"cho***@dsl.pipex.com" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have a problem which, having looked through various previous
> postings, I notice that others have also come across. The problem I
> have as follows:
>
> I have incorporated an external Active-X control into my VB.NET
> project. The control itself works very well (it parses and displays
> AutoCAD DXF files). The problem is that I need my users to be able to
> use the graphical UI for drawing shapes on a panel I have designed
> superimposed over this control so they can trace the lines etc. within.
> I had thought that this would be a very straightforward process but the
> "Transparency" that is supported by the panel is just a fudge to paint
> the control with the background of the form which is no good to me. I
> need a control at the same level but behind the panel to be
> transparently behind it. I have been banging my head against the screen
> for most of the day trying to get some kind of work-around working. I
> have tried everything I can think of. I have also tried including
> suggestions gleaned from these forums, e.g. trying to invalidate the
> parent control. I have also tried another idea which was to try and
> make the control opaque using a technique I found on another website.
> Nothing so far has worked.
>
> I think one of the problems is that I am using double bufferring,
> however I am pretty sure I need this otherwise the whole UI for
> designing just looks flickery and rubbish.
>
> I would be willing to start trying some low-level stuff such as
> blitting from the Active-X control to my panel if that's possible but
> to be honest I would not know where to begin with that.
>
> I am running out of ideas. Does anybody have any suggestions? I am
> willing to consider any workaround for this now as I need to get it
> working!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark Thompson.
>
>