Replicating Win XP shutdown coloring...

[samsmithnz]

I really like the way that Windows XP makes the background black and white when you're deciding if you want to log off, reboot or shutdown.

 

It got me wondering, it would be cool if I could do this for applications too. Not that pratical, but a challenge, and I need one at the moment.

 

Its not just the colors I'm interested in, its the whole fading effect...

 

any ideas/ starting points?

[bpayne111]

well here's the first thing that popped in my head...

 

1. Take one color image.

2. Convert it to gray scale.

3. Get a random array of points from the gray scale.

4. Plot those points in the same places on the color pic

5. Repeat until all points are covered on the original.

 

i'm pretty sure this isn't what you want to do but the same concept could be applied maybe.

 

just adding my 2 cents

 

brandon

[Bucky]

Well, you could take a screenshot of the desktop, then paint it on

a fullscreen window. Then gradually, with a timer, combine each

pixel's color with a color that is closer and closer to gray.

You can mix colors using a cool method VolteFace posted here

(Note that this code is in VB6, but it should not be difficult to

convert. Besides, you said you were up for a challenge! :))

[samsmithnz]

hmmm, I was thinking more about using something like this:

 

   Private Sub frmColor_Paint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) Handles MyBase.Paint
       'Draws a gradient using the specified colos on the entire page
       Dim objBrush As New Drawing2D.LinearGradientBrush(Me.DisplayRectangle, color1, color2, Drawing2D.LinearGradientMode.Vertical)
       Dim objGraphics As Graphics = Me.CreateGraphics()

       objGraphics.FillRectangle(objBrush, Me.DisplayRectangle)

       objBrush.Dispose()
       objGraphics.Dispose()

   End Sub