Siticone Label

The SiticoneLabel is a specialized extension of the standard Windows Forms Label. It is optimized for high-performance rendering and specifically engineered to support true transparency, making it ideal for overlaying text on complex backgrounds, gradients, or images.

Transparency & Rendering

Unlike standard labels which often have artifacts when placed over gradients or images, the SiticoneLabel enforces a transparent background and optimized painting.

Property	Type	Description
`BackColor`	Color	label.BackColor = Color.Transparent; Forces the background to be transparent. Attempts to set this to a solid color are automatically overridden to ensure seamless integration with parent controls.
`DoubleBuffered`	bool	Enabled by default. Reduces flicker when the text or the parent container is resized or repainted.

Appearance & Typography

Standard text properties are fully supported, with defaults tuned for modern UI applications.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`Text`	string	label.Text = "Welcome Back"; The content string displayed by the control.
`Font`	Font	label.Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 12f); Default is Segoe UI, 10pt. This provides a cleaner look compared to the standard MS Sans Serif default.
`ForeColor`	Color	label.ForeColor = Color.White; The color of the text.
`TextAlign`	ContentAlignment	label.TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter; Determines the alignment of text within the control's bounds (e.g., TopLeft, MiddleCenter).
`AutoSize`	bool	label.AutoSize = true; If true, the control resizes automatically to fit its text content. If false, text is wrapped or clipped based on the Size property.

Designer Features & Smart Tags

The SiticoneLabel includes a robust Smart Tag panel in the Visual Studio designer, allowing for rapid styling and configuration.

Feature	Description
`Theme Presets`	Quickly apply predefined color schemes via the Smart Tag menu: Light/Dark: Standard high-contrast themes. Functional: Success (Green), Warning (Gold), Error (Red), Info (Blue). Secondary: Gray/Neutral tones for subtitles.
`Quick Formatting`	Direct access to Font and ForeColor dialogs from the Smart Tag, saving clicks in the Properties window.
`Copy/Paste Settings`	Copy Settings: Copies visual properties (Font, Color, etc.) to an internal clipboard. Paste Settings: Applies the copied styles to another SiticoneLabel instance. Note: Does not copy Name or Location properties to preserve layout integrity.

Detailed Usage Examples

Example 1: Basic Setup & Transparency

This example demonstrates placing a label over a background image (e.g., a PictureBox or a Form with a gradient). The BackColor is strictly maintained as Transparent.

C# - Transparent Overlay

private void InitializeHeaderLabel()
{
                var headerLabel = new SiticoneLabel();
    
                // Basic Text Properties
    headerLabel.Text = "Dashboard Overview";
    headerLabel.Font = new Font("Segoe UI", 16f, FontStyle.Bold);
    headerLabel.ForeColor = Color.White;
    
                // Transparency logic is handled automatically by the control.
                // Even if you try to set it to Black, it remains Transparent.
    headerLabel.BackColor = Color.Black; // Will be ignored/reset to Transparent
    
                // Positioning
    headerLabel.AutoSize = true;
    headerLabel.Location = new Point(20, 20);
    
                // Add to a container with a background image
    this.Controls.Add(headerLabel);
    
                // Ensure it renders on top of other controls (like a background panel)
    headerLabel.BringToFront();
}

Example 2: Dynamic Status Labels (Theming)

A helper method to update a status label's appearance based on application logic. This mimics the functionality of the Designer Smart Tags but at runtime.

C# - Dynamic Status

public enum StatusType { Normal, Success, Warning, Error }

public void UpdateStatus(SiticoneLabel lbl, string message, StatusType type)
{
    lbl.Text = message;
    
                // Apply colors based on status type
                switch (type)
    {
                case StatusType.Success:
            lbl.ForeColor = Color.SeaGreen;
                break;
            
                case StatusType.Warning:
            lbl.ForeColor = Color.Goldenrod;
                break;
            
                case StatusType.Error:
            lbl.ForeColor = Color.Crimson;
                break;
            
                default:
            lbl.ForeColor = Color.DimGray;
                break;
    }
}

// Usage:
UpdateStatus(lblStatus, "Connection Established", StatusType.Success);

Example 3: Cloning Styles

While the designer provides Copy/Paste, you can also replicate styles programmatically to ensure consistency across dynamically created labels.

C# - Style Cloning

private SiticoneLabel CreateLabelFromTemplate(SiticoneLabel template, string newText)
{
                var newLabel = new SiticoneLabel();
    
                // Copy visual properties
    newLabel.Font = template.Font;
    newLabel.ForeColor = template.ForeColor;
    newLabel.AutoSize = template.AutoSize;
    newLabel.TextAlign = template.TextAlign;
    
                // Set unique content
    newLabel.Text = newText;
    
                return newLabel;
}