Creating a true transparent label.
- Requirements: Visual Studio 2010
- Programming Level: Advance
- Language: Visual Basic.net
Scenario:
I have been looking for quite some time a control that can give me a true transparent label in which we can see the background color or object behind this control just like the old VB6 language, by just setting up the BackStyle Property of VB6 Label Control. As Shown Below:
Microsoft Visual Basic 6 Label Control
But unfortunately in visual basic.net it is not possible as visual basic.net treated this in different way, it only copy the background color of the form and really making it a true transparent. Well in this article I am going to show you how i was able to create a true transparent label in visual basic.net. You need to create a new project in Visual Studio 2010 and add another project in your solution and select Class Library as project Type. Then add a user control in this Class Library Project. The Code is given below:
You shall need to add These References in your Class Project:
System.Drawing System.Windows.Forms System.ComponentModel
The Source Code
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.ComponentModel
Public Class TransparentLabel
Public Sub New()
' This call is required by the designer.
InitializeComponent()
' Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.
' Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.
Me.SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, True)
Me.SetStyle(ControlStyles.Opaque, True)
Me.SetStyle(ControlStyles.SupportsTransparentBackColor, True)
Me.components = New System.ComponentModel.Container()
RF = New RectangleF(0, 0, MyBase.Width, MyBase.Height)
LabelForeColorBrush = New SolidBrush(MyBase.ForeColor)
End Sub
#Region "Private"
Private sFormat As StringFormat
Private RF As RectangleF
Dim LabelForeColorBrush As SolidBrush = Nothing
#End Region
#Region "Subroutines"
Private Sub UpdateText()
Try
sFormat = New StringFormat
Dim x As Integer = 0
Dim y As Integer = 0
With sFormat
Select Case TextAlignment
Case ContentAlignment.BottomCenter
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Center
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Far
Case ContentAlignment.BottomLeft
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Near
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Far
Case ContentAlignment.BottomRight
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Far
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Far
Case ContentAlignment.MiddleLeft
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Near
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center
Case ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Center
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center
Case ContentAlignment.MiddleRight
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Far
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center
Case ContentAlignment.TopCenter
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Center
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Near
Case ContentAlignment.TopLeft
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Near
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Near
Case ContentAlignment.TopRight
sFormat.Alignment = StringAlignment.Far
sFormat.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Near
End Select
.FormatFlags = StringDirection
End With
ResizeControl()
Catch ex As Exception
End Try
End Sub
Private Sub ResizeControl()
RF.Size = New Size(MyBase.Size)
Invalidate()
End Sub
#End Region
#Region "Properties"
Dim _StringDirection As StringFormatFlags = StringFormatFlags.NoClip
<Description("The Direction of the Text."), DefaultValue(StringFormatFlags.NoClip)>
Public Property StringDirection As StringFormatFlags
Get
Return _StringDirection
End Get
Set(ByVal value As StringFormatFlags)
_StringDirection = value
UpdateText
End Set
End Property
Private _TextAlignment As System.Drawing.ContentAlignment = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
<Description("The Text Alignment that will appear on this control."), DefaultValue(ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter)>
Public Property TextAlignment() As System.Drawing.ContentAlignment
Get
Return _TextAlignment
End Get
Set(ByVal value As System.Drawing.ContentAlignment)
_TextAlignment = value
UpdateText()
End Set
End Property
#End Region
#Region "Overrides"
Public Overrides Property ForeColor As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return MyBase.ForeColor
End Get
Set(ByVal value As System.Drawing.Color)
MyBase.ForeColor = value
LabelForeColorBrush = New SolidBrush(value)
End Set
End Property
''' <summary>
''' The text to be displayed in supports with real transparency.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Dim _Labeltext As String = "TransparentLabel"
<Description("The text to be displayed in supports with real transparency."), Category("Text"), DefaultValue("TransparentLabel")>
Public Property LabelText As String
Get
Return _Labeltext
End Get
Set(ByVal value As String)
_Labeltext = value
Invalidate()
End Set
End Property
<Browsable(False), EditorBrowsable(False)>
Public Overrides Property BackColor As System.Drawing.Color
Get
Return MyBase.BackColor
End Get
Set(ByVal value As System.Drawing.Color)
MyBase.BackColor = value
End Set
End Property
Protected Overrides ReadOnly Property CreateParams() As System.Windows.Forms.CreateParams
Get
Dim cp As CreateParams = MyBase.CreateParams
cp.ExStyle = cp.ExStyle Or &H20
Return cp
End Get
End Property
Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs)
Try
MyBase.OnPaint(e)
' draw the text on the control
e.Graphics.DrawString(LabelText, MyBase.Font, LabelForeColorBrush, RF, sFormat)
' MyBase.OnPaint(e)
Catch ex As Exception
End Try
End Sub
#End Region
Private Sub TransparentLabel_Resize(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Resize
ResizeControl()
End Sub
End Class
The Screenshot is given below for the transparent control:
The true transparent label control in vb.net
The Full Source Code Project Download in VB.NET and in C#.NET
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Or for c# enthusiast you can try my C# equivalent TransparentLabel in C Sharp Here.
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