Well, I'm sittin here with a GDI(+) thing I guess, but not knowing how to proceed. I wish to make a form darker, instead of transparent. One "solution" was to put a black form behind it, and then make the form a bit transparent. But it gave some slow performance, and other painting issues when I tried showing other forms on top.

Does someone have some guidance on how I could completely make a form darker, very quick, without much (or any) flickerin', and then perhaps show a brand new form on top of it, without having to see an ugly hole on the transparent/darker form first?

The form i wish to transform is about 796, 565, and has controls and stuff on it, even an owner-drawn listview control.

Thanks.