label with gradually fading text - how?

[orbs]

how to create a label with the text fading from left to right, so at the end of the label, the text is barely visible, like so:

this image is a mockup i made in PowerPoint, by putting a gradient transparency rectangle over a normal text box. perhaps this technique is applicable in AutoIt? graphics is not my forte.

thanks for any advice!

[Nine]

Here one way :

; From Nine
#include <GDIPlus.au3>
#include <GUIConstants.au3>

Opt("MustDeclareVars", True)

Example()

Func Example()
  _GDIPlus_Startup()

  Local $hGUI = GUICreate("Example", 400, 400)
  GUISetState()

  Local $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hGUI)
  _GDIPlus_GraphicsClear($hGraphic, 0xFFFFFFFF)

  Local $hBrush = _GDIPlus_LineBrushCreate(50, 200, 320, 200, 0xFF000000, 0xFFFFFFFF)

  Local $hFormat = _GDIPlus_StringFormatCreate()
  Local $hFamily = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyCreate("Arial")
  Local $hFont = _GDIPlus_FontCreate($hFamily, 28, 2)
  Local $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate(80, 100, 320, 40)
  Local $aInfo = _GDIPlus_GraphicsMeasureString($hGraphic, "AutoIt Rulez !", $hFont, $tLayout, $hFormat)
  _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hGraphic, "AutoIt Rulez !", $hFont, $aInfo[0], $hFormat, $hBrush)

  Do
  Until GUIGetMsg() = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE

  _GDIPlus_StringFormatDispose($hFormat)
  _GDIPlus_FontFamilyDispose($hFamily)
  _GDIPlus_FontDispose($hFont)
  _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush)
  _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic)
  _GDIPlus_Shutdown()
EndFunc   ;==>Example

 

Edited Tuesday at 10:05 PM by Nine

[orbs]

thank you, that looks nice! i'm now trying to understand the process. is that a "graphic" control that occupies the entire GUI? i'm asking because if i try to set a background color to the GUI, it does not show:

GUISetBkColor($COLOR_YELLOW) ; ^^ not visible. the graphic object takes up the entire GUI?

 

Edited Wednesday at 04:19 PM by orbs

[Nine]

1 hour ago, orbs said:

is that a "graphic" control that occupies the entire GUI?

Yes it is just an example.  I made it like that to simplify the code.  To color the background, replace the line with yellow color :

_GDIPlus_GraphicsClear($hGraphic, 0xFFFFFF00)

 

[orbs]

ok, so how do i make it more label-like? meaning, for start,  can i specify coordinates and size, rather than let it occupy the entire GUI?

also, does it have a control id? can i make it clickable, resizeable, transparent background, etc?

 

[Nine]

You will need to learn GDI+.  The more you want the more complex it will become.  Good luck.

ps. you can use the hwnd of a label instead of the hwnd of the GUI.

Edited yesterday at 11:26 AM by Nine

[orbs]

1 hour ago, Nine said:

ps. you can use the hwnd of a label instead of the hwnd of the GUI.

so i created a label, got its handle, and tried to use it, but nothing is displayed:

expandcollapse popup

; From Nine
#include <GDIPlus.au3>
#include <GUIConstants.au3>
#include <ColorConstants.au3>

Opt("MustDeclareVars", True)

Example()

Func Example()
    _GDIPlus_Startup()

    Local $hGUI = GUICreate("Example", 420, 420)
    GUISetState()

    ; create a label and use it instead of the entire GUI
    Local $gLabel = GUICtrlCreateLabel('', 10, 10, 400, 400)
    Local $hLabel = GUICtrlGetHandle($gLabel)
    Local $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hLabel)

    _GDIPlus_GraphicsClear($hGraphic, 0xFFFFFFFF)

    Local $hBrush = _GDIPlus_LineBrushCreate(50, 200, 320, 200, 0xFF000000, 0xFFFFFFFF)

