Binaryworld - Transparent form (glass effect) ... [ VB -> Forms & Controls ]

This example will show you how to create a transparent form.

Step-By-step example
- Create a standard exe project
- Add the following code in form1

Click here to copy the following block

Option Explicit

Private Declare Function CreateRectRgn Lib "gdi32" ( _
  ByVal X1 As Long, ByVal Y1 As Long, ByVal X2 As Long, ByVal Y2 As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function CombineRgn Lib "gdi32" ( _
  ByVal hDestRgn As Long, ByVal hSrcRgn1 As Long, ByVal hSrcRgn2 As Long, _
  ByVal nCombineMode As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function SetWindowRgn Lib "user32" ( _
  ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal hRgn As Long, ByVal bRedraw As Long) As Long

Public Sub GlassifyForm(frm As Form)
  Const RGN_DIFF = 4
  Const RGN_OR = 2

  Dim outer_rgn As Long
  Dim inner_rgn As Long
  Dim wid As Single
  Dim hgt As Single
  Dim border_width As Single
  Dim title_height As Single
  Dim ctl_left As Single
  Dim ctl_top As Single
  Dim ctl_right As Single
  Dim ctl_bottom As Single
  Dim control_rgn As Long
  Dim combined_rgn As Long
  Dim ctl As Control

  If WindowState = vbMinimized Then Exit Sub

  ' Create the main form region.
  wid = ScaleX(Width, vbTwips, vbPixels)
  hgt = ScaleY(Height, vbTwips, vbPixels)
  outer_rgn = CreateRectRgn(0, 0, wid, hgt)

  border_width = (wid - ScaleWidth) / 2
  title_height = hgt - border_width - ScaleHeight
  inner_rgn = CreateRectRgn( _
      border_width, _
      title_height, _
      wid - border_width, _
      hgt - border_width)

  ' Subtract the inner region from the outer.
  combined_rgn = CreateRectRgn(0, 0, 0, 0)
  CombineRgn combined_rgn, outer_rgn, _
      inner_rgn, RGN_DIFF

  ' Create the control regions.
  For Each ctl In Controls
    If ctl.Container Is frm Then
      ctl_left = ScaleX(ctl.Left, frm.ScaleMode, vbPixels) _
          + border_width
      ctl_top = ScaleX(ctl.Top, frm.ScaleMode, vbPixels) _
          + title_height
      ctl_right = ScaleX(ctl.Width, frm.ScaleMode, vbPixels) _
          + ctl_left
      ctl_bottom = ScaleX(ctl.Height, frm.ScaleMode, vbPixels) _
          + ctl_top
      control_rgn = CreateRectRgn( _
          ctl_left, ctl_top, _
          ctl_right, ctl_bottom)
      CombineRgn combined_rgn, combined_rgn, _
          control_rgn, RGN_OR
    End If
  Next ctl

  ' Restrict the window to the region.
  SetWindowRgn hWnd, combined_rgn, True
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
  Me.ScaleMode = 3
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Resize()
  GlassifyForm Me
End Sub