Good Looking Splash Screen

[markbarr]

Hi All

Im trying to make a decent splash screen with rounded corners and shadow but whatever i do it look horrible

I have managed to make one with rounded corners using regions but the edges are jaggy

what i am after is something like the splash screen that shows when you run VS2010 (Pic Attached)

I spent days googling but all have same code

any ideas?

Mark

[pwned]

Well, you could design the splash screen as image in photoshop and then use it in your source as background image or stuff like that

Just a suggestion

[markbarr]

Thanks Pwned

Already tried that but i want it to be transparent on the edges and the corners are even more jagged than using regions

there must be a way otherwise how did Microsoft do it?

[boops boops]

Microsoft did it by using WPF. But there is no need to learn WPF to use it to make a shaped window with smoothed edges: the "Shaped Form" link in my signature gives step by step instructions on how to do it. Bring your own image. I haven't tried using it as a splash screen at startup but I assume it is possible because the Form can be temporarily hidden.

BB

[markbarr]

Microsoft did it by using WPF. But there is no need to learn WPF to use it to make a shaped window with smoothed edges: the "Shaped Form" link in my signature gives step by step instructions on how to do it. Bring your own image. I haven't tried using it as a splash screen at startup but I assume it is possible because the Form can be temporarily hidden.

BB

Thanks boops

Tried it and cannot get it to work

I followed the guide and I think I got it all right except in point 8 where it says add reference to WPFShapedForm (under Projects tab) there are no projects under the projects tab so I cannot add anything

The code I have put in the button is

Class MainWindow
Private shapedform As New WpfForm.MainWindow
Private Sub MainWindow_Initialized(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Initialized
Me.Topmost = True
End Sub

Private Sub MainWindow_MouseLeftButtonDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs) Handles Me.MouseLeftButtonDown
e.Handled = True
Me.DragMove()
End Sub

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
shapedform.Show()
End Sub
End Class

The code in the main window is as follows

Class MainWindow
Private shapedform As New WpfForm.MainWindow
Private Sub MainWindow_Initialized(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Initialized
Me.Topmost = True
End Sub

Private Sub MainWindow_MouseLeftButtonDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs) Handles Me.MouseLeftButtonDown
e.Handled = True
Me.DragMove()
End Sub

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
shapedform.Show()
End Sub

End Class

when i run it I get a stack overflow at the following line
"Private shapedform As New WpfForm.MainWindow"
the error is as follows


An unhandled exception of type 'System.StackOverflowException' occurred in mscorlib.dll

Any ideas?

Your help is greatly appreciated

Mark

[boops boops]

I can't think why you can't find the reference to the WPF project. Are both the Form project and the WPF project part of the same solution (see Solution Explorer)? If not, maybe I need to make it clearer in steps 1 and 2.

BB

[markbarr]

I can't think why you can't find the reference to the WPF project. Are both the Form project and the WPF project part of the same solution (see Solution Explorer)? If not, maybe I need to make it clearer in steps 1 and 2.

BB

Hi Boops

Right I sorted the Project thing I only had a WPF application no main form

It works great I now have a shdowed window

one thing though is the image i am using is a png file of my company logo with a transparent background

when i run the wpf form i just get a rectangle with a shadow and the logo on it i was expecting just the logo to appear with no background just like your ghost image

is it the type of image i am using?

Mark

[boops boops]

png format is perfect for images with transparency. In the WPF project, make sure that the AllowsTransparency property of MainWindow is checked. It looks like I forgot to mention that!

[markbarr]

Thanks Boops I worked it out and it works great

now if i can just work out how to make it pause for 5 seconds then load another i will be set

[markbarr]

Boops

One more thing I have been trying to get a second wpf window to open from a button on the 1st wpf form. I did exactly the same as wht your code says for the first but when I click the button i just get another copy of the same window coming up

any ideas

[boops boops]

Did you add the second WPF Window (say Window2) to the same WPF project as the first? Then Window2.Show ought to work.

[markbarr]

Hi Boops

Yes I have three projects
1. "WPFShapedForm" (This one is a standard Form)
2. "ShapedForm" (this is the first WPF Application opened from a button on "WPFShapedForm" using "shapedform.Show()" )
3. "SecondWindow" (This is a 2nd WPF application created using the same way as the first)

I have created a button on "ShapedForm" When it is clicked it has the code "SecondWindow.Show()

I get the error "show is not a member of SecondWindow"

Now on the standard form there are two extra lines that pertain to the first WPF Form
Imports ShapedForm
Private shapedform As New MainWindow

The Private statement goes in fine as "Private SecondWindowAs New MainWindow"
If I put in "Imports SecondWindow" it has the error "Namespace or type specified in the imports "SecondWindow" does not contain any public member or cannot be found

Any Ideas?

Mark

[boops boops]

Don't start a new project for the second WPF window. Add the second window to the same wpf project using the Visual Studio menu (Project/Add Window).

[markbarr]

hi boops

still no luck i'm afraid

I deleted the 3rd project so now i only have
1. "WPFShapedForm" (This one is a standard Form)
2. "ShapedForm" (this is the first WPF Application opened from a button on "WPFShapedForm" using "shapedform.Show()" )

Added a new WPF window to "ShapedForm"
Designed as per your guide.
In standard form "WPF SHapedForm" Declared window as in
"Private Window1 As New MainWindow"


Added button to "WPFShapedForm" with the following code on the button click
Window1.show()

When run the 1st window shows up

when button is clicked 1st wpf form comes up again when it should be the 2nd one "Window1"

First WPF Window is called "MainWindow"
Second WPF Window is called "Window1"

If I add a button to the 1st WPF window "MainWindow" with "window1.show()" on the onclick event it recognizes window1 but there is no show option on the list only "ShowActivatedProperty" or "ShowInTaskBarProperty"



I'm sure it something i'm not doing but cant work it out

Thanks

Mark

[boops boops]

Try declaring Window1 (or whatever you want to call it) as a New Window1. It's probably wise not to call it Window1 since you end up confusing the instance name with the class name.

BB

[markbarr]

Thank you boops

I declared it using "Private Window1 As New Window1"

and then put "Window1.Show()" on the button on the first WPF window and it works a treat

Your a star

Mark