Introduction

Introducing Splash (Bauhaus) for Excel

A Splash Screen in a Bauhaus style that displays loading Information whenever you Open an Excel File for Excel (32bit or 64bit, Version 16) · Build Beautiful, Modern UserForms for Excel

Splash (Bauhaus) is a Splash Screen for Excel featuring a modern interface, created using a Bitmap image loaded directly into a UserForm Picture member. Splash (Bauhaus) uses my minified Extensibility Class for Excel (redacted from my UserForm-Extensibility Class) to make some aspects of interactivity easier like adding a Hand Cursor to a UserForm or parts of a UserForm to be transparent and / or dragged by the Mouse. All of the Credits for Images are in the Download File together with links for Purchasing Vectors (where I have used Free or Pro licenses myself) to enable you to develop this Software further should you so wish

There are three different methods of using this Software that are explained in the Usage section

You are purchasing Splash (Bauhaus) v1 which includes a 300px x 420px Bitmap loaded into a UserForm Dialog, the Extensibility Class, an Affinity image that can be edited for the Title and a Transparent PNG image that was exported and then loaded into an image Control via my ImageTransparency.xlsm Software (included). You also get a method using my Code to download and create Dialogs. You can also purchase forks of this Software #forks

A Splash Screen in a Bauhaus style that displays loading Information whenever you Open an Excel File for Excel (32bit or 64bit, Version 16) · Build Beautiful, Modern UserForms for Excel

A Splash Screen in a Bauhaus style that displays loading Information whenever you Open an Excel File for Excel (32bit or 64bit, Version 16) · Build Beautiful, Modern UserForms for Excel

If you love Splash (Bauhaus), you may also like any of the following Software. Boho MP3 Player uses my UserForm Extensibility Software as the interface for all of its dialogs

Card · WebLabelDialog · RetroDialog · DialogBox · LogoBox · Speech Bubbles · Info Bubble · Warning Msg · Info Msg · Question Msg · Error Msg · Userform Extensibility · Boho MP3 Player · Mint UserForm · Slate UserForm · Lightbox UserForm · Dark UI · Blue UI · Carbon UI · UserFOrm UI · BoX · Flat UI · UserForm Slider Buttons

Prerequisites

Microsoft Excel 2016 Version 16 (32bit or 64bit) · designed for Office 365 Windows 11
Basic to moderate Excel Skills and some basic VBA skills
Windows PC · NOT a Mac!
No support is provided for customization of this Software

Features

Irregular UserForm with their Captions or Titlebars removed and containing images using a special Transparency Colour, ie. White, RGB(255, 255, 255), to hide parts that should be transparent
3 different methods in which to display your Splash Screen - see the Usage section
A Transparent '300px' x '420px' Bitmap loaded directly into the UserForm
Demonstrates displaying the Splash Screen when the File opens in the Screen Center and via the Demo Button in the center of the Excel Application
Cycles through various Text for the Strapline to give the Splash Screen a realistic, real-time effect
The UserForm and Labels are Dragable using the Mouse (the Splash Screen will be paused during any Drag)
Looks great on any Colour Background in the Excel Workbook

Credits

Bauhaus Cover Templates with Abstract Geometry Vector by Jovan Aditya Pangestu purchased under a Vecteezy Pro license. You can view and purchase the file here. Single isolated image used as the Splash Dialog loaded as a '300px' x '420px' Bitmap directly into the UserForm. Please note: the original Vector is NOT included with this Software, only modified 'lower' resolution parts are used for loading into the Excel UserForm and / or image Controls

Bauhaus Elements Background for Excel by Jovan Aditya Pangestu, downloaded under a Pro License (one-size, reduced to a much 'lower' resolution image and embedded directly into the Excel Worksheet, not for backward dissasembly). Please note: regardless of the license, no attempt should be made to extract this image. You can view and purchase the file here

Extensibility Class, UserForm Enabler for Interactivity by Mark Kubiszyn redacted from UserForm Extensibility for Excel

The Splash Demo · for the Demo, the Splash Screen is displayed in the center of the Excel Application, however when opening the Workbook the Splash Screen is displayed in the Screen center

The Splash Demo · for the Demo, the Splash Screen is displayed in the center of the Excel Application, however when opening the Workbook the Splash Screen is displayed in the Screen center

