DirectForms

System Requirements:

DirectForms:
- Microsoft Dot Net 2.0
- Microsoft DirectX 9 and MDX 1+ Runtimes
- Video Card:
  - Vertex and Pixel Shader 2.0
Additional DirectForms Designer 2005 Requirements:
- Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

Pricing for DirectForms Designer 2005 / DirectForms Engine:
The reproduction and/or sale of applications and games created with DirectForms Designer 2005 and/or the DirectForms Engine is subject to pricing as follows:

FreeWare = No Charge.
ShareWare= 1% of Sales (see our software agreement and license for more information).
Commercial= $2,500.00 (limited time introductory price, regular price is $5,000) per Game/Application.

Download DirectForms Designer Free Trial

Download DirectForms Tech Demo (Demo runs off of release 2.3 now)

Style Class
(above, click to enlarge)

Customizing the look and feel of the controls and forms within the system is important, that's why we've created a unique system that allows the user to create each type of control just how they want with the look and feel of their own. A special style DLL file can be loaded into any Designer session that controls how each type of control is created before drag and drop operations drop the control into the Designer window. A project is included with DirectForms Designer that compiles into this type of DLL file.

Within the project is a class named Style that implements interface IStyle. Modifying this to suite your needs is easy and powerful since it is code based and can draw on the resources of the dot net universe. Simply compile this file and save it with a unique file name, and don't forget to set the Style classes Name property to match the file name.

Texture and images used for your unique style can be embedded resources in the project so that it's a stand alone that requires no other texture or image files.

Customizing the look of the forms and controls is easy

ParentChanged
PickedFrom
Processed
RegisteredHit
Showing
SizeChanged
TransparencyChanged VisibilityChanged

KeyPress
LocationChanged
MaximumSizeChanged
MinimumSizeChanged
MouseDown
MouseEnter
MouseLeave
MouseMove
MouseUp
PaddingChange

DragEnd
Drawn
DrawOrderChanged
DroppedInto
ExclusiveFocused
FocusAquired
FocusReleased
ForegroundColorChanged Hidding
Hover

AlignmentChanged
BackgroundColorChanged
Click
ClippingChanged
ContextMenuChanged
ControlSelected
Disposing
DoubleClick
Drag
DragBegin

Each control implements a powerful set of control specific Events as well as the following base class events:

Button: The button control has 3 images to display. Normal, hovered and clicked.

CheckBox
Displays check mark when it's Checked property is set to true.

Container
Invisible control used to group controls together for movement purposes.

ContextMenu
Right clicking the background or another control that has a context menu assigned brings up a context menu. Multiple context menus allowed.

DropDownList
Displays a horizontal and vertical scrolling drop down list when the user clicks the down arrow. This allows for selecting items within the list but only displaying the selected item. List items are made up of text or other controls. Designer allows dragging of items from one index to another for placement.

Form
Re sizable and moveable control that supports children. Can minimize and maximize and cancel.

Grid
A 2-dimensional grid that's items can be made up of text or other controls. Designer allows dragging of items from one cell to another for placement.

Label
The basic text label control. Supports advanced text layout including word wrap and basic alignment modes. ie: left, center, right, top, middle, bottom. User controls the Font and Color of text.

VerticalLevelBar
The vertical level bar allows for display of a level value along the Y axis.

HorizontalLevelBar
The horizontal level bar allows for display of a level value along the X axis.

ListBox
Displays a horizontal and vertical scrolling control that displays a list of items. Allows single or multiple selection of items. May contain text items or other controls. Designer allows dragging of items from one index to another for placement.

OrbitView
Displays objects which implement the IDrawable interface. The control is typically used for displaying 3D mesh objects. Supports multiple view types from a user controlled 3D rotate and pan to a auto-rotate type with user set axis and rates.

ProgressBar
The progress bar allows for display of the current progress of an action along it's life time.

RadioButton
Displays a radio button. When the user clicks this control it's checked property is set to true. If any other radio buttons exist in the same container control they are unchecked automatically.

VerticalScrollBar
Vertical scroll bar for slider value based action.

HorizontalScrollBar
Horizontal scroll bar for slider value based action.

TextBox
The text box is a full functioning text editing control that allows mouse highlighting as well as arrow key, home, end and other functionality. Supports word wrap and alignment modes: left, center, right, top, middle, bottom. User controls the Font and color of text.

TextButton
The text button operates identically to the button with the exception that it adds text on top of it's background surface.

ToolTip
The systems tool tip control has fade in and fade out settings as well as delay. Simply set the ToolTip string property of a control to display this popup.

TrackBar
The track bar control allows selection of enumerated values and/or increments along a value range.

20 Control Types that Ship with DirectForms Designer 2005:

Once created, the DirectForms system handles user interaction and control/form display as well as other behavior on it's own thru a proprietary and copyrighted code library. There is nothing else left for the user to do other than to add three lines of code to their render loop. The first line scans for user interaction with the mouse and keyboard. The next line performs any processing that's required. The last line draws the forms and controls of the current layout group within the system to the screen. It's as easy as that!

