When set window styles are applied to the window immediately. Combining different styles you can change the window view in many ways - for example it can have a menu but no caption, or thin caption (known also as tool window caption), or window resizing can be denied and so on.

Fore setting, removing style flags of the window the alternative properties (setWndStyleFlags, resetWndStyleFlags, setWndStyleExFlags, resetWndStyleExFlags) are much more convenient. 

For detailed description of the window styles consult the MSDN (see CreateWindow and CreateWindowEx Win32 API functions), here in the remarks section some of the most useful flags are described.

Syntax and description

external.wndStyle  - (read/write), long integer. Gets/sets the standard window style flags to the ALFrame window. Styles are applied immediately after assignment. Sample:
external.wndStyle = WM_CAPTION | WM_BORDER;
Note: here constants defined in the alpframehelpers.js file are used.

external.wndStyleEx - (read/write), long integer. Gets/sets the extended window style flags to the ALFrame window. Styles are applied immediately after assignment.

Remarks

Window styles supported by Win32 API are separated in two categories - standard and extended. Both categories are represented as flags in 32-bit integers. Use the scripting language  bit field operations to combine the desired flags in a number. For example in Javascript you can use "|" operator (logical "or" operation performed over the bits of the both operators). Thus combination WM_CAPTION | WM_BORDER means window with caption and border.

Most of the scripts in the DHTML pages are written in JScript (Javascript) thus we provide a file with constants definition and helper routines (alpframehelpers.js). It contains definitions for the window styles. Names of the style constants are the same as in the Win32 API and if you are using the MSDN library for more information you can use the same constants here.

Description of the styles applicable for ALPFrame. Other styles (not described here) are not recommended.

Standard window styles (wndStyle, setWndStyleFlags, resetWndStyleFlags properties):

WS_BORDER	window with a thin-line border.
WS_CAPTION	window that has a title bar (automatically includes the WS_BORDER if no other border style is specified).
WS_DLGFRAME	window that has a border of a style typically used with dialog boxes. The border is not resizeable.
WS_MAXIMIZEBOX	window that has a maximize button.The WS_SYSMENU style must also be specified.
WS_MINIMIZEBOX	window with a minimize button. The WS_SYSMENU style must also be specified.
WS_OVERLAPPED	overlapped window with a title bar and a border.
WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW	Combines  WS_OVERLAPPED, WS_CAPTION, WS_SYSMENU, WS_THICKFRAME, WS_MINIMIZEBOX, and WS_MAXIMIZEBOX styles.
WS_SIZEBOX	Same as WS_THICKFRAME.
WS_SYSMENU	window with a window menu on its title bar. The WS_CAPTION style must also be specified. Allows WS_MAXIMIZEBOX and WS_MINIMIZEBOX styles.
WS_THICKFRAME	window with a sizing border.

Extended window styles (wndStyleEx, setWndStyleExFlags, resetWndStyleExFlags properties): 

WS_EX_APPWINDOW	window will be shown onto the taskbar when visible.
WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE	window with a sunken edge.
WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME	window with a double border. not resizeable.
WS_EX_LEFT	left-aligned texts and other controls. default.
WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR	For  language with right-to-left default flowing (Hebrew, Arabic and so on). Scrollbar appears on the left side of the window. Takes effect only if the system supports some of these languages.
WS_EX_LTRREADING	left-to-right reading-order. default.
WS_EX_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW	Combines WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE and WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE.
WS_EX_PALETTEWINDOW	Combines the WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE, WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW, and WS_EX_TOPMOST.
WS_EX_RIGHT	"right-aligned" window. see comments for the WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR.
WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR	right scroll bar. default.
WS_EX_RTLREADING	right-to-left alignment of the window text. See comments for the WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR.
WS_EX_STATICEDGE	window with a three-dimensional border.
WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW	Window with a thin caption. Does not appear in the taskbar or in the Alt-Tab palette. WS_CAPTION also must be specified.
WS_EX_TOPMOST	Window is on top of the normal application windows. Can be overlapped only by other top most windows.
WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE	window with a raised edge border.

Applies to: external

See also: Helper libraries