Installation

Right-click and extract the contents of the File Splash.zip. The Bitmap is stored in the 'bmps' Folder, Transparent images are stored in the 'transparent images' Folder and Affinity Files are stored in the 'affinity' Folder. Open Splash.xlsm and test the Example

To use Splash (Bauhaus) in your own Projects open Splash.xlsm and your own Macro-enabled Project. Then open the VBE (Visual Basic Editor) and drag the Extensibility Class and the Splash1 UserForm into your Project. Add and configure the Example Code in the Examples Code Module to test the Splash Screen. To use it correctly, when the Workbook is opened, see the Code in the ThisWorkbook Code Module

Take some time to examine how Splash works and read the 'Usage' Section in this online documentation before you begin to create your own Splash Screens for Excel or before turning to Support

Usage

How to use Splash (Bauhaus)

What is Splash (Bauhaus) and How to Use it to Create a Stylish Splash Screen in your own Projects
Splash (Bauhaus) is an Irregular UserForm with a beautiful Bauhaus Geometric Bitmap loaded directly into the UserForm that is displayed as a Splash Screen as the Workbook is opened. The Splash Screen is shown Non-modal and is then hidden once the Strapline messaging process is complete. It has a Title and a Strapline. The Title is an image designed by me to say the word 'Splash'. Obviously you will need something different and so I supply my Affinity File in the 'affinity' Folder for you to edit or you can load in your own image using my ImageTransparency.xlsm Software (included with the Download). You can also just remove the Image Control and simply add your own Label with whatever Text and using amy Font that you like. The Strapline is a simple Label using the 'Comfortaa' Font. Again, you can change this to whatever Font you like as this Font will NOT follow the Workbook unless you have it installed on your PC. I have styled these elements or Controls using two different Purple Colours

Example 1, A Bauhaus inspired Splash Screen
Press the 'A Bauhaus inspired Splash Screen' Button to run the Demo. Please Note: for the Demo, the Splash Screen will open in the middle of the Excel Application but when the actual Workbook is opened it will be displayed in the Screen Center. You can see the Text for the Strapline updating in real-time as it progresses. The UserForm is dragable, but dragging it will pause the update to the Strapline Text. The Code to run the Demo is:

Public Sub Example1()
   With Splash1
      If .Visible = True Then Exit Sub
      ' display in the center of the Excel Application; this is different for the Demo than when opening the Workbook
      .StartUpPosition = 1
      ' display the UserForm
      .Show 0
   End With
End Sub

3 Different ways of using the Splash Screen
- Method (1) Display the default Excel Splash Screen for a fraction of a second and then Move it Off-screen
The first method is the one I deploy as default in the Download File Splash.xlsm. It is to grab a Handle to the Excel Splash HWnd which is called 'msoSplash' with a Window Caption of 'Opening - Excel' and move the entire Window/Splash Screen off-screen as quickly as is possible as the Workbook is opened. So for a fraction of a second the Excel Splash Screen is still displayed but then hidden by moving it off-screen, whereupon my Splash UserForm then takes over being shown in the Screen Center whilst it runs through its Strapline messaging process. This is a pretty nice look and you can see it working in the Videos section. The Code to enable Excel to do this is shown below and is typically added to the Workbook_Open() Event Handler in the ThisWorkbook Code Module (you can also use the auto_open() Subroutine in any Code Module if preferable):

' place in the ThisWorkbook Code Module
Option Explicit

#If VBA7 Then
   Private Declare PtrSafe Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As LongPtr
   Private Declare PtrSafe Function MoveWindow Lib "User32.dll" (ByVal hwnd As LongPtr, ByVal X As LongPtr, ByVal Y As LongPtr, ByVal nWidth As LongPtr, ByVal nHeight As LongPtr, ByVal bRepaint As LongPtr) As LongPtr
#Else
   Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
   Private Declare Function MoveWindow Lib "User32.dll" (ByVal Hwnd As Long, ByVal X As Long, ByVal Y As Long, ByVal nWidth As Long, ByVal nHeight As Long, ByVal bRepaint As Long) As Long
#End If
Private Type TInterface
   PUserForm As Object
   #If VBA7 Then
   PhWnd As LongPtr
   #Else
   PhWnd As Long
   #End If
End Type
Private this As TInterface