The Render Loop

Sample Render Loop
(right, click to enlarge)

Designer Maintained Code File.
(left, click to enlarge)

User Maintained Code File
(right, click to enlarge)

In the background, DirectForms Designer's engine automatically creates and adjusts the opened code files based on every action taken by the user. The created code file will compile with your project along with the required DirectForms core library references. The created code files are fully editable. Although user editing should be limited to the user file. The user code file is meant for the user to adjust at their will. This is also where event delegate methods are placed when the user hooks an event via the Object Editor's event tab area.

Texture Editor,
Texture Map
(above, click to enlarge)

Image data stored and used in DirectForms is handled thru objects called TextureMaps. A TextureMap is an object that is used to display a region of a larger image. In this way the image data for an entire GUI system can reside within a single texture.

The Texture Editor of DirectForms Designer 2005 allows for the creation, modification and deleting of Texture data.

To assign a TextureMap to an object the user must open the texture editor. Once the texture editor is open, the user may select a texture map located within one of the already created textures and then press OK. If the data needs to be created and/or loaded, it can be accomplished within the Texture Editor.

Object Editor,
Font
(right,
click to enlarge)

Object Editor,
Event
(right,
click to enlarge)

Object Editor,
Color
(left,
click to enlarge)

Dragging controls into the Designer window adds these controls to the current layout group. The user is free to create various layout groups that may easily be switched and displayed at various times in their application. In this way there may be a settings window group. An in game combat group. An in game inventory group and so on. The user is free to turn on the Grid and Snap as well as set the x and y spacing to aid in the layout of placed controls and forms..

If the user selects an item by mouse-clicking on a control or form, it's properties are displayed in the opened Object Editor. The user is free to edit the controls thru this window. The Object Editor is a custom windows based control that incorporates intuitive and easy to understand classes that support modifying object properties and events.

ToolBox
(left, click to enlarge)

Designer Window (above, click to enlarge)

To begin the user first opens Microsoft's Visual Studio 2005. Once Visual Studio 2005 is open the user opens the DirectForms Designer application. Upon opening, DirectForms Designer begins to interface with Visual Studio 2005.

The user then selects a project. The project files will now show up in the Code File drop down list. The user is allowed to either select an already created DirectForms code file or creates a new one.

Now that a project and code file have been established for the session the user simply drags forms and controls from the opened ToolBox into the Designer window.

How it works

DirectForms Designer 2005 ©
DirectForms makes the task of designing Windows-type components easy for DirectX applications. Much like the form designer supplied with Microsoft's Visual Studio. Simply drag and edit components visually. A code file is created in the background which compiles into your application.




