Siticone GroupBox

The SiticoneGroupBox is a modern container control that elevates the standard Windows Forms GroupBox. It features collapsible headers, smooth animations, customizable gradients, notification badges, and advanced shadow effects. Designed for creating organized, interactive, and visually appealing layouts.

Core Configuration

Essential properties for text, layout, and basic styling.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`GroupTitle`	string	gb.GroupTitle = "User Settings"; The main header text.
`SolidFillColor`	Color	gb.SolidFillColor = Color.White; The background color of the content area.
`CornerRadius`	int	gb.CornerRadius = 10; Rounds the corners of the control.
`TitlePosition`	TitlePosition	gb.TitlePos = TitlePosition.TopCenter; Aligns the header text: `TopLeft`, `TopCenter`, or `TopRight`.

Collapsible Features

Enable users to expand and collapse the content area.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`IsCollapsible`	bool	gb.IsCollapsible = true; Enables the expand/collapse functionality.
`IsCollapsed`	bool	gb.IsCollapsed = true; Gets or sets the current expansion state.
`CollapsibleType`	GroupBoxCollapsibleType	gb.CollapsibleType = GroupBoxCollapsibleType.Minimal; Style when collapsed: `FullHeader` (standard) or `Minimal` (compact).
`ShowBorderWhenCollapsed`	bool	gb.ShowBorderWhenCollapsed = false; Hides borders in collapsed state for a cleaner look.

Visual Styling & Effects

Advanced options for gradients, shadows, and borders.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`UseGradient`	bool	gb.UseGradient = true; Enables gradient background rendering.
`GradientStartColor`	Color	gb.GradientStartColor = Color.White;
`GradientEndColor`	Color	gb.GradientEndColor = Color.LightGray;
`ShadowStyle`	ShadowType	gb.ShadowStyle = ShadowType.Soft; Available styles: `None`, `Standard`, `Soft`, `Strong`, `Glow`, `Surround`, `Lifted`.
`ShadowColor`	Color	gb.ShadowColor = Color.FromArgb(50, 0, 0, 0); Color of the drop shadow.

Notification Badge

Display dynamic counters or alerts directly on the group header.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`BadgeValue`	int	gb.BadgeValue = 5; The number to display. 0 hides the badge.
`BadgeColor`	Color	gb.BadgeColor = Color.Red; Background color of the badge circle.
`EnableBlinking`	bool	gb.EnableBlinking = true; Makes the badge pulse to grab attention.

Events

Event Handling

// 1. Collapsed Changed
// Fires when the user expands or collapses the group.
groupBox.CollapsedChanged += (s, e) => 
{
                if (e.IsCollapsed)
                Console.WriteLine("Group Minimized");
};

// 2. Title Clicked
// Fires when the header area is clicked.
groupBox.TitleClicked += (s, e) => 
{
                Console.WriteLine("Header Clicked");
};

Designer Experience

Includes comprehensive Smart Tag support for rapid configuration.

Category	Features
`Theme Presets`	Apply styles instantly: Modern Light/Dark, Ocean Blue, Mint Green, Sunset Orange.
`Indicators`	Configure Badge Value and Color directly.
`Utilities`	Copy/Paste Settings to replicate designs across forms.

Detailed Usage Examples

Example 1: Settings Panel with Notification

A collapsible settings group that alerts the user to pending updates.

C# - Notification Group

private void SetupUpdatesPanel()
{
                var gbUpdates = new SiticoneGroupBox();
    gbUpdates.GroupTitle = "System Updates";
    gbUpdates.Dock = DockStyle.Top;
    
                // Configure Badge
    gbUpdates.BadgeValue = 3;
    gbUpdates.BadgeColor = Color.OrangeRed;
    gbUpdates.EnableBlinking = true;
    
                // Styling
    gbUpdates.BorderColor = Color.LightGray;
    gbUpdates.ShadowStyle = ShadowType.Soft;
    gbUpdates.IsCollapsible = true;
    
                this.Controls.Add(gbUpdates);
}

Example 2: Accordion Layout

Creating a stack of collapsible groups that act like an accordion menu.

C# - Accordion

private void AddAccordionSection(string title)
{
                var gb = new SiticoneGroupBox
    {
        GroupTitle = title,
        Dock = DockStyle.Top,
        Height = 150,
        IsCollapsible = true,
        IsCollapsed = true, // Start closed
        
                // Modern Look
        CornerRadius = 5,
        SolidFillColor = Color.White,
        TitleColor = Color.DarkSlateBlue
    };
    
                // Auto-collapse others when one opens
    gb.CollapsedChanged += (s, e) => 
    {
                if (!e.IsCollapsed)
        {
                foreach (Control c in this.Controls)
            {
                if (c is SiticoneGroupBox other && other != gb)
                    other.IsCollapsed = true;
            }
        }
    };
    
                this.Controls.Add(gb);
                this.Controls.SetChildIndex(gb, 0); // Keep order
}