SftButton/OCX 3.0 - New Features

SftButton/OCX 3.0 is virtually 100% upward compatible to earlier version of the product. A simple conversion is required to upgrade a project to version 2.5.

Click here to review the online web documentation for all product enhancements, with links to the topics describing each new property, method and event in detail.

The following major enhancements have been made available with SftButton/OCX 3.0:

• Now includes 64-bit controls in addition to the 32-bit controls. This is most useful for all managed .NET applications compiled for "Any CPU" and for native C++ and MFC applications compiled as 64-bit applications.
• The file Softelvdm.OCXHelperV2.dll (required for managed .NET applications) no longer needs to be registered for COM Interop, simplifying distribution and installation of end-user applications - XCOPY deployment of this file is now possible.
• A WebLicense is no longer required when using the control on web pages (Internet Explorer).
• New background image displayed inside the button (see ImageBackground, ImageBackgroundDisabled, ImageBackgroundHover and ImageBackgroundPressed properties). 
• New MouseIconH property to support direct use of icon handles.
• New GDIPlusSupport property to determine whether GDI+ support is available.
• Help integration for Visual Studio 2010.

The following major enhancements have been made available with SftButton/OCX 2.5:

• The AutoSize property can be used to define how the control is resized based on its contents.
• The Bounce property can be used to define the control's visual response to a mouse click.
• The ButtonStyle property can be used to define the control's style. It replaces the ShowDropDown property and adds a new style, where only the graphics and text components are displayed transparently on the containing window's background.
• The ClickStyle property defines how the control responds to mouse clicks.
• The properties HoverOnControl, HoverOnImage1, HoverOnImage2 and HoverOnText can be used to determine where the mouse cursor is located.
• The HoverStyle property defines how images respond to mouse cursor positions.
• The Image1 and Image2 properties replace the Picture1 and Picture2 properties and add numerous new supported image formats, such as GDI+ images (jpeg, tiff, gif, etc. with alpha-channel supporting transparent and translucent images), bitmaps, OLE Picture objects (IPictureDisp, IPicture interfaces), icons, ImageLists, color samples, predefined images (checkboxes, radiobuttons, etc.) and color samples.
• The Image1AlignHorz, Image1AlignVert, Image2AlignHorz, Image2AlignVert properties replace the Picture1AlignHorz, Picture1AlignVert, Picture2AlignHorz, Picture2AlignVert properties.
• The Image1Hover, Image1Pressed, Image1Disabled, Image2Hover, Image2Pressed and Image2Disabled properties can be used to define a hot, pressed and disabled button image.
• Installation and usability changes for Visual Studio .NET 2003, 2005, 2008 - User-definable installation options allow the control to be automatically added to the Toolbox.
• Various corrections to help file syntax.
• Help integration for Visual Studio 2008.
• Support for Visual Studio 2005 with .NET Framework version 2.0 SP1 and above.
• Support for C/C++ applications using DEP (Data Execution Prevention).
• Enhanced property pages.

To find out more about this product, download our product demo now. The demo includes working controls, so you can start using the controls today and test-drive them thoroughly in your application, before your purchase.

That's the good news. For the "not-so-good" news: If you like it, you will have to purchase the product to use it beyond the free 30 day trial. Of course, that's not all that terrible, considering all the features you'll get to use, along with the royalty-free distribution of the control with your completed end-user application.

And, don't forget, the product includes free support and all major updates for one entire year.

Please see our Product Overview page for included options and supported operating systems.