System Requirements: DirectForms: Microsoft Dot Net 2.0 Microsoft DirectX 9 and MDX 1+ Runtimes Video Card: Vertex and Pixel Shader 2.0 Additional DirectForms Designer 2005 Requirements: Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Pricing for DirectForms Designer 2005 / DirectForms Engine: The reproduction and/or sale of applications and games created with DirectForms Designer 2005 and/or the DirectForms Engine is subject to pricing as follows: FreeWare = No Charge. ShareWare= 1% of Sales (see our software agreement and license for more information). Commercial= $2,500.00 (limited time introductory price, regular price is $5,000) per Game/Application. Download DirectForms Designer Free Trial Download DirectForms Tech Demo (Demo runs off of release 2.3 now) Style Class (above, click to enlarge) Customizing the look and feel of the controls and forms within the system is important, that's why we've created a unique system that allows the user to create each type of control just how they want with the look and feel of their own. A special style DLL file can be loaded into any Designer session that controls how each type of control is created before drag and drop operations drop the control into the Designer window. A project is included with DirectForms Designer that compiles into this type of DLL file. Within the project is a class named Style that implements interface IStyle. Modifying this to suite your needs is easy and powerful since it is code based and can draw on the resources of the dot net universe. Simply compile this file and save it with a unique file name, and don't forget to set the Style classes Name property to match the file name. Texture and images used for your unique style can be embedded resources in the project so that it's a stand alone that requires no other texture or image files. Customizing the look of the forms and controls is easy ParentChanged PickedFrom Processed RegisteredHit Showing SizeChanged TransparencyChanged VisibilityChanged KeyPress LocationChanged MaximumSizeChanged MinimumSizeChanged MouseDown MouseEnter MouseLeave MouseMove MouseUp PaddingChange DragEnd Drawn DrawOrderChanged DroppedInto ExclusiveFocused FocusAquired FocusReleased ForegroundColorChanged Hidding Hover AlignmentChanged BackgroundColorChanged Click ClippingChanged ContextMenuChanged ControlSelected Disposing DoubleClick Drag DragBegin Each control implements a powerful set of control specific Events as well as the following base class events: Button: The button control has 3 images to display. Normal, hovered and clicked. CheckBox Displays check mark when it's Checked property is set to true. Container Invisible control used to group controls together for movement purposes. ContextMenu Right clicking the background or another control that has a context menu assigned brings up a context menu. Multiple context menus allowed. DropDownList Displays a horizontal and vertical scrolling drop down list when the user clicks the down arrow. This allows for selecting items within the list but only displaying the selected item. List items are made up of text or other controls. Designer allows dragging of items from one index to another for placement. Form Re sizable and moveable control that supports children. Can minimize and maximize and cancel. Grid A 2-dimensional grid that's items can be made up of text or other controls. Designer allows dragging of items from one cell to another for placement. Label The basic text label control. Supports advanced text layout including word wrap and basic alignment modes. ie: left, center, right, top, middle, bottom. User controls the Font and Color of text. VerticalLevelBar The vertical level bar allows for display of a level value along the Y axis. HorizontalLevelBar The horizontal level bar allows for display of a level value along the X axis. ListBox Displays a horizontal and vertical scrolling control that displays a list of items. Allows single or multiple selection of items. May contain text items or other controls. Designer allows dragging of items from one index to another for placement. OrbitView Displays objects which implement the IDrawable interface. The control is typically used for displaying 3D mesh objects. Supports multiple view types from a user controlled 3D rotate and pan to a auto-rotate type with user set axis and rates. ProgressBar The progress bar allows for display of the current progress of an action along it's life time. RadioButton Displays a radio button. When the user clicks this control it's checked property is set to true. If any other radio buttons exist in the same container control they are unchecked automatically. VerticalScrollBar Vertical scroll bar for slider value based action. HorizontalScrollBar Horizontal scroll bar for slider value based action. TextBox The text box is a full functioning text editing control that allows mouse highlighting as well as arrow key, home, end and other functionality. Supports word wrap and alignment modes: left, center, right, top, middle, bottom. User controls the Font and color of text. TextButton The text button operates identically to the button with the exception that it adds text on top of it's background surface. ToolTip The systems tool tip control has fade in and fade out settings as well as delay. Simply set the ToolTip string property of a control to display this popup. TrackBar The track bar control allows selection of enumerated values and/or increments along a value range. 20 Control Types that Ship with DirectForms Designer 2005: Once created, the DirectForms system handles user interaction and control/form display as well as other behavior on it's own thru a proprietary and copyrighted code library. There is nothing else left for the user to do other than to add three lines of code to their render loop. The first line scans for user interaction with the mouse and keyboard. The next line performs any processing that's required. The last line draws the forms and controls of the current layout group within the system to the screen. It's as easy as that! The Render Loop Sample Render Loop (right, click to enlarge) Designer Maintained Code File. (left, click to enlarge) User Maintained Code File (right, click to enlarge) In the background, DirectForms Designer's engine automatically creates and adjusts the opened code files based on every action taken by the user. The created code file will compile with your project along with the required DirectForms core library references. The created code files are fully editable. Although user editing should be limited to the user file. The user code file is meant for the user to adjust at their will. This is also where event delegate methods are placed when the user hooks an event via the Object Editor's event tab area. Texture Editor, Texture Map (above, click to enlarge) Image data stored and used in DirectForms is handled thru objects called TextureMaps. A TextureMap is an object that is used to display a region of a larger image. In this way the image data for an entire GUI system can reside within a single texture. The Texture Editor of DirectForms Designer 2005 allows for the creation, modification and deleting of Texture data. To assign a TextureMap to an object the user must open the texture editor. Once the texture editor is open, the user may select a texture map located within one of the already created textures and then press OK. If the data needs to be created and/or loaded, it can be accomplished within the Texture Editor. Object Editor, Font (right, click to enlarge) Object Editor, Event (right, click to enlarge) Object Editor, Color (left, click to enlarge) Dragging controls into the Designer window adds these controls to the current layout group. The user is free to create various layout groups that may easily be switched and displayed at various times in their application. In this way there may be a settings window group. An in game combat group. An in game inventory group and so on. The user is free to turn on the Grid and Snap as well as set the x and y spacing to aid in the layout of placed controls and forms.. If the user selects an item by mouse-clicking on a control or form, it's properties are displayed in the opened Object Editor. The user is free to edit the controls thru this window. The Object Editor is a custom windows based control that incorporates intuitive and easy to understand classes that support modifying object properties and events. ToolBox (left, click to enlarge) Designer Window (above, click to enlarge) To begin the user first opens Microsoft's Visual Studio 2005. Once Visual Studio 2005 is open the user opens the DirectForms Designer application. Upon opening, DirectForms Designer begins to interface with Visual Studio 2005. The user then selects a project. The project files will now show up in the Code File drop down list. The user is allowed to either select an already created DirectForms code file or creates a new one. Now that a project and code file have been established for the session the user simply drags forms and controls from the opened ToolBox into the Designer window. How it works DirectForms Designer 2005 © DirectForms makes the task of designing Windows-type components easy for DirectX applications. Much like the form designer supplied with Microsoft's Visual Studio. Simply drag and edit components visually. A code file is created in the background which compiles into your application.