Siticone Color Transition

The SiticoneColorTransition is a powerful non-visual component that animates the BackColor of any Form or Control. It smoothly interpolates between a list of colors using RGB or HSV algorithms, enabling fluid background effects, pulsing alerts, or dynamic theming.

Animation Configuration

Setup the target, timing, and color sequence for the animation.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`TargetObject`	Control	animator.TargetObject = this.panel1; The Form or Control whose background color will be animated.
`Colors`	List<Color>	animator.Colors = new List<Color> { Color.Red, Color.Blue }; The sequence of colors to cycle through. Minimum 2 colors required.
`TransitionDuration`	int	animator.TransitionDuration = 3000; Time in milliseconds to complete a transition from one color to the next.
`UpdateInterval`	int	animator.UpdateInterval = 16; Time in milliseconds between frame updates (lower = smoother but higher CPU).

Behavior & Logic

Control interpolation modes, looping, and startup behavior.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`AutoStart`	bool	animator.AutoStart = true; If true, animation begins automatically when the component loads.
`LoopCount`	int	animator.LoopCount = -1; Number of full cycles to run. Set to -1 for infinite looping.
`InterpolationMode`	SiticoneInterpolationMode	animator.InterpolationMode = SiticoneInterpolationMode.HSV; Calculation method: `RGB` (linear) or `HSV` (vibrant rainbows).
`SmoothTransition`	bool	animator.SmoothTransition = true; If false, colors change instantly after the duration expires instead of fading.

Performance

Optimization settings for resource-constrained environments.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`UltraFastPerformance`	bool	animator.UltraFastPerformance = true; Disables high-frequency events and forces RGB mode to minimize CPU usage during rapid updates.

Public Methods

Programmatic control over the animation lifecycle.

Start() / Stop() / Pause() / Resume()

// Start animation from the beginning
siticoneColorTransition1.Start();

// Pause the animation at the current color
siticoneColorTransition1.Pause();

// Resume from paused state
siticoneColorTransition1.Resume();

// Stop completely (resets progress)
siticoneColorTransition1.Stop();

Colors Management

// Dynamically add a color to the cycle
siticoneColorTransition1.AddColor(Color.Purple);

// Immediately force the target to a specific color
siticoneColorTransition1.ChangeColorImmediately(Color.Red);

Events

Event Handling

// 1. AnimationStep
// Fires on every timer tick. Use for syncing other UI elements.
animator.AnimationStep += (s, e) => 
{
                Console.WriteLine($"Progress: {e.Progress:P0}");
};

// 2. LoopCompleted
// Fires when the full color list has been cycled through once.
animator.LoopCompleted += (s, e) => 
{
                Console.WriteLine($"Cycle {e.LoopCount} finished.");
};

// 3. TransitionMidpoint
// Fires halfway between two colors (50% mix).
animator.TransitionMidpoint += (s, e) => 
{
                Console.WriteLine($"Halfway between {e.StartColor} and {e.EndColor}");
};

Designer Experience

The component includes extensive Smart Tag support for quick configuration and testing.

Category	Features
`Animation Control`	Start/Stop/Reset Animation: Preview the effect directly in the Visual Studio designer.
`Theme Presets`	One-click presets like Default, Sunset, and Ocean.
`Utilities`	Copy/Paste Settings: Duplicate animation configurations across components.

Detailed Usage Examples

Example 1: Pulsing Alert Panel

Creates a panel that pulses red to indicate a critical error.

C# - Alert Pulse

private void StartErrorPulse(Panel alertPanel)
{
                var pulse = new SiticoneColorTransition();
    pulse.TargetObject = alertPanel;
    
                // Flash between Red and Dark Red
    pulse.Colors = new List<Color> { Color.Red, Color.DarkRed };
    
                // Fast transition for urgency
    pulse.TransitionDuration = 500; 
    pulse.AutoStart = true;
    
                this.components.Add(pulse); // Ensure disposal
}

Example 2: RGB Rainbow Border

Animates the background of a container to create a gamer-style RGB effect. Use Padding on the container to create a "border" effect around inner controls.

C# - RGB Effect

private void SetupRGBPanel(Panel container)
{
                var rgbAnim = new SiticoneColorTransition(this.components);
    rgbAnim.TargetObject = container;
    
                // Primary Colors
    rgbAnim.Colors = new List<Color> 
    { 
                Color.Red, Color.Lime, Color.Blue 
    };
    
                // Use HSV interpolation for vibrant rainbow transition
    rgbAnim.InterpolationMode = SiticoneInterpolationMode.HSV;
    rgbAnim.TransitionDuration = 2000;
    rgbAnim.Start();
}