Dialog System Applications

The version of the Compatibility AddPack for Visual COBOL released with Visual COBOL 2.3 Update 1 enables you to give your Dialog System applications a refreshed user interface. Features include:

• Support for a modern look and feel for Dialog System applications.

  Dialog System now supports Microsoft's visual styles for controls and fonts to give your existing Dialog System applications a modern look that is native to the Windows version the applications are running on.

  You use a new environment variable, MFVSSW, to switch the visual styles on. Alternatively, for applications that compile to an executable, to switch the new styles, you can add an application manifest file to the applications' project files.

  See the section Modernizing Dialog System Applications in your product help for details on how to enable the visual styles, and for information about any possible changes in behavior or appearance of the common controls.

• A modern look and feel of the Dialog System painter.

  There are new configuration options in the Dialog System painter for applying the visual styles and fonts to the painter.

• Visual Studio project templates for creating Dialog System applications with a modern look out-of-the box.
  The Compatibility AddPack for Visual COBOL now installs the following new project templates:

  • Dialog System Application (Modern) for creating Dialog System applications that use Microsoft's visual styles by default.
  • Dialog System Application (Classic) for creating Dialog System applications that use the classic fonts and look.
• Additional samples:

  All of the Dialog System samples previously available with Net Express are now included with the Compatibility AddPack for Visual COBOL. The samples have been converted to Visual Studio solutions.

For more information see the section Modernizing Dialog System Applications in your product help and the Release Notes for the Compatibility AddPack for Visual COBOL.