' display the Splash Screen (Bauhaus style)
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
   ' hook into the 'msoSplash' Class and move the Excel Splash Screen off-screen
   this.PhWnd = FindWindow("msoSplash", "Opening - Excel")
   MoveWindow this.PhWnd, -1000, -1000, 1, 1, 1
   ' display the Splash Screen
   Application.ScreenUpdating = False
   Splash1.Show (0)
   Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

$Method (1) Display the default Excel Splash Screen for a fraction of a second and then Move it Off-screen. To do this we grab a Handle to the Excel Splash HWnd which is called 'msoSplash' with a Window Caption of 'Opening - Excel'. The image you see here is dislpayed as my Workbook is opened on my Desktop$

- Method (2) Display the Excel Screen and then the Bauhaus Splash Screen together and then show your Workbook
The next method is to let the Excel Splash Screen and your own Splash Screen start simultaneously with your Splash Screen pulling rank over the Excel Splash Screen by displaying ontop of it. It's not a bad look either and your Splash Screen still has the emphasis. The Splash Screen is shown Non-modal and is then hidden once the Strapline messaging process is complete. The Code to enable Excel to do this is shown below and is typically added to the Workbook_Open() Event Handler in the ThisWorkbook Code Module (you can also use the auto_open() Subroutine in any Code Module if preferable):

' place in the ThisWorkbook Code Module
Option Explicit

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
   ' display the Splash Screen
   Application.ScreenUpdating = False
   Splash1.Show (0)
   Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Method (2) Display the Excel Screen and then the Bauhaus Splash Screen together and then show your Workbook

- Method (3) Create a Shortcut to only display the Bauhaus Splash Screen and then the Workbook after the Bauhaus Splash Screen finishes
The third method is to create a Shortcut with an Excel Icon that can be used as a psuedo File opening technique. You can choose an Excel Icon for your Shortcut. Once complete, you simply click on the Shortcut to open your File and the Excel Splash Screen will be completely surpressed. Right-click and select 'Create shortcut'. You can create the Shortcut anywhere using the following Code by changing the Shortcut Properties (trick is to use the '/e' switch with both Excel Filename and Filepath and then your Workbook's Filename and Filepath):

' Target - this is my Filename and Filepath information, you will need to amend for your own details:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE" "C:\Archive\Working\Software\Splash\Bauhaus\version 1\Splash.xlsm" /e

' Start in (added by the process but for info):
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16"

Windows Explorer showing the Splash Shortcut I set up on my PC

- Other Methods
Using the Cloud Group Policy at 'https://config.office.com/'
If you want to disable the start screen for all Office apps for the users of your organization, you can create a cloud policy and configure to disable the start screen. You may or may not have the option to so this depending on your access level rights and Excel version. You can find out by signing in here. This was taken from the Page published here

- Other Methods
Using a VB or .VBS Script
You can also try using a .VBS Script. I successfully utilise this in my Kiosk Software (Scroll right to the bottom of the article), where I can use an AddIn to open an Excel Workbook directly into Full Screen Mode without displaying the Excel Splash Screen at all. More Info on this can also be found here by Jaafar Tribak's post

Extensibility Class
The Extensibility Class is required for Card to remove the Caption and Borders from a UserForm. It also allows the White colour to become transparent so that you can use irregular Window Sizes for the UserForm via a '.BMP' (Bitmap) image. It allows a number of simple ways to extend your UserForms, for example to make them (or any Control) draggable use the following Code:

Option Explicit

Private Self As New Extensibility

' UserForm
Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
   Set Self.Assign = Me
End Sub

Private Sub UserForm_MouseDown(ByVal Button As Integer, ByVal Shift As Integer, ByVal X As Single, ByVal Y As Single)
   Self.AllowDrag
End Sub

To show a hand Cursor use the following Code:

Option Explicit

Private Self As New Extensibility

' UserForm
Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
   Set Self.Assign = Me
End Sub

Private Sub Close_Cross_Active_MouseMove(ByVal Button As Integer, ByVal Shift As Integer, ByVal X As Single, ByVal Y As Single)
   Self.AddCursor IDC_HAND
End Sub

To remove the Caption, Borders and allow Transparency of White (a Long Colour Code) use the following Code:

Option Explicit

Private Self As New Extensibility

' UserForm
Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
   Set Self.Assign = Me
   Self.RemoveCaptionBordersAndSetTransparency 16777215  
End Sub

Modal or Modeless?
The Splash Screen must always be a Modeless UserForm!

