Icon bar application launcher
Ill show you how to make an application launching icon bar for your desktop and to do this you will need to add the following controls to your form with the appropriate properties:
RichTextbox1
CheckBox
That was easy wasnt it :) lol. Ok just change a couple of properties on your form now. First you need to set the form border to "None". Then change its tranparency color to "Transparent" that will make the icons look nice on the bar. Then add a background image to your form which will become the bar background. Next resize your form so its about 100x50 but dont worry about it being so small it gets bigger as you add more icons to it.
Now lets add the code and your ready to go:
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.IO
Public Class Form1
Public rowz = 50
'HANDLES MOUSE EVENTS WHEN MOUSE MOVES OVER AN ICON ON BAR
Private Sub Lab_MouseEnter(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Size = New Size(40, 40)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Location = New Point(sender.Location.X - 5, sender.Location.Y)
End Sub
Private Sub Lab_MouseLeave(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Size = New Size(30, 30)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Location = New Point(sender.Location.X + 5, sender.Location.Y)
End Sub
'THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CLICK AN ICON ON THE BAR - OPENS or DELETES
Private Sub Fclick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
If CheckBox1.Checked = TrueThen
Dim findlink As String = CType(sender, PictureBox).Tag.ToString
Dim replace As String = ""
Dim indx As Integer = RichTextBox1.Find(findlink)
If indx <> -1 Then
RichTextBox1.Select(indx, findlink.Length)
If RichTextBox1.SelectedText <> ""Then
RichTextBox1.SelectedText = replace
End If
End If
CType(sender, PictureBox).Dispose()
saveme()
Else
Dim w = CType(sender, PictureBox).Tag.ToString
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(w)
End If
End Sub
'READS SAVED ICONS AND LOADS THEM AT STARTUP INTO THE BAR
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
If My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar") Then
Dim lines = IO.File.ReadAllLines(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar")
For Each line As String In lines
If line <> ""Then
RichTextBox1.AppendText(line + vbNewLine)
Dim w As New PictureBox
Try
Using ico As Icon = Drawing.Icon.ExtractAssociatedIcon(line)
Dim s = ico.ToBitmap
w.Image = s
End Using
Catch
w.BackColor = Color.Aqua
End Try
w.Location = New Point(rowz, 5)
w.Size = New Size(30, 30)
w.Tag = line
w.BackColor = Color.Transparent
w.SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.StretchImage
AddHandler w.Click, AddressOf Fclick
AddHandler w.MouseEnter, AddressOf Lab_MouseEnter
AddHandler w.MouseLeave, AddressOf Lab_MouseLeave
Me.Width += 40
Me.Controls.Add(w)
rowz += 40
End If
Next
End If
Me.CenterToScreen()
Me.Top = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.X
End Sub
'DETECTS PROGRAM DRAGGED ONTO BAR AND ADDs IT and SHOWS ITS ICON
Private Sub Form1_DragDrop(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragDrop
If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
Dim draggedFiles As String() = CType(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop), String())
ForEach filename As String In draggedFiles
RichTextBox1.AppendText(filename + vbNewLine)
Dim w As New PictureBox
Using ico As Icon = Drawing.Icon.ExtractAssociatedIcon(filename)
Dim s = ico.ToBitmap
w.Image = s
End Using
w.Location = New Point(rowz, 5)
w.Size = New Size(30, 30)
w.Tag = filename
w.BackColor = Color.Transparent
AddHandler w.Click, AddressOf Fclick
AddHandler w.MouseEnter, AddressOf Lab_MouseEnter
AddHandler w.MouseLeave, AddressOf Lab_MouseLeave
Me.Controls.Add(w)
Me.Width += 40
rowz += 40
Next
Me.CenterToScreen()
Me.Top = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.X
saveme()
End If
End Sub
'CHECKS TO MAKE SURE ITEM DRAGGED IS A FILE
Private Sub Form1_DragEnter(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragEnter
If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy
End If
End Sub
'SAVES THE SHORTCUTS
Public Sub saveme()
If My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar") Then
My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar", FileIO.UIOption.OnlyErrorDialogs, FileIO.RecycleOption.DeletePermanently)
End If
My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar", RichTextBox1.Text, True)
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_MouseDoubleClick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles MyBase.MouseDoubleClick
Me.Close()
End Sub
Private Sub CheckBox1_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CheckBox1.CheckedChanged
If CheckBox1.Checked = False Then
Application.Restart()
End If
End Sub
End Class
RichTextbox1
CheckBox
That was easy wasnt it :) lol. Ok just change a couple of properties on your form now. First you need to set the form border to "None". Then change its tranparency color to "Transparent" that will make the icons look nice on the bar. Then add a background image to your form which will become the bar background. Next resize your form so its about 100x50 but dont worry about it being so small it gets bigger as you add more icons to it.
