WindowsFormsAero

WindowsFormsAero is an open-source project started by Marco Minerva in 2007, which aims at creating a set of custom controls and classes for WinForms on .NET 2.0 which mimic or expose all new features of the Windows Vista GUI.

I started contributing to the project on November 2007 and since then I added most of the Vista DWM features, some controls and made one of the (I believe) most complete managed "Task Dialog" implementation ;).

Samples from the library

The library currently implements many of Windows Vista's common controls, Task Dialogs and DWM functionalities.

Command Links
The new Command Link buttons express actions more clearly.		 Miscellaneous
Controls with cue banners, buttons with the shield icon, split buttons...
Progress Bars
Progress bars in multiple colors.		 Tree View
The new Explorer-like Tree View.

Task Dialog
Task Dialogs are the new alternative to the classic Message Box and provide clearer messages and clearer instructions. They also allow you to get more complex feedback from the user or to navigate from one dialog to another.

Text on Glass
Using DWM, the glass border can be extended insinde the client area of any window. The library provides a custom label that writes your text on glass with the glow effect.

Download and documentation

The library is hosted on CodePlex and is freely available as binary DLL or as source code.

Currently, the library is distributed under the Microsoft Reciprocal License (Ms-RL), which allows you to use the library as compiled binary in any of your projects (open/close source), but any changes to the library itself must be released under the same license.