Implement Windows control panel applets in Visual Basic

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Create a Windows control panel applet in Visual Basic using the easy to use Control Panel Host. Instead of having to deal with the arcane C interface of control panel applets, all you need do to create a Visual Basic control panel applet is develop an ActiveX DLL, implement the supplied IControlPanel interface, and register your applet with the Control Panel Host. You define the applet’s name and description and also the icon to display. Your applet receives control whenever the user clicks it. The Control Panel Host offers Visual Basic developers a fast and simple way to create control panel applets.

Features

• Part of the ComponentSpace ActiveX Suite

• Implement a Control Panel applet as a Visual Basic ActiveX DLL

• Specify the applet’s name, description and icon

• Receive control whenever the user clicks your applet

• Handy tools are included for debugging and registering your applet

• Coded in C++ for speed and size

• No runtime library dependencies

• Comprehensive Windows style documentation

• Visual Basic example source code

• Includes 12 months free email support and minor release upgrades

• Royalty free runtime

• Source code and source code escrow available

Creating a Control Panel Applet in Visual Basic

To create a control panel applet, create a Visual Basic ActiveX DLL project and add a reference to the supplied Control Panel Applet Interface type library. Add a class that implements the IControlPanel interface. This interface consists of three properties, the applet’s name, description and icon, and an OnDoubleClick method that’s called whenever the user clicks your applet within the control panel. A simple test harness is included to make it easy for you to debug your applet from within Visual Basic.

Registering your Applet with the Control Panel Host

You may use the supplied RegCpl tool to register your applet with the Control Panel Host. Alternatively, instructions are provided if you wish to do this from your own installation program.

The supplied CplHost.cpl DLL hosts your applet. It implements the applet C interface and translates this to the ActiveX IControlPanel interface. CplHost may host as many applets as you like.