VisualStyleRenderer Class

Definition

Provides methods for drawing and getting information about a VisualStyleElement. This class cannot be inherited.

C#
public sealed class VisualStyleRenderer
Inheritance
VisualStyleRenderer

Examples

The following code example uses the VisualStyleRenderer class to implement a custom control that simulates some of the basic UI of a window, including dragging with the title bar, resizing with the sizing handle, and closing. This example uses several VisualStyleElement objects that represent standard parts of a window, including the elements exposed by the VisualStyleElement.Window.Caption, VisualStyleElement.Window.CloseButton, and VisualStyleElement.Status.Gripper classes.

C#
using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Drawing2D;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles;

namespace VisualStyleRendererSample
{
    class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
            : base()
        {
            this.Size = new Size(800, 600);
            this.Location = new Point(20, 20);
            this.BackColor = Color.DarkGray;
            WindowSimulation Window1 = new WindowSimulation();
            Controls.Add(Window1);
        }

        [STAThread]
        static void Main()
        {
            Application.EnableVisualStyles();
            Application.Run(new Form1());
        }
    }

    public class WindowSimulation : Control
    {
        private Dictionary<string, VisualStyleElement> windowElements =
            new Dictionary<string, VisualStyleElement>();
        private Dictionary<string, Rectangle> elementRectangles =
            new Dictionary<string, Rectangle>();
        private VisualStyleRenderer renderer = null;

        private Point closeButtonOffset;
        private Size gripperSize;
        private Size closeButtonSize;
        private bool isResizing = false;
        private bool isMoving = false;
        private bool isClosing = false;
        private int captionHeight;
        private int frameThickness;
        private int statusHeight = 22;
        private Point originalClick = new Point();
        private Point resizeOffset = new Point();

        public WindowSimulation()
            : base()
        {
            this.Location = new Point(50, 50);
            this.Size = new Size(350, 300);
            this.BackColor = Color.Azure;
            this.DoubleBuffered = true;
            this.MinimumSize = new Size(300, 200);
            this.Font = SystemFonts.CaptionFont;
            this.Text = "Simulated Window";

            // Insert the VisualStyleElement objects into the Dictionary.
            windowElements.Add("windowCaption",
                VisualStyleElement.Window.Caption.Active);
            windowElements.Add("windowBottom",
                VisualStyleElement.Window.FrameBottom.Active);
            windowElements.Add("windowLeft",
                VisualStyleElement.Window.FrameLeft.Active);
            windowElements.Add("windowRight",
                VisualStyleElement.Window.FrameRight.Active);
            windowElements.Add("windowClose",
                VisualStyleElement.Window.CloseButton.Normal);
            windowElements.Add("statusBar",
                VisualStyleElement.Status.Bar.Normal);
            windowElements.Add("statusGripper",
                VisualStyleElement.Status.Gripper.Normal);

            // Get the sizes and location offsets for the window parts  
            // as specified by the visual style, and then use this 
            // information to calcualate the rectangles for each part.
            GetPartDetails();
            CalculateRectangles();

            this.MouseDown +=
                new MouseEventHandler(ImitationWindow_MouseDown);
            this.MouseUp +=
                new MouseEventHandler(ImitationWindow_MouseUp);
            this.MouseMove +=
                new MouseEventHandler(ImitationWindow_MouseMove);
        }

        // Get the sizes and offsets for the window parts as specified  
        // by the visual style.
        private void GetPartDetails()
        {
            // Do nothing further if visual styles are not enabled.
            if (!Application.RenderWithVisualStyles)
            {
                return;
            }

            using (Graphics g = this.CreateGraphics())
            {
                // Get the size and offset of the close button.
                if (SetRenderer(windowElements["windowClose"]))
                {
                    closeButtonSize =
                        renderer.GetPartSize(g, ThemeSizeType.True);
                    closeButtonOffset =
                        renderer.GetPoint(PointProperty.Offset);
                }

                // Get the height of the window caption.
                if (SetRenderer(windowElements["windowCaption"]))
                {
                    captionHeight = renderer.GetPartSize(g,
                        ThemeSizeType.True).Height;
                }

                // Get the thickness of the left, bottom, 
                // and right window frame.
                if (SetRenderer(windowElements["windowLeft"]))
                {
                    frameThickness = renderer.GetPartSize(g,
                        ThemeSizeType.True).Width;
                }

                // Get the size of the resizing gripper.
                if (SetRenderer(windowElements["statusGripper"]))
                {
                    gripperSize = renderer.GetPartSize(g,
                        ThemeSizeType.True);
                }
            }
        }

