Delphi: Draw a text in a caption form for vista with aero like windows 7

Question

How does one draw text (with onClick event) in a caption bar on vista with aero Like Windows 7 ?

alt text http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/3643/immaginembl.jpg

The example at delphi.about.com doesn't work on Vista with aero. Do you have any ideas?

Thanks to all.

Sorry for my bad english.

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 22 '09 at 21:11

4

Drawing in the nonclient region causes glass to be disabled automatically. What MS Office does is expand the client region to cover the borders. Look at the "Drawing in the NC area with glass" section of this WPF article for suggestions. You'll have to convert the API calls to Delphi yourself, I'm afraid.

answered Jul 22 '09 at 21:11

ChrisV

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Thanks for driving, for what I do I need this http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dialog/AeroNonClientAreaButtons.aspx is too complicated for my knowledge many thanks – Jul 22 '09 at 22:09

Runner · Answer 2 · 2009-07-23T05:57:02.333

3

The key is the API DwmExtendFrameIntoClientArea

You shoud declare it and get it like this:

DwmExtendFrameIntoClientAreaFunc = function(destWnd: HWND; const pMarInset: PMargins): HRESULT; stdcall; 
@fDwmExtendFrameIntoClientArea := GetProcAddress(hDWMDLL, 'DwmExtendFrameIntoClientArea');

You also have the code already ported here: Translucent Windows with Aero

To have not frame you call it like:

DWM_ExtendFrameIntoClientArea(Form1.Handle, -1, -1, -1, -1);

With all this it should not be to hard to achieve what you want.

edited Jul 23 '09 at 05:57

answered Jul 23 '09 at 05:34

Runner

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Thanks. .. DWM_ExtendFrameIntoClientArea(Form3.Handle, -1, -1, -1, -1); Canvas.TextOut(80,10,'Text client area'); Canvas.TextOut(80,-8,'Text non client area'); produces this result: http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/697/immaginetxz.jpg Where I commit mistake? Very thakns – Jul 23 '09 at 12:45

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 24 '09 at 20:23

0

In Delphi 2009 TLabel has a new property called "GlowSize" (see help). The effect of setting a positive value for this property is very close to what you seem to be looking for (a glow around label's text).

answered Jul 24 '09 at 20:23

Tihauan

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2

This GlowSize property produces a very ugly result in comparision to the real glow produced by Windows Vista/7. – May 08 '10 at 07:05
This glowsize property doesn't do anything, other than tell Vista what to do. – Warren P Aug 16 '11 at 21:23

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Nov 30 '10 at 22:09

Extending the frame is one thing and drawing Vista themed (glowing) text is another. With Canvas.TextOut or DrawText the output has messed up alpha which will give the effect you got. You need to use DrawThemeTextEx. Heres the correct procedure for drawing text on glass:

uses Themes, UxTheme;

procedure DrawTextOnGlass(Canvas: TCanvas; Text: String; R: TRect);
var
  memoryHdc: HDC;
  b: TBitmap;
  dttOpts: TDTTOpts;
  DR: TRect;
  bf: TBlendFunction;
begin
  b := TBitmap.Create;
  try
    memoryHdc := CreateCompatibleDC(Canvas.Handle);

    b.Handle := memoryHdc;
    b.HandleType := bmDIB;
    b.PixelFormat := pf32bit;
    b.SetSize(R.Right - R.Left, R.Top - R.Bottom);
    b.Canvas.Font := Canvas.Font;

    DR := R;
    OffsetRect(DR, -DR.Left, -DR.Top);
    Inflaterect(dr, -5, -5);
    b.Canvas.Brush.Color := clBlack;
    b.Canvas.FillRect(DR);

    dttOpts.dwSize := SizeOf(TDTTOpts);
    dttOpts.iGlowSize := 8;
    dttOpts.dwFlags := DTT_COMPOSITED or DTT_GLOWSIZE or DTT_TEXTCOLOR;

    DrawThemeTextEx(ThemeServices.Theme[teWindow], b.Handle, WP_CAPTION, CS_ACTIVE, Text, -1,
      DT_CENTER or DT_VCENTER or DT_SINGLELINE or DT_NOPREFIX, DR, dttOpts);
  if GetLastError <> 0 then
        RaiseLastOSError;


    bf.BlendOp := AC_SRC_OVER;
    bf.BlendFlags := 0;
    bf.SourceConstantAlpha := 255;
    bf.AlphaFormat := AC_SRC_ALPHA;

    AlphaBlend(Canvas.Handle, R.Left, R.Top, R.Right - R.Left, R.Bottom - R.Top,
      b.Canvas.Handle, 0, 0, R.Right - R.Left, R.Bottom - R.Top, bf);
  finally
    b.Free;
  end;
end;

This didn`t worked with me, It gives "A call to OS funciton failed"? — Vasil Popov, Nov 17 '10 at 08:56
I wonder why RaiseLastOsError is being called without any IF statement? — Warren P, Nov 30 '10 at 22:04
Delphi 7 does not have enough Themes support alone to work with Win7 + glass, but you might be able to find some third party "themes and aero" code out there in the wild. Easiest path is to upgrade off your ancient Delphi 7. — Warren P, Jan 07 '12 at 21:03

score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Dec 21 '12 at 06:38

0

Thanks for DrawTextOnGlass code. But to work as expected, I needed to replace b.handle b.canvas.handle in DrawThemeTextEx

edited Dec 21 '12 at 06:38

Michaël

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answered May 31 '10 at 17:59

Homo Programmatoris

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 22 '10 at 20:35

0

You need a single call to DwmSetWindowAttribute, after that everything is quite simple. Check this article and especially comments :) http://delphihaven.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/setting-up-a-custom-title-bar-reprise/

answered Nov 22 '10 at 20:35

Torbins

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Delphi: Draw a text in a caption form for vista with aero like windows 7

6 Answers6