Visual Basic Codes
Visual Basic > Control Special Effects sample source codes

How to draw a drop or back shadow on any control on a form.

How to draw a drop or back shadow on any control on a form.

'Note: This has only been tested with VB 3 & VB 4-16, if you convert

'Create A Back Or Drop Shadow On Controls

'Declare these constants in a .BAS module

' Label and Shape Styles
Global Const GFM_STANDARD = 0
Global Const GFM_RAISED = 1
Global Const GFM_SUNKEN = 2

' Control Shadow Styles
Global Const GFM_BACKSHADOW = 1
Global Const GFM_DROPSHADOW = 2

' Color constants
Global Const BOX_WHITE& = &HFFFFFF
Global Const BOX_LIGHTGRAY& = &HC0C0C0
Global Const BOX_DARKGRAY& = &H808080
Global Const BOX_BLACK& = &H0&

'Here is shadow routine:
Sub FormControlShadow (f As Form, C As Control, shadow_effect As Integer, 
shadow_width As Integer, shadow_color As Long)

'This routine is used to create a Back or Drop shadow
'effect on any controls which are placed on a form.
'Simply place the control as normal and invoke the
'shadow with the code below.
'
' Parameters         Type     Comment
'   f               Form      the form containing the control
'   C               Control   the control to shadow
'   shadow_effect   integer   GFM_DROPSHADOW or GFM_BACKSHADOW
'   shadow_width    integer   width of the shadow in pixels
'   shadow_color    long      color of the shadow


    Dim shColor As Long
    Dim shWidth As Integer
    Dim oldWidth As Integer
    Dim oldScale As Integer
    
    shWidth = shadow_width
    shColor = shadow_color
    oldWidth = f.DrawWidth
    oldScale = f.ScaleMode
    
    f.ScaleMode = 3 'Pixels
    f.DrawWidth = 1
     
     Select Case shadow_effect
         Case GFM_DROPSHADOW
    f.Line (C.Left + shWidth, C.Top + shWidth)-Step(C.Width - 1, C.Height - 1), 
shColor, BF
         Case GFM_BACKSHADOW
    f.Line (C.Left - shWidth, C.Top - shWidth)-Step(C.Width - 1, C.Height - 1), 
shColor, BF
    End Select
    
    f.DrawWidth = oldWidth
    f.ScaleMode = oldScale

End Sub

' Example:
' In the Form_Paint event:

     FormControlShadow Me, Text1, GFM_DROPSHADOW, 2, QBColor(8)