Question

I found some sample code like below, for trying to customize a scrollbar color:

HBRUSH CMainFrame::OnCtlColor(CDC* pDC, CWnd* pWnd, UINT nCtlColor)       
{ 
   HBRUSH hbr = CFrameWnd::OnCtlColor(pDC, pWnd, nCtlColor); 

   if(nCtlColor==CTLCOLOR_SCROLLBAR) 
      return m_brColor; 

   return hbr; 
}

I found that the following code does not work:

procedure TForm1.WMCTLColor(var msg: TWMCTLCOLOR); message WM_CTLCOLOR;

How can I do it in Delphi?

Answer 1

There’s no WM_CTLCOLOR message in the native api. Instead you can use CN_CTLCOLORSCROLLBAR control notification, which is send to child controls by the VCL in response to the API’s WM_CTLCOLORSCROLLBAR.

type
  TScrollBar = class(TScrollBar)
  protected
    procedure WMCtlColor(var Message: TWMCtlColorScrollbar); message CN_CTLCOLORSCROLLBAR;
  end;

procedure TScrollBar.WMCtlColor(var Message: TWMCtlColor);
begin
  Message.Result := CreateSolidBrush(RGB(255, 255, 0));
end;

Or, if you don’t want to derive a new control, provided the scrollbar is placed on the form:

  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    ...
  protected
    procedure WMCtlColorScrollbar(var Message: TWMCtlColorScrollbar);
      message WM_CTLCOLORSCROLLBAR;
    ...
  end;

procedure TForm1.WMCtlColorScrollbar(var Message: TWMCtlColorScrollbar);
begin
  if Message.ChildWnd = ScrollBar1.Handle then
    Message.Result := CreateSolidBrush(RGB(255, 255, 0));
end;