[RESOLVED] Making desktop gadgets with RC5 - RC6

[Mojtaba]

I ask Olaf how to have a text such as time or date transparently in the background.
Like this picture



Can you send a simple example ?

[yereverluvinuncleber]

Olaf will turn up soon with a simple answer or an easy example but if you want a more convoluted example you could look here: https://github.com/yereverluvinuncle...me-Control-VB6

You'll see that it has some transparent text above the volume control

If you look inside cwOverlay.cls you will see:

Private Sub Class_Initialize()
    Dim intervalValue As Integer: intervalValue = 0
    On Error GoTo Class_Initialize_Error

    Set W = Cairo.WidgetBase
        W.BackColor = -1  'we don't use any BackColor here, transparent

    cream = RGB(235, 217, 179) ' cannot create a constant from an RGB value
    
    'set some Font- and ForeColor-Properties and draw some Text on the Widget
    With W
        .FontSize = 38
        .FontName = "times new roman"
        .FontBold = True
        .ForeColor = vbBlack
        .BackColor = -1
        .Tag = 0.01
        .HoverColor = 0
        .SelectFontSettingsInto CC
        .Refresh
    End With

    thisVolumeLevel = Int(fVolume.SystemAudioLevel * 100)

and a little later:

            ' for specific keys perform actions &c
             Select Case Key
                Case "cable"
                    Set Pat = Cairo.ImageList(Key).CropSurface(10, 0, 140, 27).CreateSurfacePattern 'cut-out a nice (repeatable) part of the original "cable"-image (via CropSurface)
                   
                    If gblNumericDisplay = "1" Then
                    
                        ' volume level text shadow
                        CC.DrawText 253, 18, 200, 200, thisVolumeLevel & "%", , , 2, True, , someOpacity
    
                        With W
                            .ForeColor = cream
                            .SelectFontSettingsInto CC
                            .Refresh
                        End With
                        
                        ' volume level text
                        CC.DrawText 250, 15, 200, 200, thisVolumeLevel & "%", , , 2, True, , someOpacity
                    End If

This paints text in an overlay class that also draws the cable in the dieselpunk volume UI.

There are other ways to do it but this is just an example of one method.

[Mojtaba]

Olaf will turn up soon with a simple answer or an easy example but if you want a more convoluted example you could look here: https://github.com/yereverluvinuncle...me-Control-VB6

You'll see that it has some transparent text above the volume control

If you look inside cwOverlay.cls you will see:


This paints text in an overlay class that also draws the cable in the dieselpunk volume UI.

There are other ways to do it but this is just an example of one method.

I can only say that what you did is great
Thank you for your help, but your project is very professional and complete and of course it is hard for me to understand
I just want a simple quality text on the screen with no background as a gadget that I can drag
I will look at your codes again, maybe I understood something

[yereverluvinuncleber]

The link I gave you is one of my simplest programs using RC. It puts a variety of images from a PSD on a transparent window. It then creates an overlay RC 'widget' with a paint event. The text is drawn at that point.

I use that project as a basis for all other desktop trinkets I create. I strip out what I don't want and add in anything new that I require. Doing the same will show you a lot of what is required behind the scenes for a RC program.

Olaf has several demonstration programs that will do the same in a more simple fashion. I advise you to find those or wait until Olaf arrives.

[yereverluvinuncleber]

A little later I will knock up an RC6 program with a simple clock on a transparent background, I'll let you know when it is done.

[Schmidt]

Here is a simple example for a transparent form(gadget),
you can drag around on your Desktop...

It uses a modally shown RC6.cWidgetForm (encapsulated in Class cfAlpha) -
and starts from Sub Main (in modMain.bas).

Here is a Demo-Project:
https://vbRichClient.com/Downloads/CairoAlphaForm.zip

The Cairo-Drawing of the contents of this 640x480 Alpha-Form-Gadget happens in the Event:
Private Sub Canvas_Paint(...)
... so you can "knock yourself out" within this Paint-Event (using the CC to draw anything you want on this Form).

Olaf

[Mojtaba]

A little later I will knock up an RC6 program with a simple clock on a transparent background, I'll let you know when it is done.

Thank you, I am waiting for your project

[Mojtaba]

Here is a simple example for a transparent form(gadget),
you can drag around on your Desktop...

It uses a modally shown RC6.cWidgetForm (encapsulated in Class cfAlpha) -
and starts from Sub Main (in modMain.bas).

Here is a Demo-Project:
https://vbRichClient.com/Downloads/CairoAlphaForm.zip

The Cairo-Drawing of the contents of this 640x480 Alpha-Form-Gadget happens in the Event:
Private Sub Canvas_Paint(...)
... so you can "knock yourself out" within this Paint-Event (using the CC to draw anything you want on this Form).

Olaf

Very good, Olaf, but I mean a completely transparent background that cannot be seen and no modal window
Again, I learned a few things from this code

[Schmidt]

I mean a completely transparent background that cannot be seen -
and no modal window

You can do both:
- switch off the blurred background
- and show the Form non-modally
in Sub Main() of modMain.bas...

Sub Main()
  Cairo.SetDPIAwareness
  Cairo.ImageList.AddIconFromResourceFile "frmIco", "shell32", 167 'load an image-resource into the global ImageList (under a given Key)
  
'  SwitchBlurredBackDrop fMain.Form.hWnd, True 'comment out, or set to false to disable the blurred backdrop
  
  fMain.Form.Show
  
  Cairo.WidgetForms.EnterMessageLoop
End Sub

Olaf

[yereverluvinuncleber]

Thank you, I am waiting for your project

Don't wait for me, my new laptop just died (fried) so I will be a while before I am up and running again. Olaf will guide you.

[jdelano]

don't wait for me, my new laptop just died (fried) so i will be a while before i am up and running again. Olaf will guide you.

rip

[wqweto]

Thank you, I am waiting for your project

This forum is not à la carte restaurant where you can order from a menu and then wait on your order while swiping on your phone.

The principles here are based on receiving guidelines and most of the effort is expected to come from you. You have to write the actual code and everyone else might comment on it if they have something useful to say.

This is not the first time I get the impression you are not aware of the basic netiquette of every public forum in general so trying to clear things up for you and explain why you might not get quite as many replies to your threads if you keep posting these as drive-in orders.

cheers,
</wqw>

[Mojtaba]

You can do both:
- switch off the blurred background
- and show the Form non-modally
in Sub Main() of modMain.bas...

Sub Main()
  Cairo.SetDPIAwareness
  Cairo.ImageList.AddIconFromResourceFile "frmIco", "shell32", 167 'load an image-resource into the global ImageList (under a given Key)
  
'  SwitchBlurredBackDrop fMain.Form.hWnd, True 'comment out, or set to false to disable the blurred backdrop
  
  fMain.Form.Show
  
  Cairo.WidgetForms.EnterMessageLoop
End Sub

Olaf

This is good
I need to read more about Cairo because I use it in all programs
Olaf, if you have time, give more up-to-date examples for teaching. Anyway, I appreciate your Help