CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++winapiuser-interface
Sebastian Dwornik
Sebastian Dwornik

Reputation: 2576

User Interface Controls for Win32

I see many user interface control libraries for .NET, but where can I get similar stuff for win32 using simply C/C++?

Things like prettier buttons, dials, listviews, graphs, etc.

Seems every Win32 programmers' right of passage is to end up writing his own collection. :/

No MFC controls please. I only do pure C/C++. And with that said, I also don't feel like adding a multi-megabyte framework to my application just so that I can have a prettier button.

I apologize for leaving out one tiny detail, and that is that my development is for Windows Mobile.

So manifest files are out.

I just notice how many developer companies have gone crazy with making pretty looking .NET components and wondered where the equivalent C/C++ Win32 components have gone?

I read about how many people ended up writing their own gradient button class, etc. So you would think that there would be some commercial classes for this stuff. It's just weird.

I'll take a closer look at QT and investigate its GUI support for such things. This is the challenge when you're the one man in your own uISV. No other developers to help you "get things done".

Upvotes: 8

Views: 3403

Answers (7)

Phil Wright
Phil Wright

Reputation: 22906

Stingray

CodeJock - Toolkit Pro for MFC/ C++

Upvotes: 1

ggponti
ggponti

Reputation: 395

I you don't mind using the MFC libraries you should try the Visual C++ 2008 Feature Pack

Upvotes: 1

Rylee Corradini
Rylee Corradini

Reputation: 743

I've used Trolltech's Qt framework in the past and had great success with it: In addition, it's also cross-platform, so in theory you can target Win, Mac, & Linux (provided you don't do anything platform-specific in the rest of your code, of course ;) )

Edit: I notice that you're targeting Windows Mobile; that definitely adds to Qt's strength, as its cross-platform support extends to WinCE and Embedded Linux as well.

Upvotes: 4

Matthew Xavier
Matthew Xavier

Reputation: 2128

For prettier buttons, etc., if you aren't already doing it, embed an application manifest so that your program is linked to version 6 of the common controls library. Doing so will get you the Windows XP- or Vista-styled versions of the standard Windows controls.

If you want types of controls beyond what Windows offers natively, you'll likely have to either write it yourself or be more specific about what kind of control you are looking for.

Upvotes: 1

Mark D
Mark D

Reputation: 55

Using winAPI's you can do almost anything you want and really fast too. It takes some time to figure it out but it works. Go to MSDN, lookup MessageBox(), check out DialogBox() and go from there.

I personally do not care for MFC by the way. If you want to use an MFC like approach I'd recommend Borland's C++ Builder. Pretty old but still very usefull I think.

Upvotes: 0

jmatthias
jmatthias

Reputation: 7605

The MFC feature pack is derived from BCGSoft components.

Upvotes: 0

Gareth Simpson
Gareth Simpson

Reputation: 37671

The Code Project has lots of UI controls for C/C++

Most of them are focussed on MFC or WTL but there are some that are pure Win32.

As an aside if you're not using a framework, you really should consider WTL over pure Win32. It's low overhead and about a million times more productive.

Upvotes: 1

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