How to add custom animations to a ContextMenuStrip?

Question

Is there a way to create an animation when a ContextMenuStrip is opened, like in the this image?

this animation is for WhatsApp right click.I have no idea how to do this.

Answer 1

You can use the AnimateWindow function with ToolStrips, which includes the ContextMenuStrip class, since these all have handles.
For example, you can reproduce the animation shown in the OP handling the MouseDown event of a Control:

Private Sub SomeControl_MouseDown(sender As Object, e As MouseEventArgs) Handles SomeControl.MouseDown
    If e.Button = MouseButtons.Right Then
        Dim ctrl = DirectCast(sender, Control)
        Dim cms = ContextMenuStrip1
        cms.Location = MousePosition
        AnimateWindow(cms.Handle, 250, AW_VER_POSITIVE Or AW_HOR_POSITIVE)
        cms.Show(ctrl, ctrl.PointToClient(MousePosition))
    End If
End Sub

This implies that you have to handle the MouseDown event of each Control that needs an animated ContextMenuStrip. If it's just one, it may be acceptable. Or a bunch o Controls that can share the same MouseDown event.
But you cannot apply the animation to all Controls in a Form, setting the ContextMenuStrip to the Form class, for example.

It's probably better to build a Custom Control, inheriting ContextMenuStrip.
You can then add some Properties that allow to configure the ContextMenuStrip behavior, adding some animations that are supported.

I'm adding a few:

• OpenDownwards: as in the OP's sample image
• OpenUpwards: the opposite
• Expand: expand the menu from its center

Slide (self-explanatory):

• SlideToRight, SlideToLeft
• SlideDownwards, SlideUpwards

New Public Properties:

• AnimationTime: the speed of the animation, in milliseconds
• AnimationType: the type of animation. ComboBox selector
• AnimateInDesigner: animate the ContextMenuStrip in the Form Designer. Makes it easier to configure it, since the animation is shown at design-time.
  Off by default, set it to True to turn it on. You may want to turn it back off after the control is configured.

---

Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Windows.Forms

<DesignerCategory("code")>
Public Class ContextMenuStripAnimated
    Inherits ContextMenuStrip

    ' Don't remove
    Public Sub New()
    End Sub

    Public Sub New(container As IContainer)
        Me.New()
        If container Is Nothing Then
            Throw New ArgumentNullException("container is null")
        End If
        container.Add(Me)
    End Sub

    Protected Overrides Sub OnOpening(e As CancelEventArgs)
        If Not DesignMode OrElse AnimateInDesigner Then
            Dim result = AnimateWindow(Handle, AnimationTime, AnimationType)
        End If
        MyBase.OnOpening(e)
    End Sub

    <DefaultValue(False)>
    Public Property AnimateInDesigner As Boolean = False

    <DefaultValue(AnimationMode.OpenDownwards)>
    Public Property AnimationType As AnimationMode = AnimationMode.OpenDownwards

    <DefaultValue(250)>
    Public Property AnimationTime As UInteger = 250

    <Flags()>
    Public Enum AnimationMode As UInteger
        CloseCentered = AW_CENTER Or AW_HIDE
        CloseDownwards = AW_VER_POSITIVE Or AW_HOR_POSITIVE Or AW_HIDE
        CloseUpwards = AW_VER_NEGATIVE Or AW_HOR_NEGATIVE Or AW_HIDE
        OpenCentered = AW_CENTER
        OpenDownwards = AW_HOR_POSITIVE Or AW_VER_POSITIVE
        OpenUpwards = AW_HOR_NEGATIVE Or AW_VER_NEGATIVE
        SlideToRight = AW_SLIDE Or AW_HOR_POSITIVE
        SlideToLeft = AW_SLIDE Or AW_HOR_NEGATIVE
        SlideDownwards = AW_SLIDE Or AW_VER_POSITIVE
        SlideUpwards = AW_SLIDE Or AW_VER_NEGATIVE
        Hide = AW_HIDE
    End Enum

#Region "NativeMethods"

    Private Const AW_HOR_POSITIVE As UInteger = &H1
    Private Const AW_HOR_NEGATIVE As UInteger = &H2
    Private Const AW_VER_POSITIVE As UInteger = &H4
    Private Const AW_VER_NEGATIVE As UInteger = &H8
    Private Const AW_CENTER As UInteger = &H10
    Private Const AW_HIDE As UInteger = &H10000
    Private Const AW_ACTIVATE As UInteger = &H20000
    Private Const AW_SLIDE As UInteger = &H40000
    Private Const AW_BLEND As UInteger = &H80000

    <DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError:=true)>
    Private Shared Function AnimateWindow(hwnd As IntPtr, time As UInteger, flags As AnimationMode) As Boolean
    End Function

#End Region
End Class

---

To add this new Control to the ToolBox:

• Add a Class to the Project, name it ContextMenuStripAnimated
• Copy all the code shown here, including the Imports directives
• Paste it inside the new Class file, replacing everything that's in there
• Build the Project
• Find the new Control in the ToolBox and add it to a Form

---

C# version, just in case:

using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;

[DesignerCategory("code")]
public class ContextMenuStripAnimated : ContextMenuStrip
{
    public ContextMenuStripAnimated() { }

    public ContextMenuStripAnimated(IContainer container) : this()
    {
        if (container == null) {
            throw new ArgumentNullException("container is null");
        }
        container.Add(this);
    }

    protected override void OnOpening(CancelEventArgs e)
    {
        if (!DesignMode || AnimateInDesigner) {
            var result = AnimateWindow(Handle, AnimationTime, AnimationType);
        }
        base.OnOpening(e);
    }

    [DefaultValue(false)]
    public bool AnimateInDesigner { get; set; } = false;

    [DefaultValue(250)]
    public uint AnimationTime { get; set; } = 250;

    [DefaultValue(AnimationMode.OpenDownwards)]
    public AnimationMode AnimationType { get; set; } = AnimationMode.OpenDownwards;

    [Flags]
    public enum AnimationMode : uint
    {
        CloseCentered = AW_CENTER | AW_HIDE
        CloseDownwards = AW_VER_POSITIVE | AW_HOR_POSITIVE | AW_HIDE
        CloseUpwards = AW_VER_NEGATIVE | AW_HOR_NEGATIVE | AW_HIDE
        OpenCentered = AW_CENTER
        OpenDownwards = AW_HOR_POSITIVE | AW_VER_POSITIVE
        OpenUpwards = AW_HOR_NEGATIVE | AW_VER_NEGATIVE
        SlideToRight = AW_SLIDE | AW_HOR_POSITIVE
        SlideToLeft = AW_SLIDE | AW_HOR_NEGATIVE
        SlideDownwards = AW_SLIDE | AW_VER_POSITIVE
        SlideUpwards = AW_SLIDE | AW_VER_NEGATIVE
        Hide = AW_HIDE
    }

    private const uint AW_HOR_POSITIVE = 0x1;
    private const uint AW_HOR_NEGATIVE = 0x2;
    private const uint AW_VER_POSITIVE = 0x4;
    private const uint AW_VER_NEGATIVE = 0x8;
    private const uint AW_CENTER = 0x10;
    private const uint AW_HIDE = 0x10000;
    private const uint AW_ACTIVATE = 0x20000;
    private const uint AW_SLIDE = 0x40000;
    private const uint AW_BLEND = 0x80000;

    [DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    private static extern bool AnimateWindow(IntPtr hwnd, uint time, AnimationMode flags);
}