Tip 99: Adding Three-Dimensional Effects to Visual Basic Forms
May 29, 1995
Abstract
You can use functions in the CTL3D.DLL dynamic-link library to add a three-dimensional (3-D) look to any form. This article explains how to use this .DLL to create a 3-D form in a Visual Basic® application.
Creating 3-D Forms
The CTL3D.DLL dynamic-link library contains Windows® application programming interface (API) functions you can use to create three-dimensional (3-D) message boxes and common dialog boxes in your Visual Basic® applications. You can also use these functions to create a 3-D form. The form must have a fixed-double-style border. In addition, the form's MinButton and MaxButton properties must be set to False.
As the example program below shows, the CTL3D.DLL functions can enable your Visual Basic application to display 3-D forms, message boxes, and common dialog boxes.
Example Program
Create a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
Add a Command Button control to Form1. Command1 is created by default.
Add the following code to the Click event for Command1:
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Form2.Show
End Sub
From the Insert menu, select Form to create a second form. Form2 is created by default. Set the form's BorderStyle property to 3-Fixed Double, the MinButton property to False, and the MaxButton property to False.
Add the following code to the Form_Load event for Form2:
Private Sub Form_Load()
Call Ctl3DForm(Me)
End Sub
From the Insert menu, select Module to create a new module. Module1.Bas is created by default.
Add the following code to Module1.Bas (note that the Private lines must each be typed as a single line of code):
Const SWW_HPARENT = -8
Const GWW_HINSTANCE = -6
Const GWW_HPARENT = -8
Const BUTTON_FACE = &H8000000F
Const FIXED_DOUBLE = 3
Const DS_MODALFRAME = &H80&
Const GWL_STYLE = (-16)
Private Declare Function Ctl3DSubClassDlgEx Lib "CTL3D.DLL" (ByVal hWnd As
Integer, ByVal Flags As Long) As Integer
Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "User" (ByVal hWnd As Integer, ByVal
nIndex As Integer) As Long
Private Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "User" (ByVal hWnd As Integer, ByVal
nIndex As Integer, ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long
Sub Ctl3DForm(frm As Form)
Dim hWnd As Integer
Dim Result As Integer
Dim lStyle As Long
Dim Flag1 As Long
hWnd = frm.hWnd
Flag1 = 0
If frm.BorderStyle = FIXED_DOUBLE Then
frm.BackColor = BUTTON_FACE
lStyle = GetWindowLong(hWnd, GWL_STYLE)
lStyle = lStyle Or DS_MODALFRAME
lStyle = SetWindowLong(hWnd, GWL_STYLE, lStyle)
Result = Ctl3DSubClassDlgEx(hWnd, Flag1)
End If
End Sub
Run the example program by pressing the F5 function key. Click the Command Button to display Form2. Form2 is modified so that it has a three-dimensional look.
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