Now lets add the code and your ready to go:
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.IO
Public Class Form1
Public rowz = 50
'HANDLES MOUSE EVENTS WHEN MOUSE MOVES OVER AN ICON ON BAR
Private Sub Lab_MouseEnter(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Size = New Size(40, 40)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Location = New Point(sender.Location.X - 5, sender.Location.Y)
End Sub
Private Sub Lab_MouseLeave(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Size = New Size(30, 30)
CType(sender, PictureBox).Location = New Point(sender.Location.X + 5, sender.Location.Y)
End Sub
'THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CLICK AN ICON ON THE BAR - OPENS or DELETES
Private Sub Fclick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
If CheckBox1.Checked = TrueThen
Dim findlink As String = CType(sender, PictureBox).Tag.ToString
Dim replace As String = ""
Dim indx As Integer = RichTextBox1.Find(findlink)
If indx <> -1 Then
RichTextBox1.Select(indx, findlink.Length)
If RichTextBox1.SelectedText <> ""Then
RichTextBox1.SelectedText = replace
End If
End If
CType(sender, PictureBox).Dispose()
saveme()
Else
Dim w = CType(sender, PictureBox).Tag.ToString
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(w)
End If
End Sub
'READS SAVED ICONS AND LOADS THEM AT STARTUP INTO THE BAR
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
If My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar") Then
Dim lines = IO.File.ReadAllLines(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar")
For Each line As String In lines
If line <> ""Then
RichTextBox1.AppendText(line + vbNewLine)
Dim w As New PictureBox
Try
Using ico As Icon = Drawing.Icon.ExtractAssociatedIcon(line)
Dim s = ico.ToBitmap
w.Image = s
End Using
Catch
w.BackColor = Color.Aqua
End Try
w.Location = New Point(rowz, 5)
w.Size = New Size(30, 30)
w.Tag = line
w.BackColor = Color.Transparent
w.SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.StretchImage
AddHandler w.Click, AddressOf Fclick
AddHandler w.MouseEnter, AddressOf Lab_MouseEnter
AddHandler w.MouseLeave, AddressOf Lab_MouseLeave
Me.Width += 40
Me.Controls.Add(w)
rowz += 40
End If
Next
End If
Me.CenterToScreen()
Me.Top = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.X
End Sub
'DETECTS PROGRAM DRAGGED ONTO BAR AND ADDs IT and SHOWS ITS ICON
Private Sub Form1_DragDrop(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragDrop
If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
Dim draggedFiles As String() = CType(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop), String())
ForEach filename As String In draggedFiles
RichTextBox1.AppendText(filename + vbNewLine)
Dim w As New PictureBox
Using ico As Icon = Drawing.Icon.ExtractAssociatedIcon(filename)
Dim s = ico.ToBitmap
w.Image = s
End Using
w.Location = New Point(rowz, 5)
w.Size = New Size(30, 30)
w.Tag = filename
w.BackColor = Color.Transparent
AddHandler w.Click, AddressOf Fclick
AddHandler w.MouseEnter, AddressOf Lab_MouseEnter
AddHandler w.MouseLeave, AddressOf Lab_MouseLeave
Me.Controls.Add(w)
Me.Width += 40
rowz += 40
Next
Me.CenterToScreen()
Me.Top = Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.X
saveme()
End If
End Sub
'CHECKS TO MAKE SURE ITEM DRAGGED IS A FILE
Private Sub Form1_DragEnter(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragEnter
If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy
End If
End Sub
'SAVES THE SHORTCUTS
Public Sub saveme()
If My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar") Then
My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar", FileIO.UIOption.OnlyErrorDialogs, FileIO.RecycleOption.DeletePermanently)
End If
My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText(Application.StartupPath + "\Settings.bar", RichTextBox1.Text, True)
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_MouseDoubleClick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles MyBase.MouseDoubleClick
Me.Close()
End Sub
Private Sub CheckBox1_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CheckBox1.CheckedChanged
If CheckBox1.Checked = False Then
Application.Restart()
End If
End Sub
End Class
