Why does this fail:

    GradientFill(Canvas.Handle, @vert, 2, @gRect, 1, GRADIENT_FILL_RECT_H);
    Canvas.Brush.Style := bsClear;
    Canvas.TextOut(ARect.Left, ARect.Top, 'Text goes here');

and this works:

    GradientFill(Canvas.Handle, @vert, 2, @gRect, 1, GRADIENT_FILL_RECT_H);
    SetBkMode(Canvas.Handle, TRANSPARENT);
    SetTextColor(Canvas.Handle, Canvas.Font.Color and $00FFFFFF);
    TextOut(Sender.Canvas.Handle, ARect.Left, ARect.Top, PChar('Text goes
here'), Length('Text goes here'));

Trying to draw some text transparently, it won't work using VCL controls if
the Canvas.Handle was just used in a call to Windows API GradientFill. What
could it be that Delphi does with canvas handles that i cannot stand someone
calling an API call with it?

Delphi 5, Windows XP

p.s. Don't even try to figure it out - you'll hurt your brain.

news:3eba95f8$1@newsgroups.borland.com...

Because TextOut() calls ExtTextOut() which doesn't use the Brush but the
Font instead, and is influenced by the current characteristics of the
underlying HDC.

Because you are altering the underlying HDC and then using a drawing
function that utilizes them correctly.

Calling SetBkMode() is the correct way to go.  Just make sure you call
SetBkMode() a second time to reset the previous settings when you're done:

    GradientFill(Canvas->Handle, &vert, 2, &gRect, 1, GRADIENT_FILL_RECT_H);
    int prevmode = SetBkMode(Canvas->Handle, TRANSPARENT);
    SetTextColor(Canvas->Handle, ColorToRGB(Canvas->Font->Color);
    Canvas->TextOut(ARect.Left, ARect.Top, "Text goes here");
    SetBkMode(Canvas->Handle, prevmode);

Gambit

What is the VCL-way to accomplish the same task?

"Remy Lebeau (TeamB)" <gambi...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3ebaa99a$1@newsgroups.borland.com...

GRADIENT_FILL_RECT_H);

news:3ebbe62b$1@newsgroups.borland.com...

There isn't any.  You have to call SetBkMode() directly yourself.  The only
time the VCL calls SetBkMode() is when the Brush is created for the first
time, but then never again after that.

Gambit