Updating UI Features (Win7+)

[cssyphus]

Keen to see Win-7, Win8-style new UI features to keep WB apps from looking instantly obsolete/dated.  Buttons, progress bars, dialogs, toast notifications, etc.

Per

http://techsupt.winbatch.com/webcgi/webbatch.exe?techsupt/tsleft.web+WinBatch/Win8+Display~a~Toast~Notification.txt

[td]

Many of the 'UI features' of Windows 7 are gone in Windows 8. WinBatch is a desktop applications so it cannot use the 'modern' app API. And if the rumors about the upcoming Windows 9 ( or whatever it is called) are true, there either may not be much reason to pursue the 'modern' app look or it may be possible for desktop apps to use the API.  It depends on which rumor you prefer...

[....IFICantBYTE]

Tony,
I've also encounterd people here saying that the windows and dialogs WinBatch displays look a bit dated.

I don't think he is talking about "Modern UI" / Tiles / "Metro" or whatever, I think he just means that it would be great for the current desktop based interfaces (Dialogs) that we create in Winbatch to look less Windows 95 and more Windows 7 ish.

That is, provide the style (I think it requires manifests within the exe to use the newer ComCtl32.dll v6 instead of v5?? http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb773175(v=vs.85).aspx    and http://www.heaventools.com/PE_Explorer_resource_XP_Wizard.htm )

Also provide the extra common controls that are found in many GUIs .. Tabs, TreeViews, Progress, Sliders etc that are missing http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/aa511482 like we finally got with the ListView er.. ReportView... thank you for that.

I'm sure you know all about it being the guru you are, and I'm sure there is a good reason why,... I'm guessing backward compatibility??
(I think I tried forcing it once a few years ago on XP with the old external manifest text file trick and it crashed badly)

Anyway, I too think it is time for a GUI overhaul (I have for a few years), and even if it means WinBatch has to drop support for older Windows OS versions (pre XP?) then I think that is kind of OK isn't it?? -- People can still use their current versions on older versions of Windows - what new functionality is likely to be useful on them anyway?

I've got a lot of other ideas and opinions of what I'd like to see in WinBatch too, but I know opinions are individual, and can come across as complaints... (which is the last thing I want them to be).
All-in-all I think you guys have produced a fantastic product and your support and help on the board is second to none.
Just hope we can all continue to ride the OS change nightmare that is part of Microsoft's "vision" and come out the other side a little better off having WinBatch around.

[td]

Based on the tech. db link the OP provided, I suspect the post was referring in part to the 'modern' app UI.

With regard to themes, 6.0 common controls, and more common controls, many things can done with sufficiently large sums of money in cash, unmarked, and delivered in the dead of night. 

[....IFICantBYTE]

I'm based in Australia, so when we first purchased WinBatch years ago, and every year when we pay for maintenance, it has been in the "dead of night" as far as you in Seattle are concerned... will that do?  ;D

[td]

Maybe in Kuwaiti Dinars with some 0s before the period.  ::)