Add a bitmap to a menu item (2)

Problem/Question/Abstract:

How to add bitmaps to a menu?

Answer:

Create a Picture. Load a .BMP from somewhere into the picture. Better have the picture as a resource and load the handle with LoadBitmap(). Use the SetMenuItemBitmaps API call to connect the Picture to the Menu.

All this can by coded in the .Create of a form.

Don't use a bitmap that is too large :) because only the right-top of the bitmap is displayed.


var
  Bmp1: TPicture;
  CheckedHandle,
    Bmp1Handle: THandle;

// ... in the FormCreate event:

// either load from an external file
Bmp1 := TPicture.Create;
Bmp1.LoadFromFile('c:\where\b1.BMP');
Bmp1Handle := Bmp1.Bitmap.Handle;
CheckedHandle := Bmp1Handle;

// or - using resources in the EXEcutable
Bmp1Handle := LoadBitmap(hInstance, 'RESOURCENAME');
CheckedHandle := LoadBitmap(hInstance, 'CHECKED_IMAGE');

// assign the bitmaps
SetMenuItemBitmaps(MenuItemTest.Handle, 0, MF_BYPOSITION,
  Bmp1Handle, CheckedHandle);
...