Stylebits - Toggle Buttons

The PUSHLIKE Stylebits

Stylebits allows checkboxes and radiobuttons to appear to be pushed rather than selected. Stefan Pendl, always generous with explanations and code, offered button information in response to a query posed at the Liberty BASIC yahoo! message group . (See the original message #27196 .)

For a better understanding, the following controls are all defined as buttons by Windows:

1. button
2. groupbox
3. bmpbutton
4. checkbox
5. radiobutton

You can use the style _BS_PUSHLIKE to change the radiobutton and checkbox into a pushbutton, that will keep its state.

These buttons are called toggle buttons, they are raised when inactive and sunken when active. To find out more about toggle buttons, read the information at the MSDN Library .

Stefan's Demo

Stefan was kind enough to grant permission for his yahoo! code to be republished here. Using the _BS_PUSHLIKE stylebits, a checkbox and two grouped radiobuttons are altered from their usual forms to button forms. The change in style does not alter the set and unset properties.

 nomainwin 
 
 groupbox #main.gb, "Toggle Radiobuttons", 10, 10, 120, 100 
 stylebits #main.bt, _BS_PUSHLIKE, 0, 0, 0 
 radiobutton #main.bt, "Toggle", [pushed], [pushed], 20, 30, 100, 30 
 stylebits #main.bt1, _BS_PUSHLIKE, 0, 0, 0 
 radiobutton #main.bt1, "Toggle1", [pushed], [pushed], 20, 70, 100, 30 
 
 stylebits #main.bt2, _BS_PUSHLIKE, 0, 0, 0 
 checkbox #main.bt2, "Toggle Checkbox", [pushed], [pushed], 20, 120, 100, 30 
 
 open "Toggle demo" for window as #main 
 #main, "trapclose [quit]" 
 wait 
 
 [pushed] 
 wait 
 
 [quit] 
 close #main 
 end 

Stylebits, Graphics and the API call, "SendMessageA"

Creating graphic buttons using _BS_BITMAP and CallDLL #user32, "SendMessageA" has been discussed by Alyce Watson in API Corner - Easy BMP Buttons (LB Newsletter #123) and also in Stylebits - Buttons . In these next two demos, the graphics are drawn and captured within the program. You could easily substitute your own code for loading the bitmaps from file.
===Button

 'Demonstration of using Stylebits to turn checkboxes into 
 'push buttons 
 'Based on code provided by Stefan Pendl 
 'Yahoo! Message ##27196 
 
 Nomainwin 
 
 WindowWidth = 207 
 WindowHeight = 297 
 UpperLeftX = Int((DisplayWidth - WindowWidth)/2) 
 UpperLeftY = Int((DisplayHeight - WindowHeight)/2) 
 
 'Groupbox defines Checkbox Area 
 Groupbox #main.gp, "Color", 10, 10, 120, 100 
 
 'Draw checkboxes that will look like push buttons 
 'Stylebits _BS_PUSHLIKE causes checkbox to resemble push button 
 'Stylebits _BS_BITMAP allows a bitmap to be drawn on button 
 'Be sure to set width and height to bitmap dimensions 
 Stylebits #main.bt1, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Checkbox #main.bt1, "", checked, unchecked, 20, 30, 40, 30 
 Stylebits #main.bt2, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Checkbox #main.bt2, "", checked, unchecked, 20, 70, 40, 30 
 Stylebits #main.bt3, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Checkbox #main.bt3, "", checked, unchecked, 80, 30, 40, 30 
 Stylebits #main.bt4, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Checkbox #main.bt4, "", checked, unchecked, 80, 70, 40, 30 
 
 'For this demo, a graphicbox is needed to draw and capture bitmaps 
 Graphicbox #main.gb, 0, 150, 200, 120 
 Open "Stylebits and Checkboxes" for Window as #main 
 #main, "Trapclose endDemo" 
 
 'Obtain handle of the main window 
 hMain = hWnd(#main) 
 'Obtain handles of the 4 checkboxes 
 hButton1 = hWnd(#main.bt1) 
 hButton2 = hWnd(#main.bt2) 
 hButton3 = hWnd(#main.bt3) 
 hButton4 = hWnd(#main.bt4) 
 
 '=============================================== 
 'To load bitmaps from disk, use 
 'Loadbmp "buttonPic1", "buttonPic1.bmp" 
 'Loadbmp "buttonPic2", "buttonPic2.bmp" 
 'etc. 
 '=============================================== 
 'For this demo, the bitmaps will be drawn and captured 
 #main.gb, "Down; Fill Black; Size 2" 
 #main.gb, "Color Lightgray; Backcolor DarkRed" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic1 0 0 40 30" 
 #main.gb, "Backcolor Darkblue" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic2 0 0 40 30" 
 #main.gb, "Backcolor Yellow" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic3 0 0 40 30" 
 #main.gb, "Backcolor Darkgreen" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic4 0 0 40 30" 
 '=============================================== 
 
