Clock Control

What it shows

By default the clock shows the computer's time and redraws once a second. Set TimeZoneId to show the time in another zone, daylight saving included, or StaticTime to stop the hands at a given time – for an appointment, a time stamp or a "next collection" notice. Time says which time is on the face.

The hands are drawn from the time at each redraw and do not sweep: the second hand moves once per RefreshInterval, the minute hand moves on the minute, and the hour hand moves half a degree a minute.

The parts of the face

• The border (ShouldDrawBorder, BorderThickness, BorderStartColor) and an optional glass shine on it (ShouldDrawGlassEffectOnBorder).
• The face (BackgroundStartColor, BackgroundEndColor) and an optional glass shine across its top (ShouldDrawGlassEffect).
• The twelve hour labels (ShouldDrawNumerals, TimeRepresentationMode) and the minute marks between them (ShouldDrawMinuteIndicatorVisual).
• The hub (ShouldDrawInnerRing) and the three hands, each a two-colour gradient with its own width.
• A soft drop shadow under the whole clock (ShouldDropShadowBeEnabled) and, optionally, under each hand (ShouldDrawDropShadowForTimeHandles).

Size and scale

Keep the control square: the face fills the client area, and the minute marks are drawn only when it is a circle. Widths and thicknesses are in logical pixels (1/96 inch) and are scaled for the display the clock is on. The control's corners are transparent, so the parent's background shows round the face.

A world clock for the London office beside the local one, with Roman numerals and a glass face.

using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Binarymission.WinForms.Controls.TimeControls;

var london = new Clock
{
    Location = new Point(16, 16),
    Size = new Size(200, 200),
    TimeZoneId = "GMT Standard Time",
    TimeRepresentationMode = TimeRepresentationMode.RomanNumeral,
    BackgroundStartColor = Color.MidnightBlue,
    BackgroundEndColor = Color.SteelBlue,
    BorderThickness = 10,
    ShouldDrawGlassEffect = true,
    SecondHandStartColor = Color.OrangeRed,
    SecondHandEndColor = Color.Gold
};

var caption = new Label { Location = new Point(16, 222), AutoSize = true, Text = "London" };
london.DoubleClick += (sender, e) => caption.Text = "London: " + london.Time.ToString("HH:mm");

form.Controls.Add(london);
form.Controls.Add(caption);