Custom GUI

[Phil303]

Hello everyone...

I want to develop an application that uses a custom GUI, as in, not the default look of windows. I'm familiar enough with the standard windows GUI and writing applications for it but this time I need some additional functionality. The program I'm writing will need to have a similar GUI as programs such as Cubase SX, Propellerheads Reason, or Sonic Foundry SoundForge. The layout will look something like this:

1. A panel for audio tracks in which I can display a waveform (and scroll along of course)
2. A keyboard view (scrollable, resizeable)
3. A transport panel
4. All buttons, scroll bars, etc. are custom looking, ei. not the default windows look

Here is my problem: I don't know what the best way to do this is. Of course one could always just make a DirectDraw window and draw everything using a double buffer but that would be terribly inefficient for a large window, so I basically just need a starting point for how to do it from someone who perhaps has done this sort of thing before.

Regards, Phil


Here is an example of the sort of gui I'm talking about:

[gstercken]

There is no need to use DirectDraw here. For your various panels, as well at the buttons and other controls, you can use custom-draw versions of standard controls. Then you use GDI to draw them as you need.

[Phil303]

Would you then suggest using MFC or just create a standard Win32 App?

[Indian_Techie]

MFC would make your life easier.

[gstercken]

Originally posted by Indian_Techie
MFC would make your life easier.

Yes, definitely. And having now seen the screenshot you added, you would probably use a CScrollView for the audio track panel (and not a control, as I first suggested).

[Phil303]

Excellent, thanks for the help.