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The following demo script, drawn largely from examples by @UEZ, lets me display colored text over a transparent background using my choice of font, type size, etc. It is a single function (out of many) in the project I'm scripting, but it is crucial to my goal of displaying messages in an interesting way (IMHO). (For the purpose of this forum post it displays a single string variable; my actual project script reads a number of possible messages from a text file into an array and then chooses the messages to be displayed based on stuff that happens in the course of someone using my program.) Note that I am seeking help only to overcome my inability to figure out how to display this text atop a PNG graphic, and make the result a draggable object. #cs Display a message one character at a time with the goal of adding a PNG graphic overlay #ce ;~ #AutoIt3Wrapper_Au3Check_Parameters=-d -w 1 -w 2 -w 3 -w 4 -w 5 -w 6 #include <GDIPlus.au3> #include <GUIConstantsEx.au3> #include <GUIConstants.au3> Global $sMessage Global $iString = 0 Global $aInfo Global Const $SC_DRAGMOVE = 0xF012 HotKeySet("{Esc}","Close") ; in my actual script I read in a file containing all the text to be displayed Global $sText = _ "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur" & @CRLF & _ "elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut" & @CRLF & _ @CRLF & _ "Et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim," & @CRLF & _ "quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi" & @CRLF & _ "aliquip ex ea commodo consequat." & @CRLF & _ @CRLF & _ "Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in" & @CRLF & _ "voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat" & @CRLF & _ "nulla pariatur." & @CRLF ; Create GUI Global $hGUI = GUICreate("", 450, 340, -1, -1, $WS_POPUP, BitOR($WS_EX_LAYERED, $WS_EX_TOPMOST)) GUISetBkColor(0xFF000000) ; will change background color, which UEZ doesn't use in his example, but then he doesn't want a BG GUISetState(@SW_SHOW) ; Draw a string _GDIPlus_Startup() Global $hBrush = _GDIPlus_BrushCreateSolid(0xFF99ff33) Global $hFormat = _GDIPlus_StringFormatCreate() Global $hFamily = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyCreate("VT323") Global $hFont = _GDIPlus_FontCreate($hFamily, 14, 0) Global $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate(20, 20, 0, 0) Global $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hGUI) Global $hBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateFromScan0(420, 300) Global $hBuffer = _GDIPlus_ImageGetGraphicsContext($hBitmap) _GDIPlus_GraphicsSetTextRenderingHint($hBuffer, 4) _GDIPlus_GraphicsSetSmoothingMode($hBuffer, 4) GUIRegisterMsg($WM_LBUTTONDOWN, "_WM_LBUTTONDOWN") For $iString = 1 to StringLen($sText) $sMessage = StringLeft($sText,$iString) $aInfo = _GDIPlus_GraphicsMeasureString($hGraphic, $sMessage, $hFont, $tLayout, $hFormat) _GDIPlus_GraphicsClear($hBuffer, 0x000000) _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hBuffer, $sMessage, $hFont, $aInfo[0], $hFormat, $hBrush) $hHBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateHBITMAPFromBitmap($hBitmap) _WinAPI_BitmapDisplayTransparentInGUI($hHBitmap, $hGUI) _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hHBitmap) Next Do Until GUIGetMsg() = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE Close() ; Clean up resources (my best guess at what needs closing/shutting down) Func Close() _GDIPlus_FontDispose($hFont) _GDIPlus_FontFamilyDispose($hFamily) _GDIPlus_StringFormatDispose($hFormat) _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush) _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic) _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hBitmap) _GDIPlus_Shutdown() Exit EndFunc ;==>Close Func _WinAPI_BitmapDisplayTransparentInGUI(ByRef $hHBitmap, ByRef $hGUI, $iOpacity = 0xFF, $bReleaseGDI = True) If Not BitAND(GUIGetStyle($hGUI)[1], $WS_EX_LAYERED) = $WS_EX_LAYERED Then Return SetError(1, 0, 0) Local $tDim = DllStructCreate($tagBITMAP) If Not _WinAPI_GetObject($hHBitmap, DllStructGetSize($tDim), DllStructGetPtr($tDim)) Then Return SetError(2, 0, 0) Local $tSize = DllStructCreate($tagSIZE), $tSource = DllStructCreate($tagPOINT), $tBlend = DllStructCreate($tagBLENDFUNCTION) Local Const $hScrDC = _WinAPI_GetDC(0), $hMemDC = _WinAPI_CreateCompatibleDC($hScrDC), $hOld = _WinAPI_SelectObject($hMemDC, $hHBitmap) $tSize.X = $tDim.bmWidth $tSize.Y = $tDim.bmHeight $tBlend.Alpha = $iOpacity $tBlend.Format = 1 _WinAPI_UpdateLayeredWindow($hGUI, $hScrDC, 0, DllStructGetPtr($tSize), $hMemDC, DllStructGetPtr($tSource), 0, DllStructGetPtr($tBlend), $ULW_ALPHA) _WinAPI_ReleaseDC(0, $hScrDC) _WinAPI_SelectObject($hMemDC, $hOld) _WinAPI_DeleteDC($hMemDC) If $bReleaseGDI Then _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hHBitmap) Return