Siticone ThemeTracker

The SiticoneThemeTracker is a non-visual component that bridges the gap between your Windows Forms application and the operating system's visual settings. It silently monitors the Windows Registry and System Messages to detect real-time changes to the System Theme (Light/Dark), Accent Color, and High Contrast mode, allowing your app to adapt instantly.

Configuration

Properties for setting up automatic theme application and targeting specific forms.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`AutoApplyTheme`	bool	tracker.AutoApplyTheme = true; If true, the component automatically iterates through controls on the `TargetForm` and applies basic Light/Dark styling when the system theme changes.
`TargetForm`	Form	tracker.TargetForm = this; The main form that the tracker should monitor or modify. If AutoApplyTheme is enabled, this form's controls will be styled.

System State (Read-Only)

Properties exposing the current operating system visual configuration.

Property	Type	Description
`CurrentTheme`	SystemTheme	var theme = tracker.CurrentTheme; Returns `SystemTheme.Light` or `SystemTheme.Dark` based on Windows 10/11 personalization settings.
`AccentColor`	Color	Color c = tracker.AccentColor; Returns the active Windows Accent Color (e.g., the color used in the Start Menu or title bars).

Events

Events triggered when system settings change, allowing for custom handling logic.

ThemeChanged

// Fired when the user switches between Light and Dark mode in Windows Settings.
tracker.ThemeChanged += (sender, e) => 
{
                if (e.NewTheme == SystemTheme.Dark)
    {
                ApplyDarkMode();
    }
                else
    {
                ApplyLightMode();
    }
};

AccentColorChanged

// Fired when the user changes their Windows accent color.
tracker.AccentColorChanged += (sender, e) => 
{
                // Sync a button's background with the system accent
    submitButton.BackColor = e.NewColor;
};

HighContrastChanged

// Fired when Windows High Contrast accessibility mode is toggled.
tracker.HighContrastChanged += (sender, e) => 
{
                if (e.IsHighContrast)
    {
                DisableCustomGradients();
    }
};

Methods

Helper methods for manually applying themes to specific controls or forms.

Method	Description
`ApplyThemeToForm(Form form)`	Recursively iterates through all controls on the specified form and applies specific background/foreground colors based on the `CurrentTheme`.
`ApplyThemeToControl(Control c)`	Applies the current theme logic to a single control and its children. It handles specific types like `DataGridView`, `TextBox`, and `Button` uniquely.

Detailed Usage Examples

Example 1: Basic Auto-Apply Integration

The simplest way to use the tracker. Just drop it onto your form and configure it in the constructor. The component handles the rest.

C# - Auto Setup

public MainForm()
{
                InitializeComponent();
    
                // 1. Assign the form to be tracked
    siticoneThemeTracker1.TargetForm = this;
    
                // 2. Enable automatic styling
                // This will immediately color the form based on current settings
                // and listen for future changes.
    siticoneThemeTracker1.AutoApplyTheme = true;
}

Example 2: Custom Theme Logic

If you have complex UI elements (like custom painted controls or charts), you should handle the ThemeChanged event manually instead of relying on AutoApplyTheme.

C# - Manual Handling

private void SiticoneThemeTracker1_ThemeChanged(object sender, ThemeChangedEventArgs e)
{
                if (e.NewTheme == SystemTheme.Dark)
    {
                // Custom Dark Theme Logic
        customChart.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(30, 30, 30);
        customChart.AxisColor = Color.Gray;
        customChart.LineColor = siticoneThemeTracker1.AccentColor; // Use system accent
        
        lblStatus.ForeColor = Color.WhiteSmoke;
    }
                else
    {
                // Custom Light Theme Logic
        customChart.BackColor = Color.White;
        customChart.AxisColor = Color.Black;
        customChart.LineColor = Color.Blue;
        
        lblStatus.ForeColor = Color.Black;
    }
}

Example 3: Syncing Accent Color

This example shows how to keep a specific UI element (like a header panel) synchronized with the user's Windows Accent Color preference.

C# - Accent Sync

private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
                // Apply initial color on load
    pnlHeader.BackColor = siticoneThemeTracker1.AccentColor;
}

private void SiticoneThemeTracker1_AccentColorChanged(object sender, AccentColorChangedEventArgs e)
{
                // Update dynamically when user changes personalization settings
    pnlHeader.BackColor = e.NewColor;
    
                // Optional: Adjust text color based on brightness for readability
                float brightness = e.NewColor.GetBrightness();
    lblTitle.ForeColor = brightness > 0.5f ? Color.Black : Color.White;
}