Custom Menus Made Easy

iwdu150, 16 Jul 2006

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An easy way to make your menus stand out.

Sample Image - ColorObject.jpg

Introduction

Microsoft has upgraded the basic MenuStrip object. Now you can easily have images with it, woohoo! What they didn't do, is make you able to change colors (and by change colors, I mean gradient colors), and let's face it, if your GUI isn't blue, then why would you have a blue menu? The user might be a little confused. And, that's where this comes in; instead of paying for some over-priced control, you can use the ToolstripProfessionalRenderer, and the best part is that I have wrapped everything you need into a nice little control.

How it Works

This control was a bit interesting to make. I am sure people will point out code issues and stuff, but keep in mind, I wasn't originally going to put this on the web. Back to the code, it uses the ToolstripProfessionalRenderer with an inherited ProfessionalColorTable. What I then did was override almost all MenuStrip properties with my own. This is where it gets messy. Since the original properties are ReadOnly and we want to write them, I had to create another set of properties to write to the local variables the ReadOnly variables get their information from. Then, to make it accessible from an object, I had to put the writeable properties in a custom object, then create a way for the object and the class to share data.

How to Use

Overall, not so bad, eh? This control is pretty easy to use, and from what I can find, there is only one bug which I have yet to find an answer to. This is how to use the ColorObject:

First, you must declare the ColorObjectRenderer to be the renderer of the MenuStrip.

Public Sub New()

    ' This call is required by the Windows Form Designer.
    InitializeComponent()

    ' Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.

    ToolStripManager.Renderer = Me.ColorObject1.Renderer

End Sub

This tells the MenuStrip to be rendered using Me.ColorObject1.Renderer. All the other things are taken care of. Renderer is a property of my object, just FYI. Now, here is how to use it and where the bug is. In any method, just change one of the color properties. Simple, right? But there is a problem, the control isn't automatically redrawn; after you change the color, you have to Invalidate the MenuStrip to redraw. I haven't found a way to programmatically do this, seeing as there isn't a way to access the menu item my object renders. If anyone knows a way around this, please tell me so I can update my code.

Private Sub AnySub()
    Dim clr As New ColorDialog

    With clr
        If .ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK And .Color <> Nothing Then
            Me.ColorObject1.SecondMenuBarColor = .Color
            Me.mnuNew.Invalidate()
        End If
    End With
End Sub

Closing

I hope you found this article helpful. If you didn't, please leave a comment telling me why, so next time I can do better. Thanks!

License

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

About the Author

iwdu150


	United States

I am iwdu15, a college frosh who will be majoring in Computer Science. I use VB.Net, C#, C++, J#, Java, and some C.

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Comments and Discussions

Threw this together
Give Black Theme

Public Class BlackColorScheme
Inherits ProfessionalColorTable

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonCheckedGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
'Return Color.FromArgb(&HC1, 210, &HEE)
Return Color.FromArgb(0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonCheckedGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(0, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonCheckedGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(0, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonPressedBorder() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(215, 101, 203)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonPressedGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(201, 210, 21)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonPressedGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(208, 215, 48)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonPressedGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(208, 154, 210)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonSelectedBorder() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return MyBase.ButtonSelectedBorder
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonSelectedGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(210, 210, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonSelectedGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HC1, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ButtonSelectedGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&H0&, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property CheckBackground() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HE1, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property CheckPressedBackground() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&H31, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property CheckSelectedBackground() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&H31, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property GripDark() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HC1, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property GripLight() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HFF, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ImageMarginGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HFE, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ImageMarginGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HBD, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ImageMarginGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HEC, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ImageMarginRevealedGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HF7, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ImageMarginRevealedGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(230, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ImageMarginRevealedGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HF2, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuBorder() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&H8A, &H86, &H7A)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuItemBorder() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&H31, &H6A, &HC5)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuItemPressedGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return MyBase.MenuItemPressedGradientBegin
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuItemPressedGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return MyBase.MenuItemPressedGradientEnd
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuItemPressedGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return MyBase.MenuItemPressedGradientMiddle
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuItemSelected() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HC1, 210, &HEE)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuItemSelectedGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HC1, 210, &HEE)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuItemSelectedGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HC1, 210, &HEE)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuStripGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HE5, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property MenuStripGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HF4, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property OverflowButtonGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HF3, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property OverflowButtonGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&H92, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property OverflowButtonGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HE2, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property RaftingContainerGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HE5, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property RaftingContainerGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HF4, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property SeparatorDark() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HC5, &HC2, &HB8)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property SeparatorLight() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HFF, &HFF, &HFF)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ToolStripBorder() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HA3, &HA3, &H7C)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ToolStripDropDownBackground() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HFC, &HFC, &HF9)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ToolStripGradientBegin() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HF7, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ToolStripGradientEnd() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
'Return Color.FromArgb(230, &HE3, 210)
Return Color.FromArgb(192, 0, 0, 0)
End Get
End Property

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property ToolStripGradientMiddle() As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return Color.FromArgb(&HF2, 240, &HE4)
End Get
End Property

End Class