Button Overview

• Easily replace the Windows button control
• Create active-style buttons with or without 3D borders
• Create a toolbar or tool palette
• Use one button to perform multiple operations using hotspots, saving valuable system resources
• Display a different picture for the up, down, and disabled states or when the mouse pointer is over the button or an individual cell
• Use as a container to host other controls
• Dynamically change the shape or characteristics of the button in response to your user
• Automatically resize the button based on the parent size and specify offsets

Cell Overview

•  Create up to 512 cells or regions per button
• Each cell can contain text, pictures, act as a hotspot, or display special 3D effects
• Make the individual cells or entire button transparent
• Use a picture to define the shape of an individual cell or the entire button
• Load a previously saved button template into a cell
• Apply three-dimensional text to individual cells
• Disable individual cells
• Specify the space between the cell contents and the cell boundaries

Cell Details

• Text, Font and Color for both the "up" and "down" states of the control
• Pictures for the up, down, and disabled states of the control or when the mouse passes over the cell
• Custom alignment of the text and pictures within the cell
• Three-dimensional appearance, including "active borders" which show the 3D effect around the cell only when the mouse passes over it
• Orientation by rotating the cell in 90 degree increments or displaying the text vertically
• Text for the balloon control to display when the mouse passes over the cell
• Shape using up to 512 "segments", or lines, using different shapes for each line

Balloon Control

•  Display a help balloon (tool tip) displaying customized text when the cursor is over most development controls
• Choose from four balloon shapes (round, square, ellipse, or cloud) or customize your own shape by loading a button template into the balloon
• Choose an optional tail type (straight or bubble)
• Display an optional drop shadow behind the balloon
• Automatically resize the balloon to fit its text
• Change the balloon's appearance or content at design time or at run time
• Share the balloon across multiple windows

Button Designer

• Easily customize your shape at design time using the Button Designer's Cell Editor, Segment Editor and Button Editor
• Use the Cell Editor to assign text colors, hotspots, or bitmaps to each button cell
• Use the Segment Editor to assign a shape (square, ellipse, round, or straight) to each button segment or cell
• Use the Button Editor to select cells or segments, drag-and-drop cells and grab handles, and resize cells and segments using the built-in alignment grid
• Create template files that can be loaded at design-time or at run-time into the button or into a cell
• Begin your design with one of 16 pre-defined template
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