The Windows Forms Extensions library has been created to provide elegant and useful features, which are available in Web technologies or XAML (WPF, ...) to the Windows Forms technology.

The list of implemented helpers contains methods such as Animate(), which have been implemented using higher possibilities of the C# programming language (like extension methods or anonymous objects). Included methods are not limited to the Windows Forms technology (such as extending classes like Form or Control), but can also extend the possibilites of the .NET-Framework.

If you are willing to contribute to this project (either with new ideas or existing codes), you are more than welcome.

The current version number is 0.1.8. This version is still an incomplete alpha build. A NuGet package is available. The package can be found over the Package Manager or the NuGet Website.

0.1.8:

• Added a new class called AjaxRequest to perform async or sync webrequests similar to jQuery
• Added a new control called PushButton
• The WindowX form now has three PushButton instead of normal Button instances
• Improved the Notify() extension method to return the control and to include infinite lifetime
• Improved the toast notification drawing
• Fixed some small bugs regarding the WindowX form
• Added a small, yet complete JSON parser - just to avoid including external libraries

0.1.7:

• Added a new extension method Glow() to any Graphics object
• Added a new Control called TransparentPanel
• Added a new extension method Notify() to any Form object
• Improved the DrawShadow() method
• Fixed a bug when restoring the WindowX form

0.1.6:

• Added new datatypes PointD and SizeD (shouldn't be needed to often, but can be helpful)
• Fixed some namespace inconsistencies (now all GDI+ stuff is located in System.DrawingX)
• Fixed a minor designer bug for the WindowX form and improved the designer possibilities
• Improved the Animate() method to support an arbitrary number of nested values (instead of only one nested level)
• Extended the demo version for the CodeProject article

0.1.5:

• Added some more Win32 API function calls (mostly DWM)
• Added a derived Form class for building Metro-like applications
• Extension method for Bitmap object (ChangeColor())

0.1.0:

• Extension methods for the Graphics object (DrawRoundRectangle(), DrawShadow(), DrawReflection(), DrawImageSmooth())
• Extension method for the GraphicPath object (AddRoundRectangle())
• Extension methods for the Image object (FindDominantColor(), Resize(), GetGrayScaleVersion())
• Extension methods for the Uri object (Request(), JsonRequest())
• Extension methods for the Control object (Animate(), Shadow())

• Included animations
• More dynamic applications
• Forms with different designs and extended possibilities
• More options included in GDI+
• Selectors and various helpers
• Useful (but mostly unknown) API function calls have been included

If you know some feature that Windows Forms is currently missing, and you are willing to implement the feature (or have already implemented it), then your contribution is more than welcome!

Here will be some text about already implemented methods and links to obtain further information. Some information can be found on the official webpage.

Copyright (c) 2012, Florian Rappl.

This project is licensed under the Code Project Open License (CPOL) 1.02.

Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the license is respected in every way.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.