Interface Design

[Guest]

Hello there. I will start a new software development and I would like to put
in it
the same look and feel of Microsoft Money 2005 Edition. If you spend a few
moments using it, you will that it´s nice! really nice the way the software
handles the things with its interface. I will use C#, but I think that people
in Microsoft written Money 2005 in C++. That´s why I am here. Is it possible
to do the same things in C#? As you can see, there is no title bar in the
main screen, The menus schema is a new whole way to handle the navigation,
its wonderfull, the background color of the main menu is painted, in the
accounts, when you want to insert a new one, the screen opens inside the main
screen with rectangles painted and so forth. How can I do that in C#? I think
it´s not possible. So if you want to help me or even discuss that I am opened.

Thanks a lot.
Henrique.

 

[Marcos Stefanakopolus]

That's a pretty complicated question, probably beyond the scope of this
newsgroup. Essentially, you want to know "how do I create UI that looks and
acts like Microsoft Money?" There's no single, or simple, answer to your
question. In fact, the answer has very little to do with C# vs C++. I
assume you are new to C# and to developing with Windows Forms. My
suggestion would be this:

Spend one month writing some other, smaller, applications using the Windows
Forms library and the .NET framework. Learn how one uses the framework, and
how the Windows Forms library interacts with the .NET framework. When you
understand the basics of creating Windows Forms applications using C#, two
things will happen: First, you already know the answers to most of your
questions about how to develop something that behaves like the MS Money UI.
Second, for the parts you still do not understand, you will be able to ask
much better, more specific questions in the newsgroups. Questions people
might actually be able to give you answers to.

 

[Jay Pondy]

Being an old traditional "linear" programmer I have really, really
struggled with OOP. I have been working with the .Net products since
the early betas and I still feel like a novice - there is so, so much
to learn.

You certainly can't fault the guy for a lack of ambition!!

That's a pretty complicated question, probably beyond the scope of this
newsgroup. Essentially, you want to know "how do I create UI that looks and
acts like Microsoft Money?" There's no single, or simple, answer to your
question. In fact, the answer has very little to do with C# vs C++. I
assume you are new to C# and to developing with Windows Forms. My
suggestion would be this:

Spend one month writing some other, smaller, applications using the Windows
Forms library and the .NET framework. Learn how one uses the framework, and
how the Windows Forms library interacts with the .NET framework. When you
understand the basics of creating Windows Forms applications using C#, two
things will happen: First, you already know the answers to most of your
questions about how to develop something that behaves like the MS Money UI.
Second, for the parts you still do not understand, you will be able to ask
much better, more specific questions in the newsgroups. Questions people
might actually be able to give you answers to.

We see the world, not as it is, but as we are.

 

[Guest]

I´ve been working with .net products since the betas too! I did a lot of
programs, ôve used a lot the controls, but the Money 2005 changes the
interface a lot! I don´t know if you saw the interface already, but the
questions are:
1) how do I do a window with no title bar? Of course you will say that it´s
a propertie of the Window in the C# IDE but if you really analyse the Money
interface you will notice that the title bar is in the Window and instead of
the tradicional blue color of every title bar in Windows, that title bar has
as background an image! How do I set as background of a title bar with an
image?
2) The frame of the Money window is painted as silver color!
3) The screens used for user data input has a different title bar, it seems
that was made with lines and rectangles in run time, but I would like to use
as much as possible the tools in the design time.

I know that I can do such a interface using the C# in run-time, controling
since menus behavior, to maximize, minimize, close buttons, and so foth, but
the aim of my doubts is to try to use the .Net FCL and W32API as much as
possible. And how a question of Windows Forms is not perfectly addressed by
me to this forum, that is for Windows FORMS programming.

 

[Mick Doherty]

I haven't seen the MS Money interface but I suspect it's just a shaped
borderless form.

You could dock a Panel to the top of your form, and use that as a Titlebar.

You could also use an approch such as the basic example on my site:
http://dotnetrix.co.uk/misc.html --> An example of a moveable/resizable
shaped form.

I've also seen examples of this type using RegionMaster controls:
http://windowsforms.net/ControlGallery/ControlDetail.aspx?Control=219&tabindex=0

 

[Guest]

Ok, I think it will help me a lot. I tought of a panel as title bar, but how
about the window control buttons? Will I have to control it by hand?