Using Common Controls in VS 2012

Question

Today we started using VS 2012. The first task is to create a new project and using some ressources of an older project (made in VS 2010).

2 problems occured:

1. ) I can't import (drag and drop) a dialog ressource wwith common controls into VS 2012 - VS 2012 crashes when I try this

2.) the dialog editor toolbox displays only the new MFCControls, but the common controls are all greyed out

I tried this in several test projects (MDI and dialog based) - no succes

Is this a bug in VS 2012 or is there a setting I have to make in order to use the common controls

How can I use common controls in MFC VS 2012 and how can I reuse existing dialogs?

Thanks!

Answer 1

1. ) I can't import (drag and drop) a dialog ressource wwith common controls into VS 2012 - VS 2012 crashes when I try this

If you can reproduce it in a project that you can pass to Microsoft,
please submit a bug report on the MS connect site.

2.) the dialog editor toolbox displays only the new MFCControls, but the common controls are all greyed out
<http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/getfile/153027>

I think the one's that are greyed out are for WinForms use, not
Win32/MFC native applications - the non MFC ones may be under a
different section.

Dave

Answer 2

I think these are the controls for MFC, however all other sections are greyed out, too.

So there are only the new MFC-controls available in the tool box.

Maybe I have to adjust a setting somewhere in the project properties to make the common controls available? Or add a #define somewhere?

The interesting thing is: After creating a new dialog based project with the wizard you can see a dialog with common controls (e.g. static text control) . But you can't add new ones.

Can anyone confirm that common controls are not accessable in MFC dialoges?

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Matthias Gross - Developer and company owner GHL Matthias Gross GmbH & Co.KG Germany www.aquariumcomputer.com

Answer 3

>The interesting thing is: After creating a new dialog based project with the wizard you can see a dialog with common controls (e.g. static text control) . But you can't add new ones.

Mighty odd.

When I open a Win32 project and show a dialog, the toolbox has all the
expected standard Win32 controls under the "Dialog Editor" section and
the MFC specific ones follow in the list (it's quite long!)

Dave

Answer 4

you write "I open a project"

I assume this was an older existing project

it would be interesting to know if the controls are also there in a new VS 2012 project

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Matthias Gross - Developer and company owner GHL Matthias Gross GmbH & Co.KG Germany www.aquariumcomputer.com

Answer 5

you write "I open a project"
I assume this was an older existing project

That's right.

it would be interesting to know if the controls are also there in a new VS 2012 project

They are there for me.

Dave

Answer 6

OK, it seems this problem occurs not everywhere

just to make sure: we are talking about VS 2012 RTM (released this Wednesday - 15. Aug. 2012)

maybe the system configuration is important:

I have German VS 2012 Professional on a Win7 SP 1 64 Bit

May I ask you for your system details?

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Matthias Gross - Developer and company owner GHL Matthias Gross GmbH & Co.KG Germany www.aquariumcomputer.com

Answer 7

just to make sure: we are talking about VS 2012 RTM (released this Wednesday - 15. Aug. 2012)

Yes.

maybe the system configuration is important:
I have German VS 2012 Professional on a Win7 SP 1 64 Bit
May I ask you for your system details?

Sure, I have VS2012 Ultimate installed on a clean Win7 x64 SP1
English.

You have installed on a system that hasn't had any beta or RC version
of VS2012 on it?

Dave

Answer 8

Thanks for the reply. There was no VS 2012 beta or RC installed before. Only VS 2010 and VS 2008.

Finally I found someone in the web with a similar problem and this gave me the solution:

I deleted the toolbar cash files, after restarting VS 2012 they were created again -> all expected tools are shown now!

Thanks to this blog:

http://www.dotnetthoughts.net/2011/02/28/controls-toolbox-not-showing-in-visual-studio-2010/

I hope MS looks into this issue, it should not happen that the toolbox has not the correct content directly after a fresh installation.

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Matthias Gross - Developer and company owner GHL Matthias Gross GmbH & Co.KG Germany www.aquariumcomputer.com

Answer 9

Hi Matthias,

Many thanks to point out the workaround, i was facing the same problem.

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Fred