Icons and Transparency

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Icons and Transparency
Icons and Transparency 
Andrei Papay




Posts: 4
 Joined: 2005-09-30
Hi,

Im having a lot of problems with icons and transparency in my outlook addin.

Is there any specific guidelines for getting this going?

Im assuming i add an image list but what colour depth do i set it to before i add the icons ?

Also if i use the adxsetup.ico as a test what background colour do i set the command bar to ?

Any help is appreciated .

Thanks

Andrei

Posted 03 Apr, 2006 10:47:07 Top
Sergey Grischenko


Add-in Express team


Posts: 7233
 Joined: 2004-07-05
Hi Andrei.

You should use .bmp or .png images for Office buttons.
Please try not to change anything in the ImageList component.
Just add images and set the Images property of the addinmodule.
Then use the editor of the Image property of the ADXCommandBarButton component to select an image you need. If the background color of an image is not white, you should indicate an appropriate color in the ImageTransparentColor property (use any graphic editor to detect the background color).
Also you can try out ADX Toys for Excel example to learn how you can use the ImageTransparentColor property.
http://www.add-in-express.com/downloads/free-addins.php
Posted 03 Apr, 2006 16:49:51 Top
logikonline




Posts: 35
 Joined: 2006-04-14
I too am having issues... I have tried using ICO (which should be supported with no issue) and PNG route. Each time the image has a blue background appear for the icon - yet the images are transparent and/or the color of the PNG is transparent.

I am confused how to obtain the transparency - and even more confused how ADX is different from the other controls I use. The images are the ones from icon experience and I am sure are built correctly.

They also appear tranparent in the image selector when setting the properties.

regards,
Dave
Posted 26 Apr, 2006 16:21:02 Top
logikonline




Posts: 35
 Joined: 2006-04-14
The only work around I found is exporting the image to BMP - unless someone can assist on forcing the Imagelist to read in the 8bpp format for the icon - it appears to bring in 32bpp format regardless of the setting for the imagelist.

If I locate a fix to force the ImageList to read in the appropriate format I will post - but I believe there is a way to force the correct format for your control to display - regardless if the 32bpp format is loaded. Since the 32bpp format has the 8bpp format included.

regards,
Dave
Posted 26 Apr, 2006 16:35:48 Top
Sergey Grischenko


Add-in Express team


Posts: 7233
 Joined: 2004-07-05
Hi Dave.

MS Office don't support ICO files for its controls. You should use BMP pictures. To get the transparent background you can use the ImageTransparentColor property. As to the color format, just leave all properties by default in ImageList component.
Posted 27 Apr, 2006 07:30:21 Top
Esteban Astudillo


Guest


I'm also struggling with this. Sergey sent me a couple of BMP icons that work very well, but I couldn't manage to detect what was so special about them (I coudln't reproduce the quality with my own - thank you anyway Sergey!).

So, in fact I gave up and contacted a graphic design office to develop them for me instead. I'm still waiting for their results, but I thought you would like to see this reference on of them provided me:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwxp/html/winxpicons.asp

It looks like creating a toolbar icon is a lot more work than I thought.

;)
Posted 28 Apr, 2006 11:46:42 Top
Sergey Grischenko


Add-in Express team


Posts: 7233
 Joined: 2004-07-05
Hi Esteban.

Creating a toolbar icon is a very simple thing.
1. Just open VS and create any project (e.g. Class Library).
2. Add a new item called 'Bitmap File' to the project. This is your new .bmp image.
3. Fill the background with a color you need. This is your transparent color. You can use it in the ImageTransparentColor property in ADX buttons.
4. Complete the image and save it.

Now you can use the image in Office.
Posted 30 Apr, 2006 11:01:32 Top