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Combining title bar and menu bar into one (on Windows)?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:44 pm
by Wolfram
I am a programmer tasked with changing the wxWidgets based GUI of a windows-only C++ application. Among many other things, the design company wants us to have one combined title and menu bar. This contains title, menues and standard buttons (close, minimize..). This saves space. People that use Visual Studio 2019 (and probably used 2017 or an earlier one before) know this new design.

Is this possible in wxWidgets? How (maybe post a link to some documentation, thread or sample code)?

Re: Combining title bar and menu bar into one (on Windows)?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 3:06 pm
by T-Rex
The feature you asking about is very platform-specific and does not come out of the box with wxWidgets. You probably will need to implement the custom platform-specific solution using native APIs.

Another example here.

Re: Combining title bar and menu bar into one (on Windows)?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 4:28 pm
by doublemax
On a personal note: Please tell that "design company" from me that they're idiots. Not every design decision Microsoft makes is a good one - on the contrary. And the amount of space it saves is negligible.

Re: Combining title bar and menu bar into one (on Windows)?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:39 pm
by ONEEYEMAN
Agreed with doublemax.
Our old app version was based on wxWidgets.
Then someone smart decided that we need to go with Qt, because it can be stylezed and with the new design - save space.

Really wrong decision, because now instead of one click, people will need to do 3-4 ones.

And now the supernew version, which will be Android-based will suck even more.

So, as you can see its not just M$.

Thank you.

Re: Combining title bar and menu bar into one (on Windows)?

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:07 pm
by PB
doublemax wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2019 4:28 pm Not every design decision Microsoft makes is a good one - on the contrary. And the amount of space it saves is negligible.
I cannot say I like the direction Microsoft has been going since Windows 8. But still: MS Office and File Explorer use the window caption for Quick Access Toolbar (which can be easily moved below the Ribbon if needed); MSO also has User Account and Ribbon Display Options there but they don't take much space. MSVS 2019 has "Use compact menu and search bar" on by default but this can also be easily turned off.

IMO, it is not that bad, in particular when considering one can easily get (most of) the window caption space back. Unfortunately, with wide-screen monitors, even taking into account the increase in their size and resolution, vertical real estate can still be precious.

TBH, I have planned to look into exploring options for placing menu/toolbar into window caption area (on MSW) but did not find time for that yet.

Re: Combining title bar and menu bar into one (on Windows)?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:37 am
by Wolfram
@T-Rex: Thank you, that is very helpful indeed.
@doublemax: Oh well, I think one of the main aims is simply that the new GUI has to look different to the old one :-//
@PB: Ah, I did not know of that setting.

Re: Combining title bar and menu bar into one (on Windows)?

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:55 am
by Nunki
Yeah,

Like the one-pixel resizer frame on a window. Try to resize your window. 50% chance you have to try 2 or 3 times to get that one-pixel line to resize your window. Especially on UHD displays.
It's good that a break pedal in a car is on the exact same spot for every car.... Some things are best left where they are meant to be !

with regards,
Nunki