I am trying to use your AdvSmoothDock version 1.2.0.1 with Delphi XE2. I've provided a demo for starters.
I have a main form that is basically a "launcher" for various modules in the application. I have been trying to use your cool AdvSmoothDock as this launch pad. The user can choose where this launcher toolbar can dock on the screen. Since it is just a launch pad (not like your file explorer demo nor text editor demo with other controls on the form) I want this form to be transparent similar to AlignToDesktop. Although, I do not want to AlignToDesktop where it is always on top and such, but acts like a typcial app's main form...but transparent.
I used the GlassFrame and it works great however this application needs to run on XP.
I also tried AlphaBlend. I set the AlphaBlendValue = 0 and AlphaBlend = True. That looked great, however, when I click on a different app (i.e. Windows Explorer) then my launch app just disappears. I need it to stay visible so the user can click back on it.
The last approach was to use the TransparentColor = True and TransparentColorValue = clFuchsia with the forms Color = clFuchsia. This almost works. And I've tried various colors. (White works really well except when the AdvSmoothDock looses focus like launching another module or switching applications.) But there are some issues here as well. Try the demmo. The first four items in the list just dock the smoothdock to one of the sides of the screen. Notice that if it is docked on the right or bottom that it is displayed correctly. However, if it is docked on top or left then the fuchsia shows. Why? Setting the forms DoubledBuffered = True just makes the background go black.
I have played with your demos and can get some of these things and then tweak it and get other behaviors I want but lose some along thew way.
Basically, I just want my mainform to be transparent and display properly. There are other minor issues still but I need to get the transparency issue working.
Also I found a problem with AdvSmoothDock when you press a key. If in the code you mark the first item as not visible and then you when the AdvSmoothDock is running you press a key like "w" then AdvSmoothDock.KeyDown goes into an infinite loop.
The infinite loop is here in TAdvSmoothDock.KeyDown:
while (Items.Enabled = false) or (Items.Visible = false) do
begin
case Key of
VK_PRIOR, VK_HOME, VK_LEFT, VK_UP: i := i - 1;
VK_NEXT, VK_RIGHT, VK_DOWN, VK_END: i := i + 1;
else Exit; // Need to add some case other than up, down, left, right stuff
end;
Thank you for you assistance.
Steve
I"m not seeing how to attach a my demo.zip file. It shouldn't be too hard to create your own or if you would like me to e to email you then let me know.