Question

I want my label control to have a transparent backgound in C#

Asked by: jrm213jrm213

I have a form with a background image that I would like to put labels over top and have the label be transparent so you see the form background image under the label.

I have searched quite a bit and have not found a solution that works. When I set the backColor to transparent via the ide properties it errors: (Control does not support transparent background colors.)

if in the code editor I try:
label1.BackColor = Color.Transparent;

it accepts it, but when the code runs I get an error: Control does not support transparent background colors.

I have to say this about the most ridiculous thing I have ever run into. Any other language I have used can do this with ease.

I found some code from microsoft saying to do this, but this also has made no difference. On Form Load
            this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, true);
            this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.DoubleBuffer, true);
            this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.SupportsTransparentBackColor, true);
            this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.UserPaint, true);

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Asked On
2009-10-06 at 15:50:56ID24790785
Tags

C#

,

Transparent Label

Topics

ActionScript

,

C# Programming Language

Participating Experts
2
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0
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: djjariesPosted on 2009-10-07 at 01:32:02ID: 25513150

Which version of .NET are you developing in?

.NET 2.0 has that issue. In .NET 3.5, the label supports transparency.

 

by: jrm213jrm213Posted on 2009-10-07 at 05:36:27ID: 25514664

It is Visual Studio 2008, Target Framework: .NET Framework 3.5

I tried both VB.NET and C# and the problem occurs in both, it is not accepting transparent as a back color through the IDE Properties or set through code.

 

by: MonstahPosted on 2009-10-07 at 13:33:34ID: 25519742

It's not the best option but if you run out of ideas, you can set the TransparencyKey of the form to red for example and put the label background also to red. That way it will be transparent.

 

by: jrm213jrm213Posted on 2009-10-07 at 13:56:41ID: 25519964

turns out kind of funny, I did try changing the transparency key to red and then setting the label backcolor to red, interestingly then the label background is transparent but it actually looks through the form kind of making that label like a window. So you can't see the forms background image, ie. if I have the form over outlook, I can see outlook through the label. It makes for a cool effect but it is too powerful for what  I need, I just want to be able to see the forms background through the label so the text looks like it is on the background.

 

by: MonstahPosted on 2009-10-07 at 14:00:32ID: 25520015

Can i have look at the project ?

 

by: jrm213jrm213Posted on 2009-10-08 at 05:17:36ID: 25524496

Hi,

I found the problem and was able to resolve it, the project I am working on uses an odd font, and to make it display as I wanted I had changed the FlatStyle property on the label to System from Standard, apparently that causes the problem. Making the FlatStyle Popup, Flat, or Standard allows me to set the backcolor to Transparent.

FlatStyle says it "Determines the appearance of the control when a user moves the mouse over the control and clicks." so I don't see why it wouldn't allow the control to be transparent but it does.


20120131-EE-VQP-002

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