[Help] Making a custom GUI translucent

I'm trying to make a custom GUI, but I want it to be translucent and I don't see anything in VB that can help me achieve this.

Of course I could use Me.Opacity = XX but I want the main controls (buttons and textboxes etc) to remain normal. I've spent a few hours searching the internet and the VB section but with no success.

Thanks in advance,
Ryan/Samueldo

Transparency key ftw!!!!!

set your back color to (color)
+
set your transparency key to (color)
=
(color) is invisible!!!!!

Just be sure to use some obscure color (not control color). just a preference.

Easy way to do it is

form load

[php]
TransparencyKey = BackColor
[/php]

also read this to keep things "clean"

BUG: The TransparencyKey property is not effective for Windows forms if the color depth of the monitor is set to a value that is greater than 24-bit

I need it translucent, not transparent. There's a difference. Thanks for helping anyway though.

GDI+ Can achieve this. Sadly I never use GDI+.

Someone in the VB section was an expert at GDI+, however he's been inactive for 2-3 months.

You just set the form opacity to something low, and use GDI to draw the buttons.

If you know basic C#, you can probably convert this to VB:
Creating a Glass Button using GDI+ - CodeProject

Cheers.