Transparent forms help!

[Joshua]

I am in the process of trying to create a new application that has a
transparent form. I am trying to create something to look like this
GIF that I created in Photoshop.
http://www.caublestoneink.com/projects/sample.gif

I have tried setting the color key on the form and then having a panel
but the alpha does not seem to work at all and only goes to the form
instead of falling through to the desktop.

If this is not possible in .Net is it possible in any other language?

We are really trying to create a support app that works this way for
us techie guys at work to monitor things.

In the end we want this to exist in an App bar on the right of the
screen and be a top most form.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Please look at the screen so that you can get a good idea of what I am
shooting for.

 

[Guest]

Are you saying that changing the Opacity of the form does not work the way
you intend?

Regards, Jakob.

 

[Joshua Cauble]

That is correct. Here is what I have tried.

1. Setting the form opacity to something like 30%. When I do this all
the controls that get written to the form are also opaqe. That should
be fine for the controls that I will put as they will be images but the
text should not be opaqe.

2. Setting the transparent key on the form. This kind of worked the
problem is that it then did not blend in with the background.

So, in the long run what I am trying to do is create a form in which I
can draw the objects like in the image from my earlier message. with
the text not being opaqe. If I have close buttons, etc I want them to
be opaque until the mouse moves over them in which they should brighten.

This is what I am not sure if it can be done. I am open to other
technologies not just .net it's just the one I am most familiar with.

Also, if this could be accomplished via skinning or something like that
I would appreciate any pointers.

Thanks.