What's the correct way to get a gradient in a toolbar in win32 API (no MFC)?

Question

For example, Notepad++ has a toolbar that looks like this:

http://yfrog.com/58npptbp

7-Zip has a toolbar that looks like this:

(stack overflow won't let me post more links because I'm new)

Whereas mine is boring and flat, like this:

(stack overflow won't let me post more links because I'm new)

How do I do make my toolbar 3d? Is there a setting I'm missing? Am I going to have to draw my own? Am I even using the right control? (Do I get this in a rebar?) Examples are really hard to come by on the web for some reason.

Answer 1

Perhaps you can get your toolbar to look better by enabling visual styles. You need manifest files for this. If you are using MSVC then you can do this with an inline manifest file in the form of a #pragma.

#pragma comment(linker,"\"/manifestdependency:type='win32' name='Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls' \
version='6.0.0.0' processorArchitecture='*' publicKeyToken='6595b64144ccf1df' language='*'\"")

Answer 2

Explorer, 7Zip and Notepad++ get that look by using a Rebar as the parent of a transparent style toolbar.

Answer 3

They just use the standard Windows controls. Source code for notepad++ is available, look in src\powereditor\wincontrols\toolbar\toolbar.cpp for the CreateWindowEx calls.