Fancy Buttons & Image Generation
Image buttons can really add pizzazz to a Web site, but the maintenance can be a
real pain. Every time you add a new page you need new buttons, and creating them
can get time-consuming and tedious. Put an end to this misery and keep the pizzazz
by using one of the following controls.
I have created an Image Rollover Button. It extends the standard
ImageButton control to permit rollover images; a pleasing graphical effect
that can spice up any web site. The source code is free. Here's the
article that explains in detail how it all works:
http://SteveOrr.net/articles/InheritAndExtend.aspx#Image
The NiftyButton control is also available here on this site.
It allows you to create customizable graphical buttons that require no images.
You don't have to put up with ugly gray buttons, and you don't have to put up with
the hassles of creating custom images for every button in your web site either.
This control provides beauty and convenience. It's free, and so is the source
code.
http://SteveOrr.net/articles/BeautifulButtons.aspx
CAPTCHASP lets users in and keep bots out. This free control provides
instant, highly customizable CAPTCHA verification. Try the live demo now and
download the control here:
http://SteveOrr.net/FreeControls/CAPTCHASP
Art Buttons from Progressive Consulting Technologies is an intriguing
component that lets you dynamically create beautiful image buttons of various colors
and styles. The final output is quite attractive, although slightly inconsistent
from my testing. Theme packs are available for free download to expand the button
style choices. Even though the documentation is sparse, there is some sample code
with which you can play. I’d say this component is worth taking a look at if you’d
like to save some time with your image-button generation.
http://artforms.progressivex.com/Downloads.htm
Gavin Joyce released an ImageLabel control that will take any text
and convert it to an attractive-looking image. You can control all kinds of properties,
such as fonts, colors, sizes, borders, and shadows. The results look attractive
and professional and are a fine addition to any Web site. The control is free, and
the source code for it is available for US$40. An available online forum provides
support.
http://www.gavinjoyce.com/components/imagelabel/
Once again, Web wizard Scott Mitchell comes through for us and provides another
fine component that acts as a Rounded Corners Panel control. You’d
think putting rounded corners on a box would be a relatively easy thing to accomplish
in ASP.NET, but it wasn’t — until this Web control came along. The code to accomplish
this is complex, but it is available to you for free and it’s explained well (with
lots of code samples). There are quite a few options available for adjusting the
look and feel of the panel, including headers, borders, colors and fonts.
http://aspnet.4guysfromrolla.com/articles/081104-1.aspx
Aspose Software
has provided a dazzling library of Web Effects that you can add
to your Web site to give it real flair. Instead of a static, boring background,
you can create animated backgrounds that look more like screensavers than wallpaper.
Additionally, you can create dazzling cursor animations, with stars and stripes
circling around the mouse cursor, and other effects that are better seen than described.
I encourage you to view the live demos on their Web site to see what I’m talking
about.
http://www.cantbedone.com/Default.aspx?REDIR=frmWebEffects.aspx
Want to add a little Flash to your page? Well, Flashlight by NetBrick
Inc. provides a quick and easy way to include Flash objects in your Web page, as
well as any other component that uses the standard <object> or <embed>
HTML tags. The source code and fairly extensive documentation is included.
http://www.netbrick.net/Web/Downloads/