Programmer's Help Wanted...

Hi all!

I'm using VB for programming and would like to have a semitransparent form with opaque controls on it (like AquaVolumeControl). Can anyone give me anything to start with?

Thanks a lot for any help!

Ken

#11999

I wrote an example for you, you can get it here, it's called trans.zip.

I hope this is what you were looking for.

If you need anything else just ask.

#12146

Yeah, thanks a lot beric!!!

I can't change the transparency level of individual controls on the form though. Hoped it would be as easy as MakeOpaque Command1.hWnd or something similar but... no! Can it be done somehow?

Have a nice day!

Ken

#12154

You can't change the transparency level of controls. (At least as far as I have been able to determine.)

I cheated in AquaVolume. I'm actually displaying 2 forms. One has transparency, the other doesn't.

#12173

Like jef said, i don't think there is a simple way to do it.

But if you really want transperent buttons you can use the microsoft form 2.0 controls which has a standard button with a transperency option.

#12178

Nice trick jef!

But I noticed that the edges of the rounded corners are smooth, and so are the edges of the volume control icon.

Back in Windows 98, I was able to use GIFs to create masked forms, but I would end up with a coarse form. Can I use PNGs or something else that would provide smooth masked forms?

Thanks for your help guys!

Ken

#12182

Hi again to everyone!

What version of controls do I have to use so that they are automatically skinned? I want to avoid using AquaControls, so that my app adopts the system skin (msstyle).

Thank you in advance for any help,

Ken

#13169

Does anyone have the trans.zip file that beric posted here way back when? The link he posted is down and so is his site (from the looks of things).

Any help greatly appreciated.

#99607

i can't give you that file, but here's a way to make your own transparent forms in vb.

http://www.vb-faq.com/Articles/Pharis/transparentform.asp

#99641

Thanks wookietv - good article. What I really want to be able to do is preserve png & icon transparency in VB forms...

#99642

do you mean the form is transparent but your icons remain opaque? or vice versa, icons transparent and the form is opaque... not sure what you mean by preserve png & icon transparency in VB forms

#99673

opaque form and transparent .png/.ico's

#99695

this might be able to help you, not sure, but maybe put you on a track:

http://www.vbaccelerator.com/home/VB/Code/...ion/article.asp

(make sure you notice on the left side pane that there is the sample project code to look over)

#99724

The big trick is called Layered Windows (WS_EX_LAYERED style) and is only available on win2000 / winXP :smartass:

#99796