 'Get the handle of the bitmaps 
 hPic1 = hBmp("buttonPic1") 
 hPic2 = hBmp("buttonPic2") 
 hPic3 = hBmp("buttonPic3") 
 hPic4 = hBmp("buttonPic4") 
 
 'Paint the bitmaps on the buttons 
 For i = 1 to 4 
 Select Case i 
 Case 1 
 hBtn = hButton1 
 hPic = hPic1 
 Case 2 
 hBtn = hButton2 
 hPic = hPic2 
 Case 3 
 hBtn = hButton3 
 hPic = hPic3 
 Case 4 
 hBtn = hButton4 
 hPic = hPic4 
 End Select 
 CallDll #user32, "SendMessageA", _ 
 hBtn as Long, _ 
 _BM_SETIMAGE as Long, _ 
 _IMAGE_BITMAP as Long, _ 
 hPic as Long, _ 
 result as Long 
 Next i 
 
 'Erase button drawings in graphicbox 
 #main.gb, "Cls; Fill Black" 
 
 'Wait for user input 
 Wait 
 
 'Find which checkbox checked 
 'Fill quadrant with designated color 
 Sub checked handle$ 
 clr = Val(Right$(handle$, 1)) 
 Select Case clr 
 Case 1 
 #main.gb, "Color Darkred; Backcolor Darkred" 
 x = 1 
 y = 1 
 Case 2 
 #main.gb, "Color Darkblue; Backcolor Darkblue" 
 x = 1 
 y = 61 
 Case 3 
 #main.gb, "Color Yellow; Backcolor Yellow" 
 x = 101 
 y = 1 
 Case 4 
 #main.gb, "Color Darkgreen; Backcolor Darkgreen" 
 x = 101 
 y = 61 
 End Select 
 #main.gb, "Place ";x;" ";y 
 #main.gb, "Boxfilled ";x + 99;" ";y + 59 
 End Sub 
 
 'Find which checkbox unchecked 
 'Fill appropriate quadrant with black 
 Sub unchecked handle$ 
 clr = Val(Right$(handle$, 1)) 
 #main.gb, "Color Black; Backcolor Black" 
 Select Case clr 
 Case 1 
 x = 1 
 y = 1 
 Case 2 
 x = 1 
 y = 61 
 Case 3 
 x = 101 
 y = 1 
 Case 4 
 x = 101 
 y = 61 
 End Select 
 #main.gb, "Place ";x;" ";y 
 #main.gb, "Boxfilled ";x + 99;" ";y + 59 
 End Sub 
 
 'End the program 
 Sub endDemo handle$ 
 'Unload bitmaps to free memory 
 For i = 1 to 4 
 Unloadbmp "buttonPic";i 
 Next i 
 Close #main 
 End 
 End Sub 

Button Event Handlers: Branch Label or Sub?=== Sub?

As is the case with most event handlers, the button event handler can be either a branch label or a sub. The advantage of using a sub with grouped checkboxes or radiobuttons is that the control handle is automatically passed into the sub. With careful parsing of the control handle extension and the use of Select Case, code becomes much more efficient than is possible with branch labels. The following demo contains just four radiobuttons within a group, but could easily serve a group of 100 radiobuttons or more.
[[code format="vb"]]

 'Demonstration of using Stylebits to turn radiobuttons into 
 'push buttons 
 'Based on code provided by Stefan Pendl 
 'Yahoo! Message ##27196 
 
 Nomainwin 
 
 WindowWidth = 207 
 WindowHeight = 297 
 UpperLeftX = Int((DisplayWidth - WindowWidth)/2) 
 UpperLeftY = Int((DisplayHeight - WindowHeight)/2) 
 
 'Groupbox defines Radiobuttons Area 
 Groupbox #main.gp, "Color", 10, 10, 120, 100 
 
 'Draw radiobuttons that will look like push buttons 
 'Stylebits _BS_PUSHLIKE causes radiobutton to resemble push button 
 'Stylebits _BS_BITMAP allows a bitmap to be drawn on button 
 'Be sure to set width and height to bitmap dimensions 
 Stylebits #main.bt1, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Radiobutton #main.bt1, "", selected, unselected, 20, 30, 40, 30 
 Stylebits #main.bt2, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Radiobutton #main.bt2, "", selected, unselected, 20, 70, 40, 30 
 Stylebits #main.bt3, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Radiobutton #main.bt3, "", selected, unselected, 80, 30, 40, 30 
 Stylebits #main.bt4, _BS_PUSHLIKE or _BS_BITMAP, 0, _WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME, 0 
 Radiobutton #main.bt4, "", selected, unselected, 80, 70, 40, 30 
 