Use Splash1.Show 0

Image Processes or 'How I did this'
The Splash (Bauhaus) Software uses an image loaded directly into the UserForm for the main Dialog interface. First of all I downloaded the original Vector used for this Project - see links above (this is NOT free). Then I isolated the Image I needed using Affinity Designer (my go-to image manipulation tool). I exported out the image at 300px x 420px as a Transparent .PNG. From here, I opened the image in Photoshop and carefully made changes where anti-aliasing leaked incorrectly into each square repainting each pixel in the full Colour. I also ran over the Transparent parts with White RGB(255, 255, 255) so that they would be rendered invisible once loaded into the UserForm and ran with my Code. I saved the image as a .BMP (Bitmap). Then I loaded the image directly into the Picture member of the UserForm

For the Title I designed this image in Affinity Designer from scratch with a RGB(254, 254, 254) background and used a Font called 'Bauhaus 93'. I exported this out as a Transparent .PNG and then using my ImageTransparency.xlsm Software, loaded it into an image Control on the UserForm - see the next Section 'Image Processes - Loading in a Bitmap to a UserForm or Control'

Image Processes - Loading in a Bitmap to a UserForm or Control
An easy way of getting an image into a UserForm or one of its Controls is to load a transparent '.GIF' or '.BMP' (Bitmap) image directly. Use the 'Picture' member to Browse and load the File. You can create a transparent 'GIF' directly from an art package such as Affinity Designer. To create a Bitmap you can use Photoshop to take any Transparent Image saved as a '.PNG' and convert it by using 'Save As' into a Bitmap, choose Format 'BMP (*.BMP;*.RLE;*.DIB)', File Format 'Windows' and Depth '24 Bit'. Where you need to have the Background Colour a different Colour from standard White '255, 255, 255' for your Bitmap, because for example you are using White as the Transparent Colour, which would cause holes in your image, then use the Paint Bucket Tool, selecting an alternative Colour by entering the RGB Values ie. '254, 254, 254' together with settings, Opacity '100%', Tolerance '30' and tick the Anti Alias checkbox

Image Processes - Loading in a Transparent PNG to a UserForm or Control
A trick I use all of the time is to use my Free ImageTransparency.xlsm Software to load in a Transparent '.PNG' File into a UserForm or one of its Controls - you can download this free here. This technique allows you to load any PNG and then Paste it into the Picture member of the UserForm or Control. You MUST set the background Colour 'BackColor' of the UserForm or Control in the single UserForm within the ImageTransparency.xlsm File first and this should be a VB Hex Colour - use a great Tool like 'InstantEyeDropper' to do this, it's free and can be downloaded from here. Now press the 'Copy to Clipboard' Button in the ImageTransparency.xlsm Software to Browse and load in the PNG File. Switch to Excel and Paste into the Picture member. The PNG image will now be added to the UserForm or Control and the Transparent Colour will be replaced by the VB Hex Colour that you used for the BackColor of the UserFrom or Control

Image Processes - Another Method to Load an Image into a Control
You can load in a transparent 'PNG' image into Affinity and add a Layer that is a Rectangle and set it to the background Colour you want it to have once it is loaded ie. White for the transparency. Export out that image as a '.PNG' image again. Now load it into Photoshop and Save it as a '.BMP' image. Finally load this Bitmap directly into any Image Control and it will sit ontop of the background and appear to blend in perfectly

Screen Shots

A Splash Screen in a Bauhaus style that displays loading Information whenever you Open an Excel File for Excel (32bit or 64bit, Version 16) · Build Beautiful, Modern UserForms for Excel

The Splash Demo · for the Demo, the Splash Screen is displayed in the center of the Excel Application, however when opening the Workbook the Splash Screen is displayed in the Screen center

FAQ

Q. Can't you just switch off / surpress the Excel Splash Screen by unchecking the setting called 'Show the start screen when the application starts' in Options->General->Start up options?
A. No, this is the option that takes you into the Start Page when the Excel Workbook opens as opposed to showing a Blank Workbook without the start screen; the setting is misleading!

