SAMPLE: Code Implements a "Tool Box" Window

• Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows version 3.1

SUMMARY

The Image Editor and the Dialog Editor are two applications provided with the Windows SDK that demonstrate a "tool box" window. This article discusses how to implement a tool box window in an application. TOOLBOX is a file in the Microsoft Software Library that demonstrates the techniques discussed.

Download TOOLBOX.EXE, a self-extracting file, from the Microsoft Software Library (MSL) on the following services:

• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)

        Dial (206) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
        Download TOOLBOX.EXE (size: 26087 bytes) 
  

• Internet (anonymous FTP)

        ftp ftp.microsoft.com
        Change to the \SOFTLIB\MSLFILES directory
        Get TOOLBOX.EXE (size: 26087 bytes) 
  

MORE INFORMATION

A tool box window contains a group of icons that the user can choose at any time. The tool box window always floats above the application with which it is associated.

The code in TOOLBOX assumes that all buttons in the tool box have the same size and are equally spaced throughout the window. TOOLBOX implements the following four steps to create the tool box window:

1. Loads the bitmap that provides the visual appearance for all the buttons.

2. Creates the tool box window with the WS_EX_TOPMOST style bit set. Sizes the window appropriately based on the size of the bitmap.

3. Processes the WM_ACTIVATE message in the window procedure for the application's main window. If the main window or the tool box window is being activated, TOOLBOX calls SetWindowPos() to add the WS_EX_TOPMOST style to the window. If a window other than the main window or the tool box window is being activated, TOOLBOX calls SetWindowPos() to remove the WS_EX_TOPMOST style from the window.

4. Performs the following two steps in the window procedure for the tool box window:

   a. Processes the WM_LBUTTONDOWN message. Performs hit testing to

         determine which button the user chose. To make the button appear
         depressed, TOOLBOX determines the rectangle for the button.
         TOOLBOX uses the InvertRect function to invert the colors of the
         button.
   

   b. Processes the WM_PAINT message. TOOLBOX uses the StretchBlt()

         function to paint the bitmap onto the window. If any button is
         depressed, TOOLBOX inverts the appropriate region as above.