Updated Colour Cafe

[GWS]

Hi folks,

I've updated my old colour cafe program ..

It now provides a larger window from which to select a useful colour for your project code.
I find it easier to appreciate and choose a colour tint from a larger colour area.

I've also added the facility to pick any pixel colour from any window or the desktop, based on Snarling Sheep's program of some years ago, with a few additions.

This version provides a small pixel capture window, which remains as the topmost window.
Pixel colours can be selected from any window or the desktop by moving the mouse over the screen.
You can lock on to the required colour by pressing the Space bar. (Press again to release).

Obviously, if you left-click on an open, non-client window containing a picture of interest, say in Photoshop - that window will get the focus - so pressing the Space bar will not get a message through to   Colour Cafe.  You need to keep focus on the pixel capture window in order to lock on to a desired colour.
It becomes easy to use when you get used to it.

Once you've captured a pixel colour, you are returned to the Colour Cafe main window, from where you can copy either the RGB or HEX colour value to the clipboard for use in your program.

One tricky thing, which I think I've managed to solve, is the arrow cursor in the Pixel Capture window, usually becomes an 'I' beam on the desktop. I wanted it to stay as an arrow while picking out a pixel colour.  Setting the cursor style in a non-client area isn't easy - I hope I've sorted it OK .. 

Hope you find it useful.

Best wishes,

Graham

[AdrianFox]

Sounds like a really useful project, Graham, and thanks for all your hard work on this.  I always have trouble finding just the right colors and their codes, so thanks for this helpful program.

[W4GNS]

Nice!   

[GWS]

Glad you liked it .. 

I'm pleased with how it turned out.

I was surprised when picking up pixel colours from photos, how dark most flesh tones are.
If I was painting, I'd never have thought to mix a colour quite as dark as usually found in pictures.

I'll place a Colour Cafe icon in my programming folder, and give it a workout ..

Best wishes,

Graham