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Vista Aero ToolStrip on Non-Client Area

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8 Feb 2009CPOL2 min read 220.7K   13.3K   225   58
Place a ToolStrip on Aero's Glass non-client area
In this post, you will see a solution for giving the Ribbon an orb and the quick access toolbar.

NCBDemo

Introduction

When trying to figure out how to give the Ribbon an orb and the quick access toolbar, I found myself in trouble. I hope this example works for something you may need.

Background

Take a look to some Office app with a ribbon (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). There are some things that you might notice at first sight:

AeroNonClientAreaButtons/nonclient_002.jpg

  1. The orb is drawn half on the client area, half on the title bar.
  2. The quick access tools are drawn (and sensed) on the title bar.
  3. The title of the window is centered between the available space and the start of the caption buttons (minimize, maximize, close).

Using the Code

Although it seems like the orb and the tools are drawn on the non-client area, they are not. This trick is done with one of the features of Vista's Desktop Window Manager (DWM).

How? Well, a regular window has a client area and a non-client area:

AeroNonClientAreaButtons/nonclient_003.jpg

But, a form with the trick done has no client area at all:

AeroNonClientAreaButtons/nonclient_004.jpg

So, why does the form look like it has a client area? A very well known trick: DwmExtendFrameIntoClientArea.

Turns out that when extending the frame into the client area, caption buttons (minimize, maximize, close) are drawn by default. To give life to these caption buttons, the DwmDefWindowProc function is called.

C#
protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
{
    ...

    int dwmHandled = Dwm.DwmDefWindowProc(m.HWnd, m.Msg, 
                         m.WParam, m.LParam, out result);

    if (dwmHandled == 1)
    {
        m.Result = result;
        return;
    }

    ... 

Now, we have to provide basic frame features like window moving and resizing. This is solved by handling the WM_NCHITTEST message on the WndProc. The return value for this message can specify which part of the frame the mouse is currently hitting. By a measurement of areas, the code returns the correct result:

  • Caption
  • North
  • South
  • East
  • West
  • NorthWest
  • NorthEast
  • SouthEast
  • SouthWest

Drawing the ToolStrip

To add a ToolStrip to the window, I just placed it as usual:

AeroNonClientAreaButtons/nonclient_005.jpg

and modified the render process so the ToolStrip gets no background:

C#
public class NonClientAreaRenderer
        : ToolStripProfessionalRenderer
{

    protected override void OnRenderToolStripBackground(ToolStripRenderEventArgs e)
    {
        if (e.ToolStrip.IsDropDown)
        {
            base.OnRenderToolStripBackground(e);
        }
        else
        {
            //Clear so Aero glass covers the area
            e.Graphics.Clear(Color.Transparent);
        }
    }
    ...

And, there you go. A nice toolbar just on the non-client area, but you know, it's not the non-client area. :)

History

  • 17th January, 2009 - Original post
  • 6th February, 2009 - Focus bug fixed

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Product Manager
United States United States
Jose Menendez

- I've been programming Windows and Web apps since 1997.
- My greatest concern nowadays is product, user interface, and usability.
- TypeScript / React expert


Get me to help you debug your code
https://jose.page/fiverr

Comments and Discussions

 
QuestionHow can increase Form border size? Pin
MinChanSike2-Aug-16 23:31
MinChanSike2-Aug-16 23:31 
QuestionNot support forecolor Pin
taqech20-Jan-15 3:43
taqech20-Jan-15 3:43 
QuestionDoesn't work without Aero? Pin
Qwertie19-Jun-12 7:57
Qwertie19-Jun-12 7:57 
BugCannot drag window on second monitor Pin
chinswain7-Jun-12 22:55
chinswain7-Jun-12 22:55 
GeneralRe: Cannot drag window on second monitor Pin
Ozan Müyesseroğlu18-Nov-12 14:25
Ozan Müyesseroğlu18-Nov-12 14:25 
GeneralRe: Cannot drag window on second monitor Pin
gogogoggg16-Feb-13 10:18
professionalgogogoggg16-Feb-13 10:18 
QuestionThe controls at top position of form move to title bar ,can't been showned. Pin
Member 268840730-Dec-11 15:48
Member 268840730-Dec-11 15:48 
GeneralMDI makes it white and undraggable Pin
AETCoder16-May-11 12:12
AETCoder16-May-11 12:12 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
leesong3-Mar-11 3:09
leesong3-Mar-11 3:09 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
VB_ Coder22-Feb-11 7:12
VB_ Coder22-Feb-11 7:12 
GeneralRe: My vote of 5 Pin
Ayden01-Oct-13 15:52
Ayden01-Oct-13 15:52 
GeneralMinimize/Maximize bug Pin
code17002-Jan-11 8:13
code17002-Jan-11 8:13 
GeneralRe: Minimize/Maximize bug Pin
rikka0w015-Mar-16 21:31
rikka0w015-Mar-16 21:31 
GeneralRe: Minimize/Maximize bug Pin
rikka0w015-Mar-16 21:32
rikka0w015-Mar-16 21:32 
QuestionHow to reduce distance from top and the left edge?? Pin
virtyaluk16-Oct-10 4:42
virtyaluk16-Oct-10 4:42 
QuestionHow to aero on client area but no Non-client area? Pin
stevenyoung8-Oct-10 2:05
stevenyoung8-Oct-10 2:05 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
Mukit, Ataul13-Aug-10 8:30
Mukit, Ataul13-Aug-10 8:30 
GeneralBlack bar bug Pin
scruffyfox6-Aug-10 3:45
scruffyfox6-Aug-10 3:45 
GeneralRe: Black bar bug [modified] Pin
3of46-Sep-10 20:45
3of46-Sep-10 20:45 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
MikeMatt162-Jul-10 16:14
MikeMatt162-Jul-10 16:14 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
Alex Essilfie30-Jun-10 2:11
Alex Essilfie30-Jun-10 2:11 
GeneralArticle excellent! But... Pin
Evgeniy Stepanow21-May-10 11:45
Evgeniy Stepanow21-May-10 11:45 
QuestionHave DWM Draw the Window Icon? Pin
Sidneys17-May-10 10:47
Sidneys17-May-10 10:47 
Generaldwmapi.dll missing Pin
Divyesh Kharade26-Apr-10 2:07
Divyesh Kharade26-Apr-10 2:07 
GeneralMDIContainer Pin
Skippy II14-Apr-10 8:13
Skippy II14-Apr-10 8:13 

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