I want it to look like the WinRar, Calculator, Notepad etc menus like this:
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/307/menu1a.jpg http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/307/menu1a.jpg
From what I gathered, in vb 6 you could create a mainmenu and do it this way, but in vb .net it seems like all there is is ugly menustrip.
Thanks
You may have to get dirty and create a CustomRenderer(ToolStripProfessionalRenderer) to apply to the ToolStripManager
Without rehashing to much, this doc looks like a nice overview or you can always opt for the Microsoft tutorial
menustrip is derived from toolstrip
You may need to enable XP theme support in your project settings. To do this, go to My Project in your Solution Explorer, and make sure "Enable XP Visual Styles" is checked under the Windows application framework properties group down near the bottom of the Application tab.
If this doesn't work, you might need to create an application manifest as described in this MSDN article.
This question is quite old but for anyone else interested, you can find this type of menu in the .NET framework components. Just right click the Toolbox -> Choose items -> .NET Framework Components and filter for MainMenu. Works exactly like any other menu strip from what I've seen so far.
I see many user interface control libraries for .NET, but where can I get similar stuff for win32 using simply C/C++?
Things like prettier buttons, dials, listviews, graphs, etc.
Seems every Win32 programmers' right of passage is to end up writing his own collection. :/
No MFC controls please. I only do pure C/C++. And with that said, I also don't feel like adding a multi-megabyte framework to my application just so that I can have a prettier button.
I apologize for leaving out one tiny detail, and that is that my development is for Windows Mobile.
So manifest files are out.
I just notice how many developer companies have gone crazy with making pretty looking .NET components and wondered where the equivalent C/C++ Win32 components have gone?
I read about how many people ended up writing their own gradient button class, etc. So you would think that there would be some commercial classes for this stuff. It's just weird.
I'll take a closer look at QT and investigate its GUI support for such things. This is the challenge when you're the one man in your own uISV. No other developers to help you "get things done".
I've used Trolltech's Qt framework in the past and had great success with it:
In addition, it's also cross-platform, so in theory you can target Win, Mac, & Linux (provided you don't do anything platform-specific in the rest of your code, of course ;) )
Edit: I notice that you're targeting Windows Mobile; that definitely adds to Qt's strength, as its cross-platform support extends to WinCE and Embedded Linux as well.
The Code Project has lots of UI controls for C/C++
Most of them are focussed on MFC or WTL but there are some that are pure Win32.
As an aside if you're not using a framework, you really should consider WTL over pure Win32. It's low overhead and about a million times more productive.
For prettier buttons, etc., if you aren't already doing it, embed an application manifest so that your program is linked to version 6 of the common controls library. Doing so will get you the Windows XP- or Vista-styled versions of the standard Windows controls.
If you want types of controls beyond what Windows offers natively, you'll likely have to either write it yourself or be more specific about what kind of control you are looking for.
I you don't mind using the MFC libraries you should try the Visual C++ 2008 Feature Pack
Stingray
CodeJock - Toolkit Pro for MFC/ C++
The MFC feature pack is derived from BCGSoft components.
Using winAPI's you can do almost anything you want and really fast too. It takes some time to figure it out but it works. Go to MSDN, lookup MessageBox(), check out DialogBox() and go from there.
I personally do not care for MFC by the way. If you want to use an MFC like approach I'd recommend Borland's C++ Builder. Pretty old but still very usefull I think.