    Local $hFormat = _GDIPlus_StringFormatCreate()
    Local $hFamily = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyCreate("Arial")
    Local $hFont = _GDIPlus_FontCreate($hFamily, 28, 2)
    Local $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate(80, 100, 320, 40)
    Local $aInfo = _GDIPlus_GraphicsMeasureString($hGraphic, "AutoIt Rulez !", $hFont, $tLayout, $hFormat)
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hGraphic, "AutoIt Rulez !", $hFont, $aInfo[0], $hFormat, $hBrush)

    Do
    Until GUIGetMsg() = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE

    _GDIPlus_StringFormatDispose($hFormat)
    _GDIPlus_FontFamilyDispose($hFamily)
    _GDIPlus_FontDispose($hFont)
    _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush)
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic)
    _GDIPlus_Shutdown()
EndFunc   ;==>Example

am i missing something obvious here?

_GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hLabel) returns a valid handle, no @error.

Edited yesterday at 01:03 PM by orbs

[Nine]

Try this version :

expandcollapse popup

; From Nine
#include <WinAPIDiag.au3>
#include <GDIPlus.au3>
#include <GUIConstants.au3>

; Blend - Fade - Text

Opt("MustDeclareVars", True)

Example()

Func Example()
  _GDIPlus_Startup()

  Local $hGUI = GUICreate("Example", 400, 400)
  GUISetBkColor(0xFFFF00)
  Local $idLabel = GUICtrlCreateLabel("", 75, 20, 250, 40)
  Local $hLabel = GUICtrlGetHandle($idLabel)
  GUISetState()

  Local $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hLabel)

  Local $hBrush = _GDIPlus_LineBrushCreate(0, 20, 250, 20, 0xFF606060, 0xFFFFFFFF)

  Local $hFormat = _GDIPlus_StringFormatCreate()
  Local $hFamily = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyCreate("Arial")
  Local $hFont = _GDIPlus_FontCreate($hFamily, 28, 2)
  Local $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate(0, 0, 250, 40)
  Local $aInfo = _GDIPlus_GraphicsMeasureString($hGraphic, "AutoIt Rulez !", $hFont, $tLayout, $hFormat)
  ;_WinAPI_DisplayStruct($aInfo[0], $tagGDIPRECTF)
  _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hGraphic, "AutoIt Rulez !", $hFont, $aInfo[0], $hFormat, $hBrush)

  While True
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
      Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
        ExitLoop
      Case $GUI_EVENT_RESTORE
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hGraphic, "AutoIt Rulez !", $hFont, $aInfo[0], $hFormat, $hBrush)
      Case $idLabel
        ConsoleWrite("Label was clicked" & @CRLF)
    EndSwitch
  WEnd

  _GDIPlus_StringFormatDispose($hFormat)
  _GDIPlus_FontFamilyDispose($hFamily)
  _GDIPlus_FontDispose($hFont)
  _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush)
  _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic)
  _GDIPlus_Shutdown()
EndFunc   ;==>Example

 

Edited yesterday at 01:11 PM by Nine

[orbs]

so the thing is that the line GUISetState() should be after the creation of the label! interesting, i never noticed it made any difference... thank you. i'll keep studying this.

[UEZ]

Here my fast hack:

 

expandcollapse popup

;Coded by UEZ build 2025-08-10
#include <GDIPlus.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

Global $hGUI = GUICreate("Example", 420, 420)
GUISetBkColor(0xFFFFFF, $hGUI)
Global $iLabel1 = GUICtrlCreateLabel("This is a default text.", 10, 10, 300, 100)
GUICtrlSetFont(-1, 18, 400, 0, "Arial", 5)
Global $iLabel2 = GUICtrlCreatePic("", 10, 100, 300, 100)
GUISetState()

_GDIPlus_BitmapCreateFadedText($iLabel2, "This is an enhanced text.")

