Copyright © Kambiz R. Khojasteh. All rights reserved.
Get future component updates from http://www.delphiarea.com.

DESCRIPTION

TGradient is an extremely fast gradient fill control with a large set of styles. As built-in, TGradient can draw gradient in 23 styles and provides an easily method to define custom styles. In addition, this control can shift and/or rotate the gradient colors, which could be used for creating animated gradients.

PROPERTIES

• ColorBegin: TColor
  Determines the initial color of the gradient.
  
  
• ColorEnd: TColor
  Determines the final color of the gradient.
  
  
• Reverse: Boolean
  If set to true, logically reverses the value of ColorBegin and ColorEnd properties.
  
  
• Rotation: TGradientRotation
  TGradientRotation = -100..100
  Determines the amount of rotation (in percent) of the gradient colors. When value of this property is positive, direction of rotation is from ColorBegin toward ColorEnd, and for negative values vice versa.
  
  
• Shift: TGradientShift
  TGradientShift = -100..100
  Determines the amount of shift (in percent) of the gradient colors. For positive values ColorBegin shifts toward ColorEnd, and for negative values vice versa.
  
  
• Style: TGradientStyle
  TGradientStyle = (gsCustom, gsRadialC, gsRadialT, gsRadialB, gsRadialL, gsRadialR, gsRadialTL, gsRadialTR, gsRadialBL, gsRadialBR, gsLinearH, gsLinearV, gsReflectedH, gsReflectedV, gsDiagonalLF, gsDiagonalLB, gsDiagonalRF, gsDiagonalRB, gsArrowL, gsArrowR, gsArrowU, gsArrowD, gsDiamond, gsButterfly)
  Determines how the control fills the client area.
  
  

  gsCustom		When style property is set to this value, the control firs OnCustom to get the gradient pattern.
  gsRadialC		Radial - Central
  gsRadialT		Radial - Top
  gsRadialB		Radial - Bottom
  gsRadialL		Radial - Left
  gsRadialR		Radial - Right
  gsRadialTL		Radial - Top Left Corner
  gsRadialTR		Radial - Top Right Corner
  gsRadialBL		Radial - Bottom Left Corner
  gsRadialBR		Radial - Bottom Right Corner
  gsLinearH		Linear - Horizontal
  gsLinearV		Linear - Vertical
  gsReflectedH		Reflected - Horizontal
  gsReflectedV		Reflected - Vertical
  gsDiagonalLF		Diagonal - Linear - Forward
  gsDiagonalLB		Diagonal - Linear - Backward
  gsDiagonalRF		Diagonal - Reflected - Forward
  gsDiagonalRB		Diagonal - Reflected - Backward
  gsArrowL		Arrow - Left
  gsArrowR		Arrow - Right
  gsArrowU		Arrow - U
  gsArrowD		Arrow - Down
  gsDiamond		Diamond
  gsButterfly		Butterfly

KEY METHODS

• procedure BeginUpdate
  Suspends screen repainting.
  
  
• procedure EndUpdate
  Re-enables screen repainting.
  
  
• procedure InvalidatePattern
  Force the control to regenerate the gradient pattern. This method is useful when you are using custom gradient and want to change the pattern to a new one without changing the other properties of the control.

KEY EVENTS

• OnCustom: TCustomGradientEvent
  TCustomGradientEvent = procedure(Sender: TObject; const Colors: TGradientColors; Pattern: TBitmap) of object
  TGradientColors = array[0..255] of TRGBTriple
  When Style property is set to gsCustom, control generates this event to get the gradient pattern. Colors parameter is an array of array of gradient colors, and pattern is a 24bit-format bitmap. In this event, your code should define the dimensions of the pattern and set color of its pixels (for more information, please refer to the components demo).

HISTORY

• 2.51 (August 15, 2003)
  - The code of radial gradient styles were optimized (Thanks to Wolfgang Kiwus).
  
  
• 2.5 (February 3, 2001)
  - In this version, the drawing speed increased again.
  - Some new gradient styles added.
  - Now, the control supports custom gradient style, and as the result, the event OnCustom added.
  - Shifting and Rotating operations of the gradient colors and the related properties Shift and Rotation added.
  - New methods BeginUpdate, EndUpdate, and InvalidatePattern added.
  - The control does not support 16bit platform anymore.
  
  
• 2.0 (December 29, 2001)
  - The drawing speed increased dramatically.
  - New gradient fill styles added and the name of older styles changed.
  
  
• 1.0 (September 8, 2000)
  - Initial release.

LICENSE

TGradient component is freeware. You may copy component's files AS LONG AS YOU COPY ALL OF THEM. If you want to change the source code in order to improve the component's features, performance, etc. please send me the new source code so that I can have a look at it. The changed source code should contain descriptions what you have changed, and of course your name. The only thing you MAY NOT CHANGE is the ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT INFORMATION.

DISCLAIMER

TGradient is provided "AS IS" without any warranty of any kind, either express or implied. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the software is with you. The author is NOT liable for any DAMAGES resulting from the use and misuse of the component, especially he is NOT liable for DAMAGES that were caused BY ANY VERSION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN PROGRAMMED BY THE AUTHOR HIMSELF.