I have been using SSTab for as long as I can remember (in both VB6 and
VBA6). Just wondering if there are other reasons why I should consider
using MSCOMCTL's TabStrip instead.

TabStrip Control
Microsoft Windows Common Controls 6.0 (SP6)
MSCOMCTL.OCX

SSTab Control
Microsoft Tabbed Dialog Control 6.0 (SP5)
TABCTL32.OCX

TabStrip requires the developer to create and manage the control
containers for each page. While the SSTab control is friendlier (each
tab is already a control container).

On Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:51:34 -0400, Nando
<hight***@att.net.no.to.sp.am> wrote:

Show quoteHide quoteYour last comment sums the basic difference.

The SSTab is a container (or a Control with multiple containers), the
TabStrip is not. The SSTab contains all the controls, while a TabStrip
control acts like a controller or manager. Thus the SSTab has a larger
amount of overhead. Not too noticeable if you are using only one, but
if you have several forms with the SSTab your executable is much
larger.

Other minor differences:
1) You can skip having to distribute another OCX.
2) The SSTab hides and shows its containers by drawing off or on the
current window. With the TabStrip you have to manage 'visibility'
yourself (or of course do the same thing). This can be consider either
extra control, or no control depending on view or needs.
3) This can cause other problems if you are trying to dynamically add
or move 'contained' controls within a SSTab as the Top and Left
positions of non-visible controls are essentially "non-valid".

I'm sure others will be along with more.

IMHO, the SSTab is obviously easier to develop with, but in the long
run the greater control and lighter weight of the TabStrip make it a
better choice.

-ralph

On Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:59:00 -0500, ralph <nt_consultin***@yahoo.net>
wrote:

Oops!
Need to correct something ...

This statement is missleading - There are NOT multiple containers in a
SSTab, there is only one container and that is SSTab itself.

-ralph
{I was thinking of how one usually instruments a SSTab control and
confusing it will another 3rd party Tab control. A poor excuse but I'm
sticking to it. <g>}

Show quote Hide quote As you said, the SSTab control is much easier to use.  But there have
been complaints about buggy behavior when navigating the tabs.  The bugs
seem to go away if you put a Frame or PictureBox on each of its tabs, and
then site your controls within the above containers.  That way the control
only has to move one control out of sight when you change tabs.

Some other alternatives:
http://www.vbaccelerator.com/home/VB/Code/Controls/Tab_Controls/index.asp

Note that most of the controls at vbaccelerator use his Timing and
Subclassing Assistant.  If you want to avoid having a reference to that
you can download the source and just include a few bas modules and
classes:
http://www.vbaccelerator.com/home/VB/Code/Libraries/Subclassing/SSubTimer/VB6_SSubTmr_Source_Code.asp

Nach längere Bedenkzeit hat Norm Cook geschrieben :
I use the SSTab in a storage tank  display program.
On each tab I use a Picturebox as Container for all controls.

There is a bug with SSTab: In design mode the last tab must be selected
prior to Run in the IDE or compilation.
If I secect another tab bevor compilation or Run, the controls are then
on the wrong tab!

I never found out why this happens, so when I make changes to the app I
always select the last Tab befor I run the app in the IDE or compile
it.

Helmut.

On 25/08/2010 11:51, Nando wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteAs said, the SSTab control just moves the controls on other tabs out of
view.
They WILL be able to get focus and generally confuse the user.
To fix this, you need to hide/show your own containers for each tab
which brings you to exactly the same point as the TabStrip.

The Tabstirp (v5 only) also has the advantage of being windows theme-able.

More details at:
http://hashvb.earlsoft.co.uk/Tabbed_dialogs#Problems_with_the_SSTab_control
(and the rest of the article :)

Honestly, I don't use anything written by Sheridan, as it's historically
buggy and crappy.  SSTabs, although it says MSFT, was written by Sheridan.

I've always preferred the common controls version.  If I really need it to
do something it does not inherently do, I subclass it and force it to.  ;-)

This may or may not be of interest:

http://www.jerryfrench.co.uk/etabsim.htm

It's a simple, owner-drawn tabstrip from
Jerry French, who used to be in this group.
Very nice work.

Wow, another name from long ago.

Show quote Hide quote yeah, I wonder how his cat is doing?

-ralph

Thank you all for all the feedback!

Although the SSTab control is much easier to use, I'll give TabStrip a
try. I like the idea of a lighter-weight control and not redistributing
one more OCX. I'll be checking some of your sample code as well.

Thanks everyone!

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