Siticone Vertical Slider 2

The SiticoneVSlider2 is a highly performant and customizable vertical slider control for Windows Forms. Built for modern UIs, it features advanced event handling, diverse thumb animations (Blink, ColorTransition), and strict performance controls (UltraFastMode). It is fully accessible with keyboard support and allows granular control over every visual aspect, from thumb size to track colors.

Core Data Properties

These properties define the fundamental data model of the slider: its range and current position.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`Value`	int	slider.Value = 50; The current position of the slider thumb. Setting this property triggers the `ValueChanged` event and initiates animation unless `UltraFastMode` is enabled.
`Minimum`	int	slider.Minimum = 0; The lowest possible value for the slider.
`Maximum`	int	slider.Maximum = 100; The highest possible value for the slider.

Appearance & Dimensions

Fine-tune the geometry and coloring of the slider components. SiticoneVSlider2 separates styling for normal and read-only states.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`ThumbWidth`	int	slider.ThumbWidth = 24; Width of the slider thumb in pixels. Allows for rectangular handles.
`ThumbHeight`	int	slider.ThumbHeight = 9; Height of the slider thumb in pixels.
`TrackWidth`	int	slider.TrackWidth = 4; The thickness of the slider track.
`TrackColor`	Color	slider.TrackColor = Color.LightGray; The color of the background track.
`FillColor`	Color	slider.FillColor = Color.SeaGreen; The color representing the value from minimum to the current position.
`ThumbColor`	Color	slider.ThumbColor = Color.ForestGreen; The main color of the thumb handle.
`ThumbHoverColor`	Color	slider.ThumbHoverColor = Color.LimeGreen; Thumb color when the mouse pointer is over it.
`Padding`	Padding	slider.Padding = new Padding(0, 5, 0, 5); Internal spacing to prevent the thumb from being clipped at the ends of the track.

Animations & Visual Effects

Controls for dynamic visual feedback. Note: Animations are automatically suspended when UltraFastMode is true.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`ThumbAnimation`	ThumbAnimation	slider.ThumbAnimation = ThumbAnimation.Blink; Sets the idle animation for the thumb: `Normal`: Static color (Default). `Blink`: Fades opacity in and out. `ColorTransition`: Smoothly cycles through a preset spectrum of colors.
`CanShake`	bool	slider.CanShake = true; If true, the slider shakes horizontally when a user tries to change a Read-Only value.

Behavior & Interaction

Manage how the user interacts with the slider via mouse and keyboard.

Property	Type	Description & Usage Example
`IsReadOnly`	bool	slider.IsReadOnly = false; If true, user interaction is blocked. Attempting to move the slider triggers the `ReadOnlyAttempt` event and feedback effects (Shake/Beep).
`KeyboardEnabled`	bool	slider.KeyboardEnabled = true; Enables control via Arrow keys (SmallChange) and Page keys (LargeChange).
`MouseWheelEnabled`	bool	slider.MouseWheelEnabled = true; Allows changing value by scrolling the mouse wheel while the control is focused.
`SmallChange`	int	slider.SmallChange = 1; The value increment for arrow key presses.
`MouseWheelChange`	int	slider.MouseWheelChange = 5; The value increment for one tick of the mouse wheel.
`UltraFastMode`	bool	slider.UltraFastMode = true; Disables all non-essential animations (Blink, transitions, smooth scrolling) to maximize rendering performance. Ideal for high-density dashboards.

Public Methods

ResetToDefaults()

// Restores all properties (colors, dimensions, behavior) to their initial factory settings.
siticoneVSlider2.ResetToDefaults();

CopySettings() & PasteSettings()

// 1. Copy current configuration to clipboard
sliderSource.CopySettings();

// 2. Apply configuration to another slider
sliderDestination.PasteSettings();

Useful for replicating complex visual themes across multiple controls.

Events & Lifecycle

The SiticoneVSlider2 provides a granular event model suitable for complex applications requiring precise state management.

Event Handling

// 1. ValueChangeStarted
// Fires when the user starts interacting (Mouse Down).
// Use this to pause real-time updates or heavy processing.
slider.ValueChangeStarted += (s, e) => 
{
                Console.WriteLine("User started dragging.");
                PauseLiveStream();
};

// 2. ValueChanged
// Fires continuously as the value changes.
// Use for lightweight UI updates (labels).
slider.ValueChanged += (s, e) => 
{
                // e provides OldValue and NewValue
    lblValue.Text = e.NewValue.ToString();
};

// 3. ValueChangeCompleted
// Fires when the user finishes interacting (Mouse Up).
// Use this for committing changes, database saves, or resuming heavy tasks.
slider.ValueChangeCompleted += (s, e) => 
{
                Console.WriteLine("User released thumb at: " + e.NewValue);
                ResumeLiveStream();
                SaveToDatabase(e.NewValue);
};

// 4. ReadOnlyAttempt
// Fires when a user tries to change a read-only slider.
slider.ReadOnlyAttempt += (s, e) => 
{
                MessageBox.Show("This setting is locked by administrator.");
};

// 5. TrackClick
// Fires when the track is clicked (but not the thumb).
slider.TrackClick += (s, e) =>
{
                Console.WriteLine($"Track clicked at value: {e.Value}");
};

Designer Support

Extensive Smart Tag support is available in the Visual Studio Designer.

