c# how can i make sure that my application will look the same on other systems?

Question

how do i make sure that the application iam developing will look the same on other windows-systems?

iam developing now on a windows7, with .net 3.5 framework .. (VS 2008)

as an example, i have a toolbar, that i changed its rendermode to system, it looks ok on my windows7, but when i run the application on windows xp, it is different, even the onmouseover backcolor is different. ..

is there a way to make the application looks like on every windows system (talking abt xp, vista and windows 7 only), lets say like exporting the settings of all the controls with the application !? or any trick to make sure it will be always the same ?

thankss in advance

Answer 1

Unless you render the window yourself you're going to always have slight differences between OS'es, they all have different ways of rendering your primitive controls like text boxes, panels, etc.

Also under windows the background color of a window/control is actually (by default) tied into the theme set in windows.

So allowing people to use their own themes is a plus. You really shouldn't force a style on people unless you're theming your own application.

Answer 2

You would have to you get a grab on all of the colours, fonts, transperancy, etc. and use them to override every controls' Paint event/method so that they may use your values.

The only way I see fit would be by writing yourself custom controls while handling these controls appearance throught the Paint() method so that the control may use what you give it. The pain!...

As SLaks commented, you shouldn't care about such details and let the defaut user preferences take over on the native OS, because some surprises may be encountered over time as if Windows doesn't find the font, for instance, it will replace it with its default, which could lead to horrible results. That is just one example. Need others?