Axiom

Axiom is a control library for Winforms applications that helps create modern, user-friendly interfaces inspired by the Bulma CSS framework.

What is it

Axiom is a library designed to enhance Winforms applications with more modern and visually appealing controls. It aims to provide developers with tools to create interfaces that are both functional and attractive.

It allows you to take your controls from this:

To this:

Compatibility

Axiom can be included in Winforms applications built on the .NET Framework.

Installation

Step 1: Getting the DLL

1. Download the project from GitHub.
2. Open it in Visual Studio.
3. Build the application.
4. Find the DLL in the binary folder of the project.

Step 2: Referencing the DLL

To use Axiom in your Winforms project, follow these steps:

1. Open any form in your project.
2. Right-click the Toolbox and select Choose Items….
3. Click Browse… and navigate to the built Axiom.dll file.
4. Select the Axiom.dll file and click OK.

You should now see Axiom controls available in your Toolbox, ready to be dragged and dropped onto your forms.

Usage

Here’s a simple example of how to use an Axiom control:

1. Drag an Axiom button from the Toolbox onto your form.
2. Set its properties in the Properties pane.

// Example of setting properties in code
axiomButton.Color = AxColor.Primary;
axiomButton.Rounded = true;
axiomButton.Static = false;
axiomButton.State = AxState.Loading;

Features

Axiom controls come with a variety of properties to customize their appearance and behavior:

Property	Description
Color	The color of the control. This varies by control, with buttons having the most options.
Inverted	The text color becomes the background color and vice-versa.
Light	An option for a light variant of the default color scheme.
Outlined	Removes the background and leaves the border and foreground text.
Rounded	Adds a generous rounded border to controls.
Shape	Controls the size of the control. Options are Small, Normal, Medium, and Large.
Static	Converts a button to a non-interactive button.
State	Tracks the state of the control (focused, hovered, etc). Setting the state to loading will display a loading symbol for some controls.

Controls

Axiom contains the following types of control:

Control	Description
AxButton	The classic button, in different colors, sizes and states
AxCheckbox	A checkbox control with properties similar to that of the button
AxSwitch	A variation on the checkbox with no Winforms native equivalent
AxRadioButton	A radio button with colors, sizes and styles
AxImage	A picture box control with added facilities for rounded borders, and set aspect ratios
AxInput	A textbox with placeholder, colors, sizes, styles, states etc
AxSelect	A combobox with colors, sizes, styles and an animated dropdown arrow
AxBox	A panel with colors, styles, rounded borders and shadows
AxHoverableBox	Similar to AxBox, but has an animated hover-effect

Overview

Here's a quick overview of the main properties for buttons. Many of Axiom's controls share these properties, so they're a good place to start.

Colors

Choose from plain colors:

Opt for bright eye-catching colors:

Or, toggle the Light property for the light version:

Sizes

There are four main sizes of control in Axiom:

• Small
• Normal
• Medium
• Large

Sizes are set using the Shape property.

Styles

Outlined

You can create a lighter-weight button with Outlined:

Inverted

Or invert the foreground and background colors with Inverted:

Rounded

You can even create pill-style buttons with Rounded:

You can also combine these properties at the same time.

States

The state of a control affects its style.

Normal

Hover

Focus

Active

Loading

Disabled

Inspiration

The style of Axiom controls is inspired by Bulma.io, a fantastic CSS framework for web development. Axiom brings a similar aesthetic and usability to Winforms applications.