---
title: "How to: Render a Visual Style Element"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "visual themes [Windows Forms], applying to elements of Windows Forms applications"
  - "professional appearance [Windows Forms], applying to elements of Windows Forms applications"
  - "visual styles [Windows Forms], rendering Windows Forms controls"
ms.assetid: a207781b-1baa-4ce9-b788-1e951bd4b5df
---
# How to: Render a Visual Style Element
The <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles?displayProperty=nameWithType> namespace exposes <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleElement> objects that represent the Windows user interface (UI) elements supported by visual styles. This topic demonstrates how to use the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer> class to render the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleElement> that represents the **Log Off** and **Shut Down** buttons of the Start menu.  
  
### To render a visual style element  
  
1. Create a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer> and set it to the element you want to draw. Note the use of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Application.RenderWithVisualStyles%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> property and the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer.IsElementDefined%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> method; the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer.%23ctor%2A> constructor will throw an exception if visual styles are disabled or an element is undefined.  
  
     [!code-cpp[System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple#4](~/samples/snippets/cpp/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple/cpp/form1.cpp#4)]
     [!code-csharp[System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple#4](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple/CS/form1.cs#4)]
     [!code-vb[System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple#4](~/samples/snippets/visualbasic/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple/VB/form1.vb#4)]  
  
2. Call the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer.DrawBackground%2A> method to render the element that the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer> currently represents.  
  
     [!code-cpp[System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple#6](~/samples/snippets/cpp/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple/cpp/form1.cpp#6)]
     [!code-csharp[System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple#6](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple/CS/form1.cs#6)]
     [!code-vb[System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple#6](~/samples/snippets/visualbasic/VS_Snippets_Winforms/System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleRenderer_Simple/VB/form1.vb#6)]  
  
## Compiling the Code  
 This example requires:  
  
- A custom control derived from the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control> class.  
  
- A <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Form> that hosts the custom control.  
  
- References to the <xref:System?displayProperty=nameWithType>, <xref:System.Drawing?displayProperty=nameWithType>, <xref:System.Windows.Forms?displayProperty=nameWithType>, and <xref:System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles?displayProperty=nameWithType> namespaces.  
  
## See also

- [Rendering Controls with Visual Styles](rendering-controls-with-visual-styles.md)