Hi ,
For all the dotnet junkies out there - lets all chip in and compile the most comprehensive list of Freeware ActiveX components out there on the net. Kindly make absolutely sure that the component is 100% FREE. We don't want any shareware listings here.

Here's one for a starter:
Pure Components NicePanel (www.purecomponents.com) - ever get tired of those boring square panels with limited extensibility (unless you are ready to immerse yourself into the .NET GDI+) that Visual Studio offers ?? Here's you way out: use Purecomponents NicePanel - a 100% free activex component (you have to regsiter with their site to get a free license - no "fineprints" involved). If allows you to make Square, Rounded or Chamfered Panels with inbuilt Gradient Shading, Header & Footer Bars with custom graphic capabilities & the list goes on - and easy to use as hell. Besides for textboxes placed within this panel, you do not need to meticulously place labels besides them - just add the label to the TAG Property of the textbox, and nicepanel with Nicely Position the Label for you beside the textbox. Cool ay ?
I'm mighty damned impressed with this activex code and within a matter of a day it has helped medo a complete makeover of my interface - which looks so good now that everytime I look at it, I'm forced to utter..."Damn I'm Good!!" or is it... "Damn NicePanel is GOOD!!"
Have fun toying with it n cheers...
===========================
Download Link: http://www.purecomponents.com/downloads/Pu...Panel.Setup.msi
===========================
Don't forget to register with them to get your free license.:
http://www.purecomponents.com/external/sta...gistration.aspx


Here are some more GUI components to spruce up & beautify your application. Here's a description right from their site:
===============================
FramePlus
- The standard Visual Basic 6 frame control does not support
applications using an XP manifest - the interior of the control is
rendered as a black 'blob'. Frameplus solves this problem including
full XP theme support, and providing a set of useful features missing
from the standard frame control. Windows XP Themes: Full support for
Windows XP Visual Themes, rendering the look and feel of the FramePlus
according to the active theme. Theme support can be disabled or
overridden if required - Styles: FramePlus offers a number of standard
and custom styles - Child Controls: Depending on the Enabled and
Checked state of the frame, child controls can be automatically enabled
or disabled - Checkbox: You can display a checkbox to the left of the
caption text.

ButtonPlus - ButtonPlus is an alternative to the Visual
Basic command button control that includes a range of features to give
your buttons more functionality and visual appeal. Windows XP Visual
Styles: Full support for Windows XP Visual Styles, rendering the look
and feel of the ButtonPlus according to the active theme. Visual Style
support can be disabled or overridden if required - Formatting options:
ButtonPlus allows you to specify alternate positioning alignments for
graphics and text and allows border and outline colors to be configured
- Drop down support: The ButtonPlus control can style itself to look
like a drop down button, including split modes. Using the DropDownItems
collection, the button can automatically display dropdown menus.

ScrollBarPlus - You've finished your great looking user interface, but
something is missing that you can't quite put your finger on. That's
right - the Visual Basic 6 scrollbars aren't drawing with a themed
effect, and nothing you can do will persuade them to do so.
ScrollBarPlus solves this problem, providing full theme support and
with the added bonus that the ScrollBars cannot get keyboard focus (a
nasty feature of the in-built Visual Basic scrollbars).
================================

Download the 3-in-1 bundle for free at:
http://www.innovasys.com/products/freeware.asp?cpid=frpad

.:: Cheers ::.

P.S. I'd this post up at AstaHost.Com too - but since I didn't get much response from the programmers out there - am making a repost in here hoping to get a better response..

I have recently discovered the VB .Net PowerPack which is Free set of (7, If I recall correctly) controls to add extra appeal and functionality to your VB.Net Applications..

Most interesting to me, was the TaskPane control which I thought was pretty cool, and added to my program right away!! The ease of use for the developer is nice, with design mode support.

Also, the BlendPanel tool was nice (even though making one yourself is relatively simple), the BlendPanel tool just makes it a step easier to achieve a panel with a nice gradient background from colors of your choice!

Anyway, I just thought that would be a good addition to the list you have started!

I've used the VBPowerPack and frankly I find the controls ultra lousy and extremely under-developed. If you're looking for a powerpacked TaskPane control which is immensely customizable, with Icons in the title bar and ability to contain ANY OTHER GIVEN .NET Control inside it's Pane Groups, you should get this C# source code from CodeProject and compile it into a custom control. Next just add it to your VB Toolbox and use it at will on your forms.. It's simply amazing You won't believe me till you see it for yourself. It beats the crap out of all the VBPowerpack controls put together...

Here's the link: http://www.codeproject.com/cs/miscctrl/TgXPPanel/

If you want a list of features:


The article is named Full Featured XP Style Collapsible Panel. You can download the source and demo directly from:
1. Source: http://www.codeproject.com/cs/miscctrl/TgX...anel_source.zip
2. Demo: http://www.codeproject.com/cs/miscctrl/TgX...PPanel_demo.zip


Have fun

Regards,
m^e

This post has been edited by microscopic^earthling: Jul 2 2005, 05:59 PM