Transparent troubles... must but can't?

[JonTaylor]

Can anyone tell me how to make a form a bit transparent (translucent) so i can just barely see the form behind it? if anyone can i will be forever grateful

[parksie]

Technically, you can only do this in Win2000, but I think if you controlled the drawing of ALL your window (including the non-client areas), you'd be able to make them semitransparent by mixing them with the current screen image below.

[JonTaylor]

well i am running 2000... i just simply have no idea how to do what you said... thanks though

Make your form transparent:

Public Const GWL_EXSTYLE = (-20)
Public Const WS_EX_TRANSPARENT = &H20&
Public Const SWP_FRAMECHANGED = &H20
Public Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Public Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Public Const SWP_SHOWME = SWP_FRAMECHANGED Or _
SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE
Public Const HWND_NOTOPMOST = -2  
 Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "user32" _
Alias "SetWindowLongA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long, _
ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long
Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter _
As Long, ByVal x As Long, ByVal y As Long, _
ByVal cx As Long, ByVal cy As Long, _
ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long  

Private Sub Command1_Click()
SetWindowLong Me.hwnd, GWL_EXSTYLE, _
WS_EX_TRANSPARENT
SetWindowPos Me.hwnd, HWND_NOTOPMOST, _
0&, 0&, 0&, 0&, SWP_SHOWME
End Sub

[JonTaylor]

do i put that first part in a module or the declarations?

Module Declarations:

	
	
Public Const GWL_EXSTYLE = (-20)
Public Const WS_EX_TRANSPARENT = &H20&
Public Const SWP_FRAMECHANGED = &H20
Public Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Public Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Public Const SWP_SHOWME = SWP_FRAMECHANGED Or _
SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE
Public Const HWND_NOTOPMOST = -2  
 Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "user32" _
Alias "SetWindowLongA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long, _
ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long
Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter _
As Long, ByVal x As Long, ByVal y As Long, _
ByVal cx As Long, ByVal cy As Long, _
ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long

Goes in form:

	
	
Private Sub Command1_Click()
SetWindowLong Me.hwnd, GWL_EXSTYLE, _
WS_EX_TRANSPARENT
SetWindowPos Me.hwnd, HWND_NOTOPMOST, _
0&, 0&, 0&, 0&, SWP_SHOWME
End Sub

[JonTaylor]

thanks..

do i need to change any settings on the form? when i try that my form remains but the title bar disappears

Don't have any objects on the form. And no, you shouldn't have to change any settings. Try that code in Form_Activate.

Private Sub Form_Activate()
SetWindowLong Me.hwnd, GWL_EXSTYLE, _
WS_EX_TRANSPARENT
SetWindowPos Me.hwnd, HWND_NOTOPMOST, _
0&, 0&, 0&, 0&, SWP_SHOWME
End Sub

[JonTaylor]

thats almost it! io just need it to be translucent... not totally transparent.. arg!

Try:

Private Sub Form_Activate()
SetWindowLong Me.hwnd, GWL_EXSTYLE, _
WS_EX_TRANSPARENT
SetWindowPos Me.hwnd, HWND_NOTOPMOST, _
0&, 0&, 0&, 0&, SWP_SHOWME
Me.Refresh
End Sub

That will allow you to move the title bar.