        // Use the part metrics to determine the current size 
        // of the rectangles for all of the window parts.
        private void CalculateRectangles()
        {
            int heightMinusFrame =
                ClientRectangle.Height - frameThickness;

            // Calculate the window frame rectangles and add them
            // to the Dictionary of rectangles.
            elementRectangles["windowCaption"] =
                new Rectangle(0, 0,
                ClientRectangle.Width, captionHeight);
            elementRectangles["windowBottom"] =
                new Rectangle(0, heightMinusFrame,
                ClientRectangle.Width, frameThickness);
            elementRectangles["windowLeft"] =
                new Rectangle(0, captionHeight, frameThickness,
                heightMinusFrame - captionHeight);
            elementRectangles["windowRight"] =
                new Rectangle(ClientRectangle.Width - frameThickness,
                captionHeight, frameThickness,
                heightMinusFrame - captionHeight);

            // Calculate the window button rectangle and add it
            // to the Dictionary of rectangles.
            elementRectangles["windowClose"] =
                new Rectangle(ClientRectangle.Right +
                closeButtonOffset.X - closeButtonSize.Width - frameThickness, closeButtonOffset.Y,
                closeButtonSize.Width, closeButtonSize.Height);

            // Calculate the status bar rectangles and add them
            // to the Dictionary of rectangles.
            elementRectangles["statusBar"] =
                new Rectangle(frameThickness,
                heightMinusFrame - statusHeight,
                ClientRectangle.Width - (2 * frameThickness),
                statusHeight);
            elementRectangles["statusGripper"] =
                new Rectangle(ClientRectangle.Right -
                gripperSize.Width - frameThickness,
                heightMinusFrame - gripperSize.Height,
                gripperSize.Width, gripperSize.Height);
        }

        protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnPaint(e);

            // Ensure that visual styles are supported.
            if (!Application.RenderWithVisualStyles)
            {
                this.Text = "Visual styles are not enabled.";
                TextRenderer.DrawText(e.Graphics, this.Text,
                    this.Font, this.Location, this.ForeColor);
                return;
            }

            // Set the clip region to define the curved corners 
            // of the caption.
            SetClipRegion();

            // Draw each part of the window.
            foreach (KeyValuePair<string, VisualStyleElement> entry
                in windowElements)
            {
                if (SetRenderer(entry.Value))
                {
                    renderer.DrawBackground(e.Graphics,
                        elementRectangles[entry.Key]);
                }
            }

            // Draw the caption text.
            TextRenderer.DrawText(e.Graphics, this.Text, this.Font,
                elementRectangles["windowCaption"], Color.White,
                TextFormatFlags.VerticalCenter |
                TextFormatFlags.HorizontalCenter);
        }

        // Initiate dragging, resizing, or closing the imitation window.
        void ImitationWindow_MouseDown(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            // The user clicked the close button.
            if (elementRectangles["windowClose"].Contains(e.Location))
            {
                windowElements["windowClose"] =
                    VisualStyleElement.Window.CloseButton.Pressed;
                isClosing = true;
            }

            // The user clicked the status grip.
            else if (elementRectangles["statusGripper"].
                Contains(e.Location))
            {
                isResizing = true;
                this.Cursor = Cursors.SizeNWSE;
                resizeOffset.X = this.Right - this.Left - e.X;
                resizeOffset.Y = this.Bottom - this.Top - e.Y;
            }

            // The user clicked the window caption.
            else if (elementRectangles["windowCaption"].
                Contains(e.Location))
            {
                isMoving = true;
                originalClick.X = e.X;
                originalClick.Y = e.Y;
            }

            Invalidate();
        }

        // Stop any current resizing or moving actions.
        void ImitationWindow_MouseUp(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            // Stop moving the location of the window rectangles.
            if (isMoving)
            {
                isMoving = false;
            }

            // Change the cursor back to the default if the user 
            // stops resizing.
            else if (isResizing)
            {
                isResizing = false;
            }

            // Close the application if the user clicks the 
            // close button.
            else if (elementRectangles["windowClose"].
                Contains(e.Location) && isClosing)
            {
                Application.Exit();
            }
        }

        // Handle resizing or moving actions.
        void ImitationWindow_MouseMove(object sender,
            MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            // The left mouse button is down.
            if ((MouseButtons.Left & e.Button) == MouseButtons.Left)
            {
                // Calculate the new control size if the user is 
                // dragging the resizing grip.
                if (isResizing)
                {
                    this.Width = e.X + resizeOffset.X;
                    this.Height = e.Y + resizeOffset.Y;
                    CalculateRectangles();
                }

