C# Signature:
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern bool DrawAnimatedRects(IntPtr hwnd, int idAni,
[In] ref RECT lprcFrom, [In] ref RECT lprcTo);
User-Defined Types:
Notes:
Only the IDANI_CAPTION constant will result in any animation. Any other constants have not been implemented on any Windows platform!
Tips & Tricks:
Since only IDANI_CAPTION is implemented, to get the effect of IDANI_OPEN, simply swap the lprcFrom and lprcTo rectangles, but still specify the IDANI_CAPTION constant.
Sample Code:
/// <summary>
/// This constant is not implemented on any Windows platform!
/// </summary>
public const System.Int32 IDANI_OPEN = 1;
/// <summary>
/// The window caption will animate from lprcFrom to lprcTo.
/// </summary>
public const System.Int32 IDANI_CAPTION = 3;
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.StructLayout(System.Runtime.InteropServices.LayoutKind.Sequential)]
struct RECT
{
public RECT(System.Drawing.Rectangle rectangle)
{
Left = rectangle.Left;
Top = rectangle.Top;
Right = rectangle.Right;
Bottom = rectangle.Bottom;
}
public RECT(System.Drawing.Point location, System.Drawing.Size size)
{
Left = location.X;
Top = location.Y;
Right = location.X + size.Width;
Bottom = location.Y + size.Height;
}
public System.Int32 Left;
public System.Int32 Top;
public System.Int32 Right;
public System.Int32 Bottom;
}
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern bool DrawAnimatedRects(System.IntPtr hwnd, int idAni,
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.In] ref RECT lprcFrom,
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.In] ref RECT lprcTo);
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern System.IntPtr FindWindow(string lpClassName, string lpWindowName);
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern System.IntPtr FindWindowEx(System.IntPtr hwndParent, System.IntPtr hwndChildAfter,
string lpszClass, string lpszWindow);
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern bool GetWindowRect(System.IntPtr hWnd, out RECT lpRect);
/// <summary>
/// Show or hide a form with animation.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="form">The form reference to be animated.</param>
/// <param name="show">If true the form will be animated as if opening, otherwise as if closing.</param>
static public void ShowHideAnimated(System.Windows.Forms.Form form, System.Boolean show)
{
RECT from = new RECT(form.Location, form.Size);
RECT to;
System.IntPtr hWnd =
FindWindowEx(FindWindow("Shell_TrayWnd", null), System.IntPtr.Zero, "TrayNotifyWnd", null);
if (hWnd != System.IntPtr.Zero)
{
GetWindowRect(hWnd, out to);
}
else
{
to.Left = System.Windows.Forms.SystemInformation.VirtualScreen.Right - form.Width;
to.Top = System.Windows.Forms.SystemInformation.VirtualScreen.Bottom -
System.Windows.Forms.SystemInformation.CaptionHeight -
(System.Windows.Forms.SystemInformation.FrameBorderSize.Height * 2);
to.Right = System.Windows.Forms.SystemInformation.VirtualScreen.Right;
to.Bottom = System.Windows.Forms.SystemInformation.VirtualScreen.Bottom;
}
if (show)
{
DrawAnimatedRects(form.Handle, IDANI_CAPTION, ref to, ref from);
form.Show();
}
else
{
form.Hide();
DrawAnimatedRects(form.Handle, IDANI_CAPTION, ref from, ref to);
}
}
Alternative Managed API:
[StructLayout(System::Runtime::InteropServices::LayoutKind::Sequential)]
ref struct RECT {
public:
RECT() {
}
RECT(System::Drawing::Rectangle rectangle) {
Left = rectangle.Left;
Top = rectangle.Top;
Right = rectangle.Right;
Bottom = rectangle.Bottom;
}
RECT(System::Drawing::Point location, System::Drawing::Size size) {
Left = location.X;
Top = location.Y;
Right = location.X + size.Width;
Bottom = location.Y + size.Height;
}
System::Int32 Left;
System::Int32 Top;
System::Int32 Right;
System::Int32 Bottom;
};
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
bool DrawAnimatedRects(int hwnd, int idAni, RECT^ lprcFrom, RECT^ lprcTo);
[DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
int FindWindow(String^ lpClassName, String^ lpWindowName);
[DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
int FindWindowEx(int hwndParent, int hwndChildAfter,
String^ lpszClass, String^ lpszWindow);
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
bool GetWindowRect(int hWnd, RECT^ lpRect);
static const int IDANI_OPEN = 1;
static const int IDANI_CAPTION = 3;
void ShowHideAnimated(bool show) {
RECT^ from=gcnew RECT(this->Location, this->Size);
RECT^ to=gcnew RECT();
int hWnd=FindWindowEx(FindWindow("Shell_TrayWnd", nullptr), 0, "TrayNotifyWnd", nullptr);
if (hWnd != 0) {
GetWindowRect(hWnd, to);
}
else {
to->Left = System::Windows::Forms::SystemInformation::VirtualScreen.Rig ht - 32;
to->Top = System::Windows::Forms::SystemInformation::VirtualScreen.Bot tom -32;
to->Right = System::Windows::Forms::SystemInformation::VirtualScreen.Rig ht;
to->Bottom = System::Windows::Forms::SystemInformation::VirtualScreen.Bot tom;
}
if (show) {
DrawAnimatedRects(this->Handle.ToInt32(), IDANI_CAPTION, to, from);
this->Show();
}
else {
this->Hide();
DrawAnimatedRects(this->Handle.ToInt32(), IDANI_CAPTION, from, to);
}
}
Comment from admin@paradisim.net : When you post your examples, let people know if/who wrote the example that way Myself & Others can give credit to you if it gets re-used in our own code! 