Q. So what about the Registry setting: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Excel\Options (this may be different depending on your Excel version, for example it may be: ' software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\general\disableboottoofficestart') and the 'DisableBootToOfficeStart' with DWORD Value data set to 1 instead of 0 (zero)?
A. This is the same as the setting previously mentioned and will just mean that you are taken into the Start Page when the Excel Workbook opens as opposed to showing a Blank Workbook without the start screen

Splash (Bauhaus) Videos

This is a video of the Splash (Bauhaus) Software. Music is 'Ticklish - Quincas Moreira'. View this video on YouTube or view the YouTube Short

Shorts & Reels

This is short video of Splash (Bauhaus). Music is 'Ticklish - Quincas Moreira' · view this short video on YouTube

This is a Shorts video of Splash-fork1 Software. Music is 'Airborne - Quincas Moreira'. View this video on YouTube Short

This is a Shorts video of Splash-fork2 Software. Music is 'Hallow's Beach - Quincas Moreira'. View this video on YouTube Short

Support

Please remember you have purchased very affordable Software and you have not paid for a full-time Software design agency - I am but one man. Occasionally I may help with small tweaks, but these requests will be put on a much lower priority due to their nature. You have not PAID for Support, Support is 100% optional and I provide it for your convenience, so please be patient, polite and respectful

Support (limited) for my Software includes

Responding to questions or problems regarding the Software and its features
Fixing valid (replicated) bugs and reported issues for the VERSION I HAVE WRITTEN

Software support does not include

Customization and installation services
Support for third party software or ANY kind of development whatsoever

Before seeking support

Make sure your question is a valid Software Issue and not a customization request
Make sure you have read through the FAQ's, online documentation and any related video guides before asking support on how to accomplish a task
Ensure that you access to the VBOM is allowed and that Macros can run in Excel
Make sure to provide 'proof of purchase' and state the name / version of the Software that you are having issues with when requesting support by Email or via Facebook

How to get Support

Contact Mark Kubiszyn on the Email address provided when you purchased the Software, including the Order Number
...or Contact Mark Kubiszyn via our Facebook Page - remember to be patient, if there has been an issue with your download, Mark will always respond within 48 hours and will Email you the File directly if neccessary or via Messenger. For other issues the response time may be considerably longer and I may choose to respond to specific questions only (as is my right), depending on what has been asked

Future Builds

* No ideas as yet!

Bug Fixes

* There are currently no bugs identified for Splash (Bauhaus)

Credits

Bauhaus Cover Templates with Abstract Geometry Vector by Jovan Aditya Pangestu purchased under a Vecteezy Pro license. You can view and purchase the file here. Single isolated image used as the Splash Dialog loaded as a '300px' x '420px' Bitmap directly into the UserForm. Please note: the original Vector is NOT included with this Software, only modified 'lower' resolution parts are used for loading into the Excel UserForm and / or image Controls

Bauhaus Elements Background for Excel by Jovan Aditya Pangestu, downloaded under a Pro License (one-size, reduced to a much 'lower' resolution image and embedded directly into the Excel Worksheet, not for backward dissasembly). Please note: regardless of the license, no attempt should be made to extract this image. You can view and purchase the file here

Extensibility Class, UserForm Enabler for Interactivity by Mark Kubiszyn redacted from UserForm Extensibility for Excel

#forks

Additional forks of Splash

fork#1

A fork by Paradigm of kubiszyn.co.uk, using a 'Geometric background with checkered patterns in square' Vector by Lincung Studio, downloaded under a Pro License (one-size, reduced to a much 'lower' resolution image used for the UserForm and also embedded directly into the Excel Background, not for backward dissasembly). Please note: regardless of the license, no attempt should be made to extract this image. You can view and purchase the file here

Purchase · £2.99

A fork of Splash in a NeoGeo (Geometric) style

fork#2

A fork by Paradigm of kubiszyn.co.uk, using a 'Vintage Swiss Bauhaus' Vector by pana design, downloaded under a Pro License (one-size, reduced to a much 'lower' resolution image used for the UserForm and also embedded directly into the Excel Background, not for backward dissasembly). Please note: regardless of the license, no attempt should be made to extract this image. You can view and purchase the file here

Purchase · £2.99

A fork of Splash in a Vintage Swiss (Bauhaus) style

Changelog

Read more information on the status of each release below. The latest Version including a description of any changes is shown first


26.03.2023 - (Version 1)

General release of Splash (Bauhaus)