                // Calculate the new location of the control if the  
                // user is dragging the window caption.
                else if (isMoving)
                {
                    int XChange = this.Location.X +
                        (e.X - originalClick.X);
                    int YChange = this.Location.Y +
                        (e.Y - originalClick.Y);
                    this.Location = new Point(XChange, YChange);
                }

                // Cancel the closing action if the user clicked  
                // and held down on the close button, and has dragged   
                // the pointer outside the button.
                else if (!elementRectangles["windowClose"].
                    Contains(e.Location) && isClosing)
                {
                    isClosing = false;
                    windowElements["windowClose"] =
                        VisualStyleElement.Window.CloseButton.Normal;
                }
            }

            // The left mouse button is not down.
            else
            {
                // Paint the close button hot if the cursor is on it.
                Rectangle closeRectangle =
                    elementRectangles["windowClose"];
                windowElements["windowClose"] =
                    closeRectangle.Contains(e.Location) ?
                    VisualStyleElement.Window.CloseButton.Hot :
                    VisualStyleElement.Window.CloseButton.Normal;

                // Use a resizing cursor if the cursor is on the 
                // status grip.
                Rectangle gripRectangle =
                    elementRectangles["statusGripper"];
                this.Cursor = gripRectangle.Contains(e.Location) ?
                    Cursors.SizeNWSE : Cursors.Default;
            }

            Invalidate();
        }

        // Calculate and set the clipping region for the control  
        // so that the corners of the title bar are rounded.
        private void SetClipRegion()
        {
            if (!Application.RenderWithVisualStyles)
            {
                return;
            }

            using (Graphics g = this.CreateGraphics())
            {
                // Get the current region for the window caption.
                if (SetRenderer(windowElements["windowCaption"]))
                {
                    Region clipRegion = renderer.GetBackgroundRegion(
                        g, elementRectangles["windowCaption"]);

                    // Get the client rectangle, but exclude the region 
                    // of the window caption.
                    int height = (int)clipRegion.GetBounds(g).Height;
                    Rectangle nonCaptionRect = new Rectangle(
                        ClientRectangle.X,
                        ClientRectangle.Y + height,
                        ClientRectangle.Width,
                        ClientRectangle.Height - height);

                    // Add the rectangle to the caption region, and  
                    // make this region the form's clipping region.
                    clipRegion.Union(nonCaptionRect);
                    this.Region = clipRegion;
                }
            }
        }

        // Set the VisualStyleRenderer to a new element.
        private bool SetRenderer(VisualStyleElement element)
        {
            if (!VisualStyleRenderer.IsElementDefined(element))
            {
                return false;
            }

            if (renderer == null)
            {
                renderer = new VisualStyleRenderer(element);
            }
            else
            {
                renderer.SetParameters(element);
            }

            return true;
        }
    }
}

Remarks

The System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles namespace exposes VisualStyleElement objects that represent all of the controls and user interface (UI) elements that are supported by visual styles. To draw or get information about a particular element, you must set a VisualStyleRenderer to the element you are interested in. A VisualStyleRenderer is automatically set to a specified VisualStyleElement in the VisualStyleRenderer constructor, but you can also set an existing VisualStyleRenderer to a different element by calling the SetParameters method.

To draw an element, use the DrawBackground method. The VisualStyleRenderer class also includes methods, such as GetColor and GetEnumValue, that provide information about how an element is defined by the current visual style.

The VisualStyleRenderer constructor and many of the VisualStyleRenderer methods throw exceptions unless visual styles are enabled in the operating system and visual styles are applied to the client area of application windows. To check for these conditions, use the static IsSupported property.

The VisualStyleRenderer class wraps the functionality of the visual styles (UxTheme) API from the Windows Shell portion of the Windows Platform SDK.

Constructors

VisualStyleRenderer(String, Int32, Int32)

Initializes a new instance of the VisualStyleRenderer class using the given class, part, and state values.

VisualStyleRenderer(VisualStyleElement)

Initializes a new instance of the VisualStyleRenderer class using the given VisualStyleElement.

Properties

Class

Gets the class name of the current visual style element.

Handle

Gets a unique identifier for the current class of visual style elements.

IsSupported

Gets a value specifying whether the operating system is using visual styles to draw controls.

