How to Create an Engraved Effect on a Form

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Step-by-Step Example

The following steps create a form with a group of command buttons on the form to demonstrate the engraved look. Then a single command button is placed on the form with a shape to achieve an identical effect.

1. Create a new form, and change its BackColor property to light gray: 192,192,192.
2. From the Format menu, clear the Snap to Grid check box.
3. Place a command group on the form, and change its BackStyle property to 0 - Transparent. Ensure that the SpecialEffect property is set to 0 - 3D, and the BorderStyle property is set to 1 - Fixed Single. This shows the engraved effect around the command group.
4. Place a command button on the form.
5. Place a Shape object on the form from outside the top-left corner of the command button to outside the bottom-right corner of the command button. The goal is to make the Shape slightly larger than the command button.
6. Change the BackStyle property of the Shape to 0 - Transparent and its SpecialEffect property to 0 - 3D. Ensure that the BorderColor property is black: 0,0,0. Also ensure that the BorderWidth property is 1.
7. With Shape1 as the selected object on the form, click Send to Back on the Format menu. Because the Shape object was placed on the form after the command button, the Shape is actually be on top of the command button unless this step has been taken. If the Shape is left on top of the command button, you wouldn't be able to click the command button when the form is run.