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Q108937: PRB: Graying Text in Disabled Multi-line Edit Controls

Article: Q108937
Product(s): Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb16bitonly kbCtrl kbEditCtrl kbSDKPlatform
Last Modified: 09-JUN-1999

3.00 3.10
WINDOWS
kbprg

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

Disabling multi-line edit controls prevents user input to the control, but does
not make the text unavailable (gray or dim) in the edit control. However, single
line edit controls, when disabled, make the text unavailable, as well as
preventing user input.

RESOLUTION
==========

This is a design feature in Windows and is not a bug.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The rationale behind this design feature is that the single line edit control is
generally used in different circumstances than is the multi-line edit control.
The single line edit control is used in such situations as selecting a filename,
where making the disabled text unavailable helps make the user interface
clearer. Multi-line edit controls are often used as read-only fields, and
therefore need to be black when disabled.

One way to make the text of a disabled multi-line edit control unavailable is in
the following description.

Whenever a predefined control is about to draw itself, it sends its parent a
WM_CTLCOLOR message. The parent can use this message to set the control's text
and background colors.

In the window procedure of the multi-line edit control's parent window, process
the WM_CTLCOLOR message as follows:

Sample Code
-----------

   static HBRUS  hBrush;

   case WM_INITDIALOG:

     hBrush = CreateSolidBrush (GetSysColor (COLOR_WINDOW));
     break;

   case WM_CTLCOLOR:

     /* If the control is disabled, set the text color to gray and the
      * background color to the system window background color.
      */ 

      hCtl = GetDlgItem (hDlg, IDC_MULTIEDIT );

      enabled = IsWindowEnabled(hCtl) ;

      if ((!enabled) && (HIWORD(lParam) == CTLCOLOR_EDIT)) {
        SetTextColor(wParam, RGB(128,128,128) );
        SetBkColor( wParam, GetSysColor (COLOR_WINDOW));
        return ((HBRUSH) hBrush);
      }

      break;

    InvalidateRect (hCtl, NULL, TRUE);
    UpdateWindow (hCtl);

Additional query words: 3.00 3.10

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb16bitonly kbCtrl kbEditCtrl kbSDKPlatform 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbSDKSearch kbWinSDKSearch kbWinSDK310
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1
Issue type        : kbprb

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