LastHResult

Gets the last error code returned by the native visual styles (UxTheme) API methods encapsulated by the VisualStyleRenderer class.

Part

Gets the part of the current visual style element.

State

Gets the state of the current visual style element.

Methods

DrawBackground(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, Rectangle)

Draws the background image of the current visual style element within the specified bounding rectangle and clipped to the specified clipping rectangle.

DrawBackground(IDeviceContext, Rectangle)

Draws the background image of the current visual style element within the specified bounding rectangle.

DrawEdge(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, Edges, EdgeStyle, EdgeEffects)

Draws one or more edges of the specified bounding rectangle.

DrawImage(Graphics, Rectangle, Image)

Draws the specified image within the specified bounds.

DrawImage(Graphics, Rectangle, ImageList, Int32)

Draws the image from the specified ImageList within the specified bounds.

DrawParentBackground(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, Control)

Draws the background of a control's parent in the specified area.

DrawText(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, String, Boolean, TextFormatFlags)

Draws text in the specified bounding rectangle with the option of displaying disabled text and applying other text formatting.

DrawText(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, String, Boolean)

Draws text in the specified bounds with the option of displaying disabled text.

DrawText(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, String)

Draws text in the specified bounds using default formatting.

Equals(Object)

Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object.

(Inherited from Object)
GetBackgroundContentRectangle(IDeviceContext, Rectangle)

Returns the content area for the background of the current visual style element.

GetBackgroundExtent(IDeviceContext, Rectangle)

Returns the entire background area for the current visual style element.

GetBackgroundRegion(IDeviceContext, Rectangle)

Returns the region for the background of the current visual style element.

GetBoolean(BooleanProperty)

Returns the value of the specified Boolean property for the current visual style element.

GetColor(ColorProperty)

Returns the value of the specified color property for the current visual style element.

GetEnumValue(EnumProperty)

Returns the value of the specified enumerated type property for the current visual style element.

GetFilename(FilenameProperty)

Returns the value of the specified file name property for the current visual style element.

GetFont(IDeviceContext, FontProperty)

Returns the value of the specified font property for the current visual style element.

GetHashCode()

Serves as the default hash function.

(Inherited from Object)
GetInteger(IntegerProperty)

Returns the value of the specified integer property for the current visual style element.

GetMargins(IDeviceContext, MarginProperty)

Returns the value of the specified margins property for the current visual style element.

GetPartSize(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, ThemeSizeType)

Returns the value of the specified size property of the current visual style part using the specified drawing bounds.

GetPartSize(IDeviceContext, ThemeSizeType)

Returns the value of the specified size property of the current visual style part.

GetPoint(PointProperty)

Returns the value of the specified point property for the current visual style element.

GetString(StringProperty)

Returns the value of the specified string property for the current visual style element.

GetTextExtent(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, String, TextFormatFlags)

Returns the size and location of the specified string when drawn with the font of the current visual style element within the specified initial bounding rectangle.

GetTextExtent(IDeviceContext, String, TextFormatFlags)

Returns the size and location of the specified string when drawn with the font of the current visual style element.

GetTextMetrics(IDeviceContext)

Retrieves information about the font specified by the current visual style element.

GetType()

Gets the Type of the current instance.

(Inherited from Object)
HitTestBackground(Graphics, Rectangle, Region, Point, HitTestOptions)

Returns a hit test code indicating whether the point is contained in the background of the current visual style element and within the specified bounds.

HitTestBackground(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, IntPtr, Point, HitTestOptions)

Returns a hit test code indicating whether the point is contained in the background of the current visual style element and within the specified region.

HitTestBackground(IDeviceContext, Rectangle, Point, HitTestOptions)

Returns a hit test code indicating whether a point is contained in the background of the current visual style element.

IsBackgroundPartiallyTransparent()

Indicates whether the background of the current visual style element has any semitransparent or alpha-blended pieces.

IsElementDefined(VisualStyleElement)

Determines whether the specified visual style element is defined by the current visual style.

MemberwiseClone()

Creates a shallow copy of the current Object.

(Inherited from Object)
SetParameters(String, Int32, Int32)

Sets this VisualStyleRenderer to the visual style element represented by the specified class, part, and state values.

SetParameters(VisualStyleElement)

Sets this VisualStyleRenderer to the visual style element represented by the specified VisualStyleElement.

ToString()

Returns a string that represents the current object.

(Inherited from Object)

Applies to

Product Versions
.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8, 4.8.1
Windows Desktop 3.0, 3.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

See also