如何在Visual Studio Visual C ++ Win32项目中查看主窗体，以便编辑它？

Question

I am migrating a C++ Builder program to a Visual Studio 2013 C++/Win32/Win32 Project.

Try as I may, however, after I create a new project (C++/Win32/Win32 Project), I can't see how to view/edit the main form which is created automatically when Visual Studio creates the project. I know how to view/edit forms in C#, C++ Builder, and Delphi, but I'm not seeing how to view the form so that I can add to it in VS 2013 for a C++ Windows application.

What is it that I do not understand? What rock is the main form hidden under in the IDE?

I know the form is there, with a simple menu and an about box, because it is displayed when the newly created project/program is run.

By form I mean the main window for the newly created application.

Answer 1

Sounds to me like you created a straight Win32 project (non-MFC). In that case, there isn't a form designer like you are accustomed to. Much is created by code.

You'll find something like:

case IDM_ABOUT:
    DialogBox(hInst, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_ABOUTBOX), hWnd, About);
    break;

Open the Resource Files, Win32Project1.rc, and open the Dialog subfolder, you'll see a dialog designer. Besides that, you won't find a Form that is editable the way C++ Builder allows. At first glance you'll think you have a form designer, but shortly you'll find it is pretty lacking. To design complex UIs requires more.

The bad news, if you are coming from a C++ Builder background, you will find Visual C++ not so RAD / WYSIWIG. There are several ways to do it, not all of which involve design time form wizards. Much of traditional Visual C++ programming creates the UI dynamically.

If you want true RAD with Visual Studio, you'll need to move to C# / .NET and Winforms or WPF.

If you are sticking with C++, I recommend you recreate your project and choose the MFC option, or look at Qt or another 3rd party UI framework. MFC (Microsoft Foundation Classes) and the MFC Project Wizard will give you more controls to choose from, and more of a jump start by helping you create an app skeleton with Single/Multiple Document Interface, etc.

Answer 2

There is a big paradigm change between a "Winforms" application and a standard Visual C++ Windows application:

• Winforms applications use managed code, which can be C#, VB or C++/CLI.

• In Winforms, the programmer doesn't have to know about the Windows message pump to write code for forms, controls and events.

• Visual C++ applications do not typically use managed code, and these programs run without the .Net framework.

• If you want, you can use Winforms in your Visual C++ project, but that action will convert the project to a managed code project (C++/CLI).

• Visual C++ uses resource files to store the layout of the forms, whereas winforms application uses designer classes (For example, myForm.designer.cs)

Unfortunately there is no editor available in Visual studio to edit the main window. You have to do that using code. Debug this method in your project to see how the Windows message system works.

LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
    int wmId, wmEvent;
    PAINTSTRUCT ps;
    HDC hdc;

    switch (message)
    {
    case WM_COMMAND:
        wmId    = LOWORD(wParam);
        wmEvent = HIWORD(wParam);
        // Parse the menu selections:
        switch (wmId)
        {
        case IDM_ABOUT:
            DialogBox(hInst, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_ABOUTBOX), hWnd, About);
            break;
        case IDM_EXIT:
            DestroyWindow(hWnd);
            break;
        default:
            return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);
        }
        break;
    case WM_PAINT:
        hdc = BeginPaint(hWnd, &ps);


    // TODO: *****************Add any drawing code here...*****************



        EndPaint(hWnd, &ps);
        break;
    case WM_DESTROY:
        PostQuitMessage(0);
        break;
    default:
        return DefWindowProc(hWnd, message, wParam, lParam);
    }
    return 0;
}

Answer 3

Open the resource files where you can edit the "about box" & menu items. The window is created using the API CreateWindow & the parameters passed to the functions defines the view of the window. In win32, only dialog boxes can be edited in the resource file while the view of your window requires writing code in the win32 message ie WM_PAINT to draw the window according to your requirement. If your looking for a form window like interface than you can call the dialogbox api in the winmain & remove all code to window creation. That would be much easier to add buttons, list & other controls.