Customizing TAdvReflectionLabel: Effects, Fonts, and Layouts

TAdvReflectionLabel: Step-by-Step Setup and Styling TipsTAdvReflectionLabel is a visual component (part of TMS VCL UI Pack) commonly used in Delphi applications to create attractive labels with reflection and shadow effects. This article walks through installation prerequisites, step-by-step setup, styling options, performance considerations, and practical tips for integrating TAdvReflectionLabel into real-world projects.

What is TAdvReflectionLabel?

TAdvReflectionLabel is a Delphi VCL component that renders text with advanced visual effects such as reflection, shadow, gradient fills, and custom fonts. It’s often used for headers, splash screens, and interfaces that need a polished, modern look without manually crafting images.

Prerequisites

A Windows development environment with Delphi (RAD Studio) installed.
TMS VCL UI Pack installed (the component is part of that library).
Basic familiarity with Delphi forms, components, and the Object Inspector.

Adding TAdvReflectionLabel to Your Project

Open your Delphi project or create a new VCL Forms Application.
Ensure the TMS VCL UI Pack is installed and its components are visible on the component palette.
Locate TAdvReflectionLabel on the palette (usually under “TMS” or “TMS Additional” category).
Drag and drop TAdvReflectionLabel onto the form.

Basic Properties to Set

Caption: The text displayed by the component.
Font: Choose typeface, size, style (bold/italic).
Alignment: Left, Right, or Center alignment.
Transparent: Whether label background is transparent.
Color/Gradient: Background color or gradient fill (if supported).
Reflection properties: Enable reflection, adjust size, opacity, and gap.
Shadow properties: Enable shadow, set color, offset, and blur.

Tip: Use a vector or system font for best clarity when scaling.

Step-by-Step Styling Guide

1) Choosing the Font and Size

Select a font that suits your UI. For titles, a bold, clean sans-serif often works best. Set the Font.Size so the label remains crisp without clipping.

2) Setting the Caption and Alignment

Set Caption to your display text and use Alignment to center the label within its bounds. If text needs to wrap, ensure Autosize is false and set WordWrap if available.

3) Enabling and Adjusting Reflection

Locate reflection-related properties (often named ReflectionVisible, ReflectionSize, ReflectionOpacity, ReflectionGap).
Enable ReflectionVisible = True.
Start with ReflectionSize ≈ 30–40% for a subtle effect.
Set ReflectionOpacity around 30–50% to avoid overpowering the main text.
Adjust ReflectionGap to control spacing between text and its mirror.

4) Adding a Shadow

Enable Shadow if available.
Choose a shadow color slightly darker than the background (e.g., semi-transparent black).
Set ShadowOffset to (2,2) or similar for a natural offset.
Use minimal blur for crisp UIs; increase for softer looks.

5) Background and Transparency

For overlays, set Transparent = True so the label floats over background visuals.
For banner areas, use a solid or gradient background. If the component supports Gradient, pick two complementary colors and adjust the angle.

Using Styles and Themes

If your application uses VCL styles, test TAdvReflectionLabel under each style. Some effects (especially shadows and reflections) may render differently depending on theme colors and rendering backend (GDI vs. GDI+). Prefer high-contrast fonts for accessibility.

Dynamic Changes at Runtime

You can modify properties in code:

AdvReflectionLabel1.Caption := 'Welcome'; AdvReflectionLabel1.Font.Size := 24; AdvReflectionLabel1.ReflectionVisible := True; AdvReflectionLabel1.ReflectionOpacity := 40; AdvReflectionLabel1.Transparent := True;

Use this to animate UI transitions or to adapt labels to different locales (longer strings).

Accessibility & Localization Tips

Ensure text remains readable: maintain contrast ratio between text and background.
For localization, allow ample width/height and test with longer translations (German, Russian).
Provide alternative text for screen readers if using custom drawing that may not expose text to accessibility APIs.

Performance Considerations

Reflection and shadow effects can be GPU- or CPU-intensive depending on rendering backend.
Avoid excessive use on forms with many animated elements.
Cache pre-rendered images if the label rarely changes.
Test on target hardware (especially older machines) to ensure acceptable frame rates.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Text appears blurry when scaled: ensure font hinting and use integer scaling where possible.
Reflection not visible: confirm ReflectionVisible = True and ReflectionOpacity > 0.
Component not on palette: reinstall/repair TMS VCL UI Pack and check package registration.

Practical Examples

Example uses:

Splash screen title with large font, 40% reflection, subtle shadow.
Header banners with Transparent = True over background imagery.
Dynamic status displays where style changes with application state.

Conclusion

TAdvReflectionLabel provides an easy way to add polished text effects to Delphi applications. Focus on appropriate font choices, subtle reflection/shadow settings, accessibility, and performance. With careful tuning it enhances aesthetics without compromising usability.