But there isn’t a good solution for toolbars.

Ah yes, this is quite tough problem.

In Windows 7 we have the light blue toolbar in explorer which doesn’t quite act as true toolbar, because it’s supposed to replace the menus.

Unfortunately Microsoft doesn’t expose API for this toolbar, so there’s no way to write a wrapper so you can use it in your own app.

But there is the Windows 7 Ribbon API. I’ll be mentioning some of the controls that wrap that API early next week.

You have you’re awesome MainMenu control that I use everywhere I need menus and I recommend it to everyone. But there isn’t a good solution for toolbars.

And thinking about it, how could there be one? There isn’t a consistent look for toolbars across different Windows versions, Microsoft is always changing stuff. In Windows 7 we have the light blue toolbar in explorer which doesn’t quite act as true toolbar, because it’s supposed to replace the menus.

Still, if your application needs menus (or you want menus) but also needs a toolbar, what will you do? Add a toolstrip? That will look so bad…

I can’t think of a solution to fix this problem cross-OS, can you? Maybe an extra day for an extra tip on your blog?

I’m currently coding a ToolStrip renderer though but as all renderers, everything will be hardcoded. And in this case, to fit the Windows 7 toolbar.