Do
Until GUIGetMsg() = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE

Func _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateFadedText($iControl, $sText, $sFont = "Arial", $fFontSize = 18, $iStartColor = 0xFF808080, $iEndColor = 0x1F0000F0, $iGradientMode = 0)
    _GDIPlus_Startup()
    Local $hStringFormat = _GDIPlus_StringFormatCreate()
    Local $hFamily = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyCreate($sFont)
    Local $hFont = _GDIPlus_FontCreate($hFamily, $fFontSize, 0)
    Local $aStrDim = _MeasureString($sText, $hFont, $hStringFormat, $hFamily)
    Local $hBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateFromScan0($aStrDim[4], $aStrDim[5])
    Local $hCanvas = _GDIPlus_ImageGetGraphicsContext($hBitmap)
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsSetSmoothingMode($hCanvas, 4)
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsSetTextRenderingHint($hCanvas, 4)
    Local $tRECTF = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate(0, 0, $aStrDim[4], $aStrDim[5])
    Local $hBrush = _GDIPlus_LineBrushCreateFromRect($tRECTF, $iStartColor, $iEndColor, $iGradientMode)
    _GDIPlus_LineBrushSetGammaCorrection($hBrush, True)
    Local $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate(0, 0, $aStrDim[4], $aStrDim[5])
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hCanvas, $sText, $hFont, $tLayout, $hStringFormat, $hBrush)
    Local $hHBitmap = _GDIPlus_BitmapCreateHBITMAPFromBitmap($hBitmap)
    _WinAPI_DeleteObject(GUICtrlSendMsg($iControl, 0x0172, 0, $hHBitmap))
    _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hHBitmap)
    _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush)
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hCanvas)
    _GDIPlus_ImageDispose($hBitmap)
    _GDIPlus_FontDispose($hFont)
    _GDIPlus_FontFamilyDispose($hFamily)
    _GDIPlus_StringFormatDispose($hStringFormat)
    _GDIPlus_Shutdown()
EndFunc

Func _MeasureString($sString, $hFont, $hFormat, $hFamily, $iStyle = 0)
        Local $hGraphics = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHDC(_WinAPI_GetDC(0))
        Local $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate()
        Local $aInfo = _GDIPlus_GraphicsMeasureString($hGraphics, $sString, $hFont, $tLayout, $hFormat)

        Local $aRanges[2][2] = [[1]]
        $aRanges[1][1] = StringLen($sString)
        _GDIPlus_StringFormatSetMeasurableCharacterRanges($hFormat, $aRanges)
        Local $aRegion = _GDIPlus_GraphicsMeasureCharacterRanges($hGraphics, $sString, $hFont, $aInfo[0], $hFormat)
        Local $aBounds = _GDIPlus_RegionGetBounds($aRegion[1], $hGraphics)
        _GDIPlus_RegionDispose($aRegion[1])

        Local $iFontHeight = _GDIPlus_FontGetHeight($hFont, $hGraphics)
        Local $iLineSpacing = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyGetLineSpacing($hFamily, $iStyle)
        Local $iAscent = $iFontHeight / $iLineSpacing * _GDIPlus_FontFamilyGetCellAscent($hFamily, $iStyle)
        Local $iDescent = $iFontHeight / $iLineSpacing * _GDIPlus_FontFamilyGetCellDescent($hFamily, $iStyle)
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphics)

        Local $aDim[9]
        $aDim[0] = $aBounds[0]
        $aDim[1] = $aBounds[1]
        $aDim[2] = $aBounds[2]
        $aDim[3] = $aBounds[3]
        $aDim[4] = DllStructGetData($aInfo[0], "Width")
        $aDim[5] = DllStructGetData($aInfo[0], "Height")
        $aDim[6] = $iFontHeight
        $aDim[7] = $iAscent
        $aDim[8] = $iDescent

        Return $aDim
EndFunc   ;==>_MeasureString