Windows Dark Mode TabPanel yet?

Targets Windows
1

I see lots of articles about how (re: 2021r3) Tab Panels aren’t dark-mode in Windows in Xojo. Has this been rectified yet? I still use 2021r3 and aren’t opposed to upgrading, but…

I’d much rather wait for Xojo to do it than to massively-touch my interfaces where I have one version of Mac and one for Windows; then, after Xojo finally does it, to throw out that code.

So have they done it yet?

2

I can’t find any evidence that tab panels support dark mode on Windows but I find lots of references to how Xojo “Supports Dark Mode Fully”

Tab panels are an integral part of Xojo UI design and layout - if tab panels aren’t supported, then full support is not finished!

3

TabPanel and DateControl…do not Exist in Win32 Darkmode in Windows. (Shame on Microsoft)

There is no easy solution for this for Win32 applications.

WinFx app or Win32 app through Xaml Islands could overcome such by using the modern controls. But Xojo is not there yet but their taking first steps toward Xaml islands though.

4

You could roll your own using a segmented control and a pagepanel. It wouldn’t be native, but it would let you move forward until one is available.

5

Thanks Greg,

Yes, workarounds are available but require many changes to existing, complicated layouts and change Mac-native controls into hacked controls… not desirable

6

I agree that MS doesn’t seem to be there yet with Win32 but two things are worth mentioning:

  1. It seems like there might be solutions that are a little hackey on the Windows side (perhaps using themes, perhaps using a Xojo-generated combo control like Greg mentioned) that could get us dark mode behavior - but I don’t know enough about it.

  2. If tab panels are not supported in dark mode on Windows then, not to be too pedantic here, dark mode is not “fully supported” on Windows. It’s worth noting that dark mode and Xaml islands have been available on Windows (since 2016 and 2019 respectively) and all of us relying on Win32 compatibility lasting have been living on borrowed time…

We’re now just getting started on Xaml islands - which look cool indeed - but we need them to be native Xojo-level controls for cross-platform development to not be a big pain the rear - remember that tab panels host our other controls, so they’re not just a simple substitution-per-platform fix…

If I might be so bold. I think that a Xaml-island-based tab panel control should ship before just about anything else Xaml based.

7

Win32 is not exactly on borrowed time.

The whole core of Windows is based on it, and historically windows never ever removes any such. MS even made Windows Forms into First class citizen again. And also grabbed Win32 again by offering the Xaml islands bridge.

And Dark Mode Xaml islands have not been available since 2016 or 2019 since WinRT Xaml islands are brand new thing.

Before you could only host WPF Xaml, which is totally different thing.

8

MS not upgrading valuable and popular app controls is the very type of borrowed time I’m referring to.

I agree that Win32 isn’t going anywhere soon but we in the Xojo world need to get our butts off of it ASAP