Depth and Shadow

Depth & Shadow creates visual layering and realism by applying both drop and inner shadow effects to the panel.

Overview

The Depth & Shadow feature of the SiticoneAdvancedPanel control adds dimensionality and depth to the UI through configurable shadow effects. Developers can enable a drop shadow to simulate elevation and an inner shadow for inset effects. With customizable colors, opacities, offsets, depths, and blur radii, this feature helps to create modern, visually appealing interfaces.

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Property Details

Property Name	Description	Data Type	Default Value
EnableShadow	Activates the drop shadow effect around the panel.	bool	false
ShadowColor	Sets the color of the drop shadow.	Color	Black
ShadowOpacity	Determines the opacity (0–1) of the drop shadow.	float	0.3
ShadowDepth	Specifies the depth or spread of the drop shadow effect.	int	5
ShadowBlur	Defines the blur radius for softening the drop shadow.	int	10
ShadowOffset	Sets the offset position of the drop shadow relative to the panel.	Point	(2, 2)
EnableInnerShadow	Activates an inner shadow effect to create an inset appearance.	bool	false
InnerShadowColor	Sets the color of the inner shadow.	Color	Black
InnerShadowOpacity	Determines the opacity (0–1) of the inner shadow.	float	0.2
InnerShadowDepth	Specifies the depth or spread of the inner shadow effect.	int	3

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Code Examples

Basic Integration

The following example demonstrates enabling a simple drop shadow on the panel:

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using SiticoneNetFrameworkUI;

namespace DemoApp
{
    public class MainForm : Form
    {
        public MainForm()
        {
            // Initialize the advanced panel control with drop shadow enabled
            var shadowPanel = new SiticoneAdvancedPanel
            {
                EnableShadow = true,
                ShadowColor = Color.Black,
                ShadowOpacity = 0.4f,
                ShadowDepth = 8,
                ShadowBlur = 15,
                ShadowOffset = new Point(4, 4),
                Size = new Size(300, 200),
                Location = new Point(50, 50),
                BackColor = Color.White
            };

            Controls.Add(shadowPanel);
        }

        [STAThread]
        public static void Main()
        {
            Application.EnableVisualStyles();
            Application.Run(new MainForm());
        }
    }
}

Advanced Customization with Inner Shadow

This sample configures both drop and inner shadows to create an inset effect along with an external shadow for added depth:

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using SiticoneNetFrameworkUI;

namespace DemoApp
{
    public class MainForm : Form
    {
        public MainForm()
        {
            // Initialize the advanced panel with both drop and inner shadows
            var advancedShadowPanel = new SiticoneAdvancedPanel
            {
                EnableShadow = true,
                ShadowColor = Color.Gray,
                ShadowOpacity = 0.35f,
                ShadowDepth = 10,
                ShadowBlur = 20,
                ShadowOffset = new Point(3, 3),
                EnableInnerShadow = true,
                InnerShadowColor = Color.Black,
                InnerShadowOpacity = 0.25f,
                InnerShadowDepth = 4,
                Size = new Size(300, 200),
                Location = new Point(50, 300),
                BackColor = Color.White
            };

            Controls.Add(advancedShadowPanel);
        }

        [STAThread]
        public static void Main()
        {
            Application.EnableVisualStyles();
            Application.Run(new MainForm());
        }
    }
}

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Key Points

Aspect	Details
Visual Depth	Provides both drop and inner shadow options to simulate elevation and inset effects.
Customizability	Fine-tune shadow appearance using color, opacity, depth, blur, and offset settings.
Enhanced Realism	Shadows add a realistic and modern touch to the UI, improving overall visual appeal.

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Best Practices

Recommendation	Explanation
Balance Shadow Intensity	Avoid excessive opacity or depth to maintain subtlety and prevent a heavy visual appearance.
Consistent Shadow Offsets	Use similar shadow offsets across controls for a unified look in your application.
Test Across Themes	Ensure shadow settings work well in both light and dark themes to avoid clashing styles.

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Common Pitfalls

Pitfall	How to Avoid It
Overly Harsh Shadows	Excessive shadow depth or opacity may overwhelm the UI; moderate values are recommended.
Performance Impact	High blur values and complex shadow settings might affect performance on lower-end hardware.
Misaligned Shadows	Incorrect offset values may cause the shadow to appear misaligned relative to the panel.

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Usage Scenarios

Scenario	Description
Elevated UI Elements	Use drop shadows to give controls a lifted appearance, suggesting clickable or active elements.
Inset/Embedded Designs	Apply inner shadows to create the impression of embedded panels or input fields.
Modern and Minimalist Interfaces	Combine both shadow types for subtle depth cues in modern UIs without cluttering the design.

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Review

Review Point	Key Consideration
Flexibility	Depth & Shadow offers granular control to meet a variety of design needs from subtle to pronounced.
Ease of Integration	Straightforward property settings allow developers to quickly implement and adjust shadow effects.
Impact on User Experience	Properly configured shadows enhance the perception of interactivity and depth within the UI.

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Summary

Depth & Shadow in the SiticoneAdvancedPanel control empowers developers to add realistic, visually engaging shadow effects. By enabling drop and inner shadows with customizable settings for color, opacity, depth, blur, and offset, this feature significantly enhances the overall look and feel of the UI while supporting modern design trends.

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Additional Sections

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Cause	Suggested Solution
Shadow Effect Not Visible	The EnableShadow or EnableInnerShadow property might be false or values are too low.	Ensure the respective property is set to true and adjust opacity/depth values accordingly.
Misaligned Shadow	Incorrect ShadowOffset settings may cause the shadow to appear off-center.	Verify and adjust the ShadowOffset to align with the panel's edges.
Performance Degradation	High ShadowBlur and multiple shadow calculations can impact rendering performance.	Optimize by lowering the blur radius or simplifying shadow configurations.

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Integration Checklist

Step	Description
Enable Shadow Effects	Set EnableShadow and/or EnableInnerShadow to true based on the desired effect.
Configure Shadow Properties	Adjust ShadowColor, ShadowOpacity, ShadowDepth, ShadowBlur, and ShadowOffset for drop shadows; set similar values for inner shadows if needed.
Test on Various Backgrounds	Verify that shadow effects blend well with different background colors and themes.
Monitor Performance	Check rendering performance, especially on lower-spec machines, and optimize shadow parameters if necessary.

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This comprehensive documentation for Depth & Shadow is designed to help developers integrate and customize realistic shadow effects in the SiticoneAdvancedPanel control. By leveraging these detailed settings, you can create interfaces with enhanced depth and visual appeal while ensuring performance and consistency across your application.