 'For this demo, a graphicbox is needed to draw and capture bitmaps 
 Graphicbox #main.gb, 0, 150, 200, 120 
 Open "Stylebits and Radiobuttons" for Window as #main 
 #main, "Trapclose endDemo" 
 
 'Obtain handle of the main window 
 hMain = hWnd(#main) 
 'Obtain handles of the 4 radiobuttons 
 hButton1 = hWnd(#main.bt1) 
 hButton2 = hWnd(#main.bt2) 
 hButton3 = hWnd(#main.bt3) 
 hButton4 = hWnd(#main.bt4) 
 
 '=============================================== 
 'To load bitmaps from disk, use 
 'Loadbmp "buttonPic1", "buttonPic1.bmp" 
 'Loadbmp "buttonPic2", "buttonPic2.bmp" 
 'etc. 
 '=============================================== 
 'For this demo, the bitmaps will be drawn and captured 
 #main.gb, "Down; Fill Black; Size 2" 
 #main.gb, "Color Lightgray; Backcolor DarkRed" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic1 0 0 40 30" 
 #main.gb, "Backcolor Darkblue" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic2 0 0 40 30" 
 #main.gb, "Backcolor Yellow" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic3 0 0 40 30" 
 #main.gb, "Backcolor Darkgreen" 
 #main.gb, "Place 2 2; Boxfilled 38 28" 
 #main.gb, "Getbmp buttonPic4 0 0 40 30" 
 #main.gb, "Backcolor Black; Fill Black" 
 '=============================================== 
 
 'Get the handle of the bitmaps 
 hPic1 = hBmp("buttonPic1") 
 hPic2 = hBmp("buttonPic2") 
 hPic3 = hBmp("buttonPic3") 
 hPic4 = hBmp("buttonPic4") 
 
 'Paint the bitmaps on the radiobuttons 
 For i = 1 to 4 
 Select Case i 
 Case 1 
 hBtn = hButton1 
 hPic = hPic1 
 Case 2 
 hBtn = hButton2 
 hPic = hPic2 
 Case 3 
 hBtn = hButton3 
 hPic = hPic3 
 Case 4 
 hBtn = hButton4 
 hPic = hPic4 
 End Select 
 CallDll #user32, "SendMessageA", _ 
 hBtn as Long, _ 
 _BM_SETIMAGE as Long, _ 
 _IMAGE_BITMAP as Long, _ 
 hPic as Long, _ 
 result as Long 
 Next i 
 
 'Erase button drawings in graphicbox 
 #main.gb, "Cls; Fill Black" 
 
 'Wait for user input 
 Wait 
 
 'Find which radiobutton checked 
 'Fill quadrant with designated color 
 Sub selected handle$ 
 clr = Val(Right$(handle$, 1)) 
 #main.gb, "Cls; Fill Black" 
 Select Case clr 
 Case 1 
 #main.gb, "Color Darkred; Backcolor Darkred" 
 x = 1 
 y = 1 
 Case 2 
 #main.gb, "Color Darkblue; Backcolor Darkblue" 
 x = 1 
 y = 61 
 Case 3 
 #main.gb, "Color Yellow; Backcolor Yellow" 
 x = 101 
 y = 1 
 Case 4 
 #main.gb, "Color Darkgreen; Backcolor Darkgreen" 
 x = 101 
 y = 61 
 End Select 
 #main.gb, "Place ";x;" ";y 
 #main.gb, "Boxfilled ";x + 99;" ";y + 59 
 End Sub 
 
 'As is the case with any radiobutton, an 
 'Unset event handler needs to be defined 
 'but is never actually executed 
 Sub unselected handle$ 
 clr = Val(Right$(handle$, 1)) 
 #main.gb, "Color Black; Backcolor Black" 
 #main.gb, "Cls; Fill Black" 
 End Sub 
 
 'End the program 
 Sub endDemo handle$ 
 'Unload bitmaps to free memory 
 For i = 1 to 4 
 Unloadbmp "buttonPic";i 
 Next i 
 Close #main 
 End 
 End Sub 

A List of Stylebits

You can get a list of all dwStyles and dwExStyles available with the Stylebits command at the MSDN Library Center . Be sure to precede these constants with an underscore (if constant is BS_PUSHLIKE, then LB Stylebits is _BS_PUSHLIKE) when using Windows constants in your Liberty BASIC programs.