True EndFunc Func _WM_LBUTTONDOWN($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam) Switch $hWnd Case $hGUI _SendMessage($hWnd, $WM_SYSCOMMAND, $SC_DRAGMOVE, 0) EndSwitch EndFunc ;==>_WM_LBUTTONDOWN The above script lets me push the text out to the screen, but I want to display the text atop a PNG graphic, which is an imagined piece of hand-held test equipment that I'll refer to here as the Veeblefetzer. Here's a half-size animated gif of the desired result. Note that initially I used a different script to stream the text out atop a built-in black background rectangle. I figured I would place the Veeblefetzer graphic above the text -- with the center "display area" of the Veeblefetzer cut out (transparent). Then UEZ's example script came along. The benefit of using text that has a transparent BG, and placing it in a layer above the Veeblefetzer, is this lets me include reflections in the Veeblefetzer's display. Now to the challenges I'm ill-equipped to figure out. The function I use to display the Veeblefetzer is below. It, too, is drawn from some of examples by @UEZ. There are actually two functions below, one I use to display the PNG graphic, and one that can be used to fade the graphic in or out. I include it here only because it might be applicable to my ancillary goal of needing to clear the text on the handheld display before streaming the next message onto the Veeblefetzer's display. I realize that the fade in/out function is for graphic objects, so it may not be applicable to text. ; Display the image at center unless otherwise specified. If Fader will not be used then $iAlpha's default of 0xFF is good. ; If Fader will be used then start with $iAlpha equal to zero. Option to make this image "Always on top" is also available. Func DisplayImage($sFile, $iPosX = -1, $iPosY = -1, $iAlpha = 0xFF, $bTopmost = True) Local Const $hBmp_Background = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateFromFile($sFile) ;load the image If @error Then Return SetError(1, 0, 0) ;image cannot be loaded Local Const $iW = _GDIPlus_ImageGetWidth($hBmp_Background), $iH = _GDIPlus_ImageGetHeight($hBmp_Background) ;get the dimension of the background image Local Const $hGUI = GUICreate("", $iW, $iH, $iPosX, $iPosY, $WS_POPUP, BitOR($WS_EX_LAYERED, $WS_EX_TOPMOST * $bTopmost, $WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW)) ;create GUI with appropriate styles and extented style (borderless transparent GUI) GUICtrlCreateLabel("", 0, 0, $iW, $iH, Default, $GUI_WS_EX_PARENTDRAG) ;create a hidden label for GUI dragging GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI) ;show GUI Local Const $hBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateFromScan0($iW, $iH) ;define an empty bitmap where all the gfx stuff will copied to Local Const $hGfx = _GDIPlus_ImageGetGraphicsContext($hBitmap) ;get the context to the bitmap to be able to copy / draw to the bitmap _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawImageRect($hGfx, $hBmp_Background, 0, 0, $iW, $iH) ;draw background image to the empty bitmap ;display GDI+ with transparency on desktop Local Const $hHBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateHBITMAPFromBitmap($hBitmap) ;convert GDI+ image to GDI to display it on the screen using GDI functions Local Const $hScrDC = _WinAPI_GetDC($hGUI) ;get the device context (dc) handle of the GUI Local Const $hMemDC = _WinAPI_CreateCompatibleDC($hScrDC) ;create a compatible dc handle Local Const $hOld = _WinAPI_SelectObject($hMemDC, $hHBitmap) ;selects the GDI bitmap object into the specified device context Local Const $tSize = DllStructCreate($tagSIZE) ;create a $tagSIZE struct (x = width, y = height) DllStructSetData($tSize, "X", $iW) ;set data for width DllStructSetData($tSize, "Y", $iH) ;set data for height Local $tSource = DllStructCreate($tagPOINT) ;create a $tagPOINT struct (x = x position, y = y position) Local $tBlend = DllStructCreate($tagBLENDFUNCTION) ;create $tagBLENDFUNCTION struct -> see help file for more info DllStructSetData($tBlend, "Alpha", $iAlpha) ;set the alpha channel of the GUI -> 255 = opaque, 0 = transparent DllStructSetData($tBlend, "Format", 1) ;set the format to 1 -> bitmap has alpha channels DllCall("user32.dll", "bool", "UpdateLayeredWindow", "hwnd", $hGUI, "handle", $hScrDC, "ptr", 0, "struct*", $tSize, "handle", $hMemDC, "struct*", $tSource, "dword", 0, "struct*", $tBlend, "dword", $ULW_ALPHA) ;display bitmap on screen ;release resources otherwise memory will filled up (memory leak) _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGfx) _GDIPlus_BitmapDispose($hBitmap) Local $aResource[7] = [$hGUI, _ ;GUI handle $hScrDC, _ ;device context (dc) handle of the GUI (GDI) $hHBitmap, _ ;GDI bitmap handle of the displayed image $hMemDC, _ ;compatible dc handle from $hScrDC $tBlend, _ ;tBlend struct (source blend oper., flags, alpha value, format) -> see help file for description $tSize, _ ;tSize struct (width and height of the window / image) $tSource] ;tSource struct for x / y position of the GUI Return $aResource ;returns the handles to release it later or to use it for fading effects EndFunc ;==>DisplayImage ; This function releases the resources of a specific image and closes it Func ReleaseResources(ByRef $aResource) If Not IsArray($aResource) Then Return SetError(1, 0, 0) If UBound($aResource) <> 7 Then Return SetError(2, 0, 0) _WinAPI_ReleaseDC($aResource[0], $aResource[1]) _WinAPI_DeleteDC($aResource[3]) _WinAPI_DeleteObject($aResource[2]) GUIDelete($aResource[0]) EndFunc ;==>ReleaseResources ; To fade in an image leave $bIn at default (True); to fade out specify False. ; There are also options to set the ending transparency level (0 transparent, 255 opaque), speed and delay. ; If you change the speed or delay be sure to specify $bIn and $iTrans, otherwise you'll wonder why the fade-in or out isn't what you hoped for. ; The default values are specified in the function below. Func _Fader($res1, $bIn = True, $iTrans = 255, $speed = 3, $delay = 10 ) If Not IsArray($res1) Then Return SetError(1, 0, 0) If UBound($res1) <> 7 Then Return SetError(2, 0, 0) Switch $bIn Case True For $a = 0 To $iTrans Step $speed DllStructSetData($res1[4], "Alpha", $a) DllCall("user32.dll", "bool", "UpdateLayeredWindow", "hwnd", $res1[0], "handle", $res1[1], "ptr", 0, "struct*", $res1[5], "handle", $res1[3], "struct*", $res1[6], "dword", 0, "struct*", $res1[4], "dword", $ULW_ALPHA) ;display bitmap on screen Sleep($delay) Next Case Else For $a = $iTrans To 0 Step -$speed DllStructSetData($res1[4], "Alpha", $a) DllCall("user32.dll", "bool", "UpdateLayeredWindow", "hwnd", $res1[0], "handle", $res1[1], "ptr", 0, "struct*", $res1[5], "handle", $res1[3], "struct*", $res1[6], "dword", 0, "struct*", $res1[4], "dword", $ULW_ALPHA) ;display bitmap on screen Sleep($delay) Next EndSwitch EndFunc ;==>_FadeIn Is anyone willing to step in and show me how to use the text display function along with the PNG display function, so that the resulting Veeblefetzer will be a single draggable object on screen? I'm equally baffled about how to properly clear off one message before displaying the next. The reason? I have only the most rudimentary grasp of the commands within -- or the relationships between -- what seem like three distinct sections common to each of UEZ's scripts: Initialization (which defines a number of attributes, some of which are obvious to me, for text in this case) _GDIPlus_Startup() Global $hBrush = _GDIPlus_BrushCreateSolid(0xFF99ff33) Global $hFormat = _GDIPlus_StringFormatCreate() Global $hFamily = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyCreate("VT323") Global $hFont = _GDIPlus_FontCreate($hFamily, 14, 0) Global $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate(20, 20, 0, 0) Global $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hGUI) Global $hBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateFromScan0(420, 300) Global $hBuffer = _GDIPlus_ImageGetGraphicsContext($hBitmap) _GDIPlus_GraphicsSetTextRenderingHint($hBuffer, 4) _GDIPlus_GraphicsSetSmoothingMode($hBuffer, 4) Delivery... (apparently what's needed to display the text) $aInfo = _GDIPlus_GraphicsMeasureString($hGraphic, $sMessage, $hFont, $tLayout, $hFormat) _GDIPlus_GraphicsClear($hBuffer, 0x000000) _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hBuffer, $sMessage, $hFont, $aInfo[0], $hFormat, $hBrush) $hHBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateHBITMAPFromBitmap($hBitmap) _WinAPI_BitmapDisplayTransparentInGUI($hHBitmap, $hGUI) _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hHBitmap) Even at my primitive level of understanding I have figured out that you can reuse the above "delivery" section to display other strings before proceeding to the next section. Cleanup... (apparently needed to release resources, which to me is like closing a previously opened file: it's part of the process so I'll do it): _GDIPlus_FontDispose($hFont) _GDIPlus_FontFamilyDispose($hFamily) _GDIPlus_StringFormatDispose($hFormat) _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush) _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic) _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hBitmap) _GDIPlus_Shutdown() (You're getting an inside look at a monkey brain at work here!) UEZ's script to display the PNG graphic follows a similar pattern. What I cannot figure out is how to merge the two scripts, while avoiding redundancy and conflicts. To clear the text between messages must I release any resources, and if so: which ones? AND, how do I group the PNG graphic with the text so the resulting "object" can be moved around on the screen?