Which GUI library for windows applications

[_David_]

I want to start a windows application with c++. Also i want to my application must be nice. MFC? SmartWindows++ ... ? for using buttons, gradient background, transparant image e.t.c. Please tell an easy way for this purpose
:thanks:

[neuron2]

There is no easy way. Just give up that idea right now.

[MeteorRain]

mfc is more difficult than c++ or c itself.
or you can have a look at wxWindows

[Doom9]

well.. MFC dumbs down quite a bit imho (as compared to making GUIs using plain W32 API), but all the eyecandy stuff is not available out of the box.. you either have to buy such components someplace or create your own. Semi-transparency isn't so much of a big deal, but the rest - better wait for Vista which will have tons of eye candy stuff onboard.
But if it's just a regular app with all regular GUI elements, and it can be managed, the .NET classes tend to make your life easier when it comes to GUIs (but no framework truly is complete, you always find the elements you've seen in many programs that you think should be available out of the box but that you end up having to code on your own).

[Manao]

.NET allows to easily make nice GUI, but almost prevent you from using c++, unless you're ready to use managed c++, which you don't want to.

From everything i've heard about wxWindows, it's not the panacea ( better than mfc though ), but it allows to make portable GUI.

Finally, you've got QT. It's acknowledged to be the best framework to do GUI, from a coding point of view. Graphically, I don't know exactly where it stands. V4 is free for personnal use.

[Doom9]

which you don't want to.I don't think he said that ;) Like it or not, .NET is here to stay, and thanks to mono it's cross platform as well.. (not that he said anything about cross platform development, it was specific for Windows).

It's acknowledged to be the best framework to do GUIFirst time I hear that in the windows context. It's way more popular in the Linux world, I know but one Windows program that uses it.

[_David_]

Im looking for some free class or library which can easly create gradient button, transparancy of flash, etc. Im writing my application with MFC. Im not using .net because of some people dont have its framework. Therefore must be unmanaged code (Im using Visual c++ 6.0 and Dev c++ ).
:thanks:

[Doom9]

do you really need all that eye candy? wouldn't it be better to stick to the standard design? In the end, if you want your app to ever be MS certified, you have to stick to their guidelines anyway.

[Nic]

@David:
look through sites like codeproject.com for "fancy" bits like nice buttons, images and gradients. It tends to be pretty easy to add the stuff to your MFC app and makes it look a little sharper.

-Nic

[Sirber]

Delphi powa!!!!!

No crap, just good :D

[stax76]

.NET allows to easily make nice GUI, but almost prevent you from using c++, unless you're ready to use managed c++, which you don't want to.

.NET 2.0, p/invoke, com interop and C++/CLR in mixed mode worked quite good for me, what kind of application are you thinking of?

[_David_]

.NET 2.0, p/invoke, com interop and C++/CLR in mixed mode worked quite good for me, what kind of application are you thinking of?

for a new messenger which must be nice :)