How to: Render a Visual Style Element

The System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles namespace exposes VisualStyleElement objects that represent the Windows user interface (UI) elements supported by visual styles. This topic demonstrates how to use the VisualStyleRenderer class to render the VisualStyleElement that represents the Log Off and Shut Down buttons of the Start menu.

To render a visual style element

1. Create a VisualStyleRenderer and set it to the element you want to draw. Note the use of the System.Windows.Forms.Application.RenderWithVisualStyles property and the System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer.IsElementDefined(System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleElement) method; the VisualStyleRenderer constructor will throw an exception if visual styles are disabled or an element is undefined.

   Private renderer As VisualStyleRenderer = Nothing
   Private element As VisualStyleElement = _
       VisualStyleElement.StartPanel.LogOffButtons.Normal
   
   Public Sub New()
       Me.Location = New Point(50, 50)
       Me.Size = New Size(200, 200)
       Me.BackColor = SystemColors.ActiveBorder
   
       If Application.RenderWithVisualStyles And _
           VisualStyleRenderer.IsElementDefined(element) Then
               renderer = New VisualStyleRenderer(element)
       End If
   End Sub
   

   private VisualStyleRenderer renderer = null;
   private readonly VisualStyleElement element =
       VisualStyleElement.StartPanel.LogOffButtons.Normal;
   
   public CustomControl()
   {
       this.Location = new Point(50, 50);
       this.Size = new Size(200, 200);
       this.BackColor = SystemColors.ActiveBorder;
   
       if (Application.RenderWithVisualStyles &&
           VisualStyleRenderer.IsElementDefined(element))
       {
           renderer = new VisualStyleRenderer(element);
       }
   }
   

   private:
       VisualStyleRenderer^ renderer;
       VisualStyleElement^ element;
   
   public:
       CustomControl()
       {
           this->Location = Point(50, 50);
           this->Size = System::Drawing::Size(200, 200);
           this->BackColor = SystemColors::ActiveBorder;
           this->element = 
               VisualStyleElement::StartPanel::LogOffButtons::Normal;
           if (Application::RenderWithVisualStyles &&
               VisualStyleRenderer::IsElementDefined(element))
           {
               renderer = gcnew VisualStyleRenderer(element);
           }
       }
   

2. Call the DrawBackground method to render the element that the VisualStyleRenderer currently represents.

   Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(ByVal e As PaintEventArgs)
       ' Draw the element if the renderer has been set.
       If (renderer IsNot Nothing) Then
           renderer.DrawBackground(e.Graphics, Me.ClientRectangle)
   
       ' Visual styles are disabled or the element is undefined, 
       ' so just draw a message.
       Else
           Me.Text = "Visual styles are disabled."
           TextRenderer.DrawText(e.Graphics, Me.Text, Me.Font, _
               New Point(0, 0), Me.ForeColor)
       End If
   End Sub
   

   protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
   {
       // Draw the element if the renderer has been set.
       if (renderer != null)
       {
           renderer.DrawBackground(e.Graphics, this.ClientRectangle);
       }
   
       // Visual styles are disabled or the element is undefined, 
       // so just draw a message.
       else
       {
           this.Text = "Visual styles are disabled.";
           TextRenderer.DrawText(e.Graphics, this.Text, this.Font,
               new Point(0, 0), this.ForeColor);
       }
   }
   

   protected:
       virtual void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs^ e) override
       {
           // Draw the element if the renderer has been set.
           if (renderer != nullptr)
           {
               renderer->DrawBackground(e->Graphics, this->ClientRectangle);
           }
   
           // Visual styles are disabled or the element is undefined,
           // so just draw a message.
           else
           {
               this->Text = "Visual styles are disabled.";
               TextRenderer::DrawText(e->Graphics, this->Text, this->Font,
                   Point(0, 0), this->ForeColor);
           }
       }
   

Compiling the Code

This example requires:

• A custom control derived from the Control class.

• A Form that hosts the custom control.

• References to the System, System.Drawing, System.Windows.Forms, and System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles namespaces.

See Also

Concepts

Rendering Controls with Visual Styles