Use the free USkin Toolkit to skin your application

By thirdwolf

USkin provides a free library and tools to developers for easily adding skins to their software UI.

Sample Image

Introduction

As we know, Window XP adds support for themes for applications. When we change the Windows theme, all the Windows standard applications change into the same theme. How can we add skin support to our own software and make our software different from others'? Here, I suggest a way: use the USkin toolkit.

Why USkin?

Save your development time. You don't have to care too much about your software UI. After finishing your functions, add three lines of code to support a skin. It's very easy, and will save you time.
Make your app look and feel good :), that's it.
Support color themes. This can make a skin file look like a 100 different skins. Save your UI design time.
USkin provides a free version. Save your money!
Free powerful SkinStudio included that you can use to design your own skin file.

USkin Features

Supports more than 20 Windows standard controls.
Supports system standard dialogs, such as file dialogs, color dialogs, print dialogs.
Supports custom defined controls/third party controls.
Supports WYSIWYG style skin file editing.
Supports MDI/SDI/Dialog style apps.
Supports window blinds skin file importing. More than 10000 skin files can be used.
Supports color themes.
Supports VC/SDK/VB/.NET. No language limitations.
Supports multithreading.
Supports changing skin at runtime.
Supports all popup menus, including the edit control context menu!
Only two lines required to add skin support.
Supports all scrollbar skins.
Small skin file size, around 30 KB.

Using the code

Using USkin functions is very easy. Let's begin.

First, include the USkin.h file in your app.

#include "uskin.h"

Then, in the InitInstance function, call USkinInit to initiate the USkin library.

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BOOL CSDIApp::InitInstance()
{
    InitCommonControls();

    CWinApp::InitInstance();

    if (!AfxOleInit())
    {
        AfxMessageBox(IDP_OLE_INIT_FAILED);
        return FALSE;
    }
    AfxEnableControlContainer();
    // Init USkin lib and load media skin file
    USkinInit(NULL,NULL,_T("media.u3"));
    SetRegistryKey(_T("Local App"));
    LoadStdProfileSettings(4);
    
    CSingleDocTemplate* pDocTemplate;
    pDocTemplate = new CSingleDocTemplate(
        IDR_MAINFRAME,
        RUNTIME_CLASS(CSDIDoc),
        RUNTIME_CLASS(CMainFrame),
        RUNTIME_CLASS(CSDIView));
    if (!pDocTemplate)
        return FALSE;
    AddDocTemplate(pDocTemplate);

    this->RegisterShellFileTypes();
    TCHAR sz[500];
    ::GetModuleFileName(NULL,sz,500);
    AfxMessageBox(sz);
    
    CCommandLineInfo cmdInfo;
    ParseCommandLine(cmdInfo);
    
    if (!ProcessShellCommand(cmdInfo))
        return FALSE;
    
    m_pMainWnd->ShowWindow(SW_SHOW);
    m_pMainWnd->UpdateWindow();
    
    //if you want do your own subclass,call USkinInit here
    //USkinInit(NULL,NULL,_T("media.u3"));
    return TRUE;
}

In the end, call USkinExit before your app exits.

int CSDIApp::ExitInstance()
{
    USkinExit();
    return CWinApp::ExitInstance();
}

Using the code in .NET

The sample code is in C#. You can easily change to other .NET languages. OK, let's begin:

//First Declare an skin object 
private USKINCOMLib.USkinCOMObjectClass skin=null;
//Then in one form load function ,Init skin object and apply an skin
private void Form1_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
    skin=new USKINCOMLib.USkinCOMObjectClass();
    skin.USkinInit("","","media.u3");
}

//At the end ,destroy the object
protected override void Dispose( bool disposing )
{
    skin.USkinExit();
    if( disposing )
    {
        if (components != null) 
        {
            components.Dispose();
        }
    }
    base.Dispose( disposing );
}

For skinning the Button (GroupBox, CheckBox, RadioButton) object correctly, you need to change the FlatStyle property into System.

The resulting screen will look like this:

Points of interest

This article does not focus on the technical side of the implementation. If you want to know how it works, you can try these CodeProject articles:

SkinX, A framework of a skin plug-in package.
.dan.g's SkinControls 1.1 - A journey in automating the skinning of Windows controls - this article is very detailed.

History

Updates in version 2.2 [2006-08-07]:

Fixed the menubar update error.
Added the USkinUpdateMenuBar function. When the user modifies the menu by USkinGetMenu, the user should call USkinUpdateMenuBar to update the menubar.
Added RightToLeft text support.
Added Winamp like player sample.
USkin file format compatible.
Enhanced the SkinBuilder.
Add SkinBuilder Help document.
Added multilanguage support to SkinBuilder.
Enhanced ScrollBar control.

Updates in version 2.1:

Fixed the MultiLine style in Button/CheckBox/RadioBox.
Added .NET skin support. Now you can use USkin with your .NET applications!
Added a new library called USkinCom. Easy for .NET use.
Added two C# samples. One is MDI, the other is SDI. You can see the power of USkin in these samples.
Added color replace feature. Now, you can replace standard system colors.
Enhanced the USkinApplyColorTheme function. Every thing will change when calling the USkinApplyColorTheme function.
Added the USkinDrawFrameControl function to replace the standard DrawFrameControl.
Added six skin files to the pack. All skin files are carefully edited.
Enhanced many functions.