VB.Net form as part of desktop - vb.net

I've spent a while searching around and I can't find a solution to this:
I have a transparent, borderless form that displays a clock. I can load this just fine, but I want the clock to be part of the desktop, so it cannot take focus, is behind other applications, and is not hidden with Win+D (similar to applications like RainMeter).
I need the solution to work with VB.Net (I'm using 2010)
Thanks in anticipation

Take a look at the following codeproject article:
Application Desktop Toolbars
It seems to do what you require.
This article is about Application Desktop Toolbars, which are
applications that can align to the screen much like the taskbar. The
article will develop a base class for developing such apps.

Related

Windows 8, Metro app: About dialog box guidelines or suggestions

Are About dialog boxes "dead" in Windows 8 Metro apps? I looked over quite a few apps and screenshots of apps in the Windows store, and did not find any "inspiration".
Is there any guidelines from Microsoft or any article that discusses this issue?
What do you think is the best way to show a dialog box/popup that shows the app name, version, author and a link to the app's home page?
I am thinking of a icon button in the bottom appbar, something like "About Appname", that opens a popup with this information. I am using C# and XAML.
You would place the About into the Settings pane via the Settings Charm using the Setting Contract. You can see the About in almost all of the apps in the Store today. Quick start on adding Settings can be found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/xaml/hh872190.aspx
Guidelines for app settings here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh770544.aspx
Take a look here.
It lets you create dialogs/flyouts very easily from a UserControl. A few lines of boiler plate and you are done. Takes care of animation, UI management etc.

Change the window area in Windows

I have an application (chat) that I am developing for our company (special requirements). We are mostly using WinXP computers. I want it to be topmost and docked to the right, the problem is, I don't want it to overlap other windows that people are working on.
Is there a way to change the default area that other programs can maximize to? Basically, I want it to look something like this:
Is something like this possible? I'm using VB.net so all .net answers are accepted.
Thanks!
Take a look at the following codeproject article:
Application Desktop Toolbars
It seems to do what you require.
This article is about Application Desktop Toolbars, which are
applications that can align to the screen much like the taskbar. The
article will develop a base class for developing such apps.

Silverlight - Lync Application nested in a table

I'm very new in Silverlight and the Lync-SDK. So sorry for the question from a beginner.
Long time ago, i wrote al little web application, based on php for reading out contacts from a sql database.
Now the customer expand his envoirement and place Lync. Now he want the little Lync-Status-Square in the webapplication for click to call features.
I playing a little bit with the SDK of lync.
The following problem comes up. The square of Lync is nested in a td of my table. But the Lync-Silverlight-Applet need dynamical space for hover effects or single clicks. But in my table, i have no space, specially dynamic space.
So i switch off all hover and click functionality and place the follwing buttons in the StackPanel separate.
PresenceIndicator
StartInstanceMessagingButton
StartAudiCallButton
SendEmailButton
Two of them are fine.
Clicking on the IM-Button, The Lync Client opens the right Contact in IM-Mode and i can directly type a message. Perfect!
Clicking on the Mail-Icon, an Mail-Client will open, perfect.
The PresenceIndicator just display the color, not the exactly state, thats a problem, when the color is yellow. I can display the state in a TextBlock, but i prefer a label appears while hovering over the icon.
But my mainproblem is the StartAudioCallButton. This Icon is an dropDown-Icon. And i have no space for dropdowns. I would be so nice if this icon has the same behavoior like the IM-Button. The Lync Client will open in Call Modus and i can select, which callernumber i will use. Is that possible?
Thank you for Your time!
Frank
If you're having trouble with the layout of the standard Lync SilverLight controls, then the best thing to do is implement your own SilverLight controls for the function you're having difficulty with.
User Controls are really simple to create, there are plenty of tutorials on how to get started if you're not familiar with the process.
The Lync SDK has some great walkthroughs to get you up and running with signing in to Lync and placing an audio call
I don't know of any way to get Lync to open in a Call Mode as you suggested, but if you're limited with screen space, maybe you could have your custom StartAudioCallButton open a popup with the phone numbers in?

How to draw XNA window inside a panel?

I'm developing a 3d Viewer in vb.net and xna. It's working very well.
I have now a windows form and an xna render window, but I would like to render it inside a panel in the windows form.
I have searched for info, but it's so hard to adapt it into my application.
How can I do it?
alt text http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/384/87117064.jpg
Here is the application.
IMO, you should keep it separate. It is so much easier because you don't have to worry about managing the graphics device. However if you must know, you can find the winforms series on the xna creator's club site. it shows you how to render to a winforms panel
http://creators.xna.com/en-US/sample/winforms_series1
http://creators.xna.com/en-US/sample/winforms_series2

UI components for touch screen winforms applications?

I have seen this question:
Are there any decent UI components for touch screen web applications? and have allmost exact the same question but Im focused on winforms.
I working on an application that is not primary made for using with a touch screen, but now I see more and more customers using touch screen and want the application to support it better.
I want to "add" to the UI so that for example a rightclick on a combobox (or click a button at the side of the combobox) opens up a dialogbox that handles the showing and selecting of the items easier on a touch screen.
Controls I want to enhance or replace are listboxes, comboboxes and textboxes.
I know its easy to create those controls myself, but I think there must be some standards and allready tested UIs that works good in that environment. I dont want to reinvent the wheel and make a bad one if it allready exists good ones.
To sum it up:
Are there guide-lines for controls regarding touch screens, then where?
Are there any allready made controls I can byu (or free ones) out there?
Thanks!
Found some information:
Interaction Design Guide for Touchscreen Applications
http://www.sapdesignguild.org/resources/TSDesignGL/INDEX.HTM
pdf-version:
http://www.sapdesignguild.org/resources/TSDesignGL/TSDesignGL.pdf
The interface between humans and interactive kiosks
http://www.visi.com/~keefner/pdfs/focus1.pdf
Keys to a Successful Kiosk Application Some tips can be used generally:
http://www.visi.com/~keefner/pdfs/Kiosk-Tips.ppt