Section	Actions
`Theme Presets`	Instantly apply full color schemes: Forest Green, Ocean Blue, Sunset Orange, Royal Purple, Crimson Red, Charcoal Gray, etc.
`Value Presets`	Quickly set common ranges: 0 to 100, Bipolar (-100 to 100).
`Actions`	Copy/Paste UI Settings, Reset to Defaults.

Detailed Usage Examples

Example 1: Audio Mixer Fader (Green Theme)

Creates a slider styled like a professional audio console fader using the ThumbWidth and ThumbHeight properties.

C# - Audio Fader

private SiticoneVSlider2 CreateAudioFader()
{
                var fader = new SiticoneVSlider2
    {
        Size = new Size(45, 300),
        Minimum = -60, // dB Scale
        Maximum = 10,
        Value = 0,
        
                // Fader Styling
        ThumbWidth = 35,  // Wide thumb
        ThumbHeight = 15, // Short height
        ThumbBorderSize = 1,
        TrackWidth = 4,
        
                // Green Theme Palette
        TrackColor = Color.FromArgb(40, 40, 40),
        FillColor = Color.Transparent, // Faders typically don't have a fill bar
        ThumbColor = Color.SeaGreen,
        ThumbHoverColor = Color.SpringGreen,
        ThumbBorderColor = Color.Silver,
        
                // Precision
        SmallChange = 1,
        MouseWheelChange = 2
    };

                // Add a center detent (snap to 0dB)
    fader.ValueChanged += (s, e) =>
    {
                if (Math.Abs(e.NewValue) < 2 && e.NewValue != 0)
        {
                // Snap visually to 0
            fader.Value = 0; 
        }
                AudioEngine.SetGain(fader.Value);
    };

                return fader;
}

Example 2: Animated Alert Monitor

Demonstrates the ThumbAnimation property. The slider acts as a read-only gauge that blinks red when levels are critical.

C# - Animated Gauge

private SiticoneVSlider2 _cpuGauge;

private void UpdateCpuLoad(int loadPercentage)
{
    _cpuGauge.Value = loadPercentage;

                if (loadPercentage > 90)
    {
                // Critical State: Blink Red
        _cpuGauge.ThumbColor = Color.Crimson;
        _cpuGauge.FillColor = Color.Crimson;
        _cpuGauge.ThumbAnimation = ThumbAnimation.Blink;
    }
                else if (loadPercentage > 75)
    {
                // Warning State: Solid Orange
        _cpuGauge.ThumbColor = Color.Orange;
        _cpuGauge.FillColor = Color.Orange;
        _cpuGauge.ThumbAnimation = ThumbAnimation.Normal;
    }
                else
    {
                // Normal State: Solid Green
        _cpuGauge.ThumbColor = Color.SeaGreen;
        _cpuGauge.FillColor = Color.SeaGreen;
        _cpuGauge.ThumbAnimation = ThumbAnimation.Normal;
    }
}

private void InitializeGauge()
{
    _cpuGauge = new SiticoneVSlider2
    {
        IsReadOnly = true, // User cannot edit
        CanShake = true,   // Shake if clicked
        Minimum = 0,
        Maximum = 100,
        ThumbWidth = 20,
        ThumbHeight = 20
    };
}

Example 3: Precision Data Input

Uses the event lifecycle to manage heavy data operations efficiently, only saving when the user stops dragging.

C# - Database Interaction

private void SetupDataSlider(SiticoneVSlider2 slider)
{
    slider.Minimum = 0;
    slider.Maximum = 1000;
    
                // 1. User starts dragging: Disable live chart updates to save CPU
    slider.ValueChangeStarted += (s, e) => 
    {
                LiveChart.SuspendUpdates();
    };

                // 2. User dragging: Update simple label only
    slider.ValueChanged += (s, e) =>
    {
        lblPreview.Text = $"Value: {e.NewValue}";
    };

                // 3. User finishes: Commit to DB and refresh chart
    slider.ValueChangeCompleted += async (s, e) =>
    {
        lblStatus.Text = "Saving...";
                await Database.SaveSettingAsync("Threshold", e.NewValue);
                LiveChart.ResumeUpdates();
        lblStatus.Text = "Saved";
    };
}