Develop Reference

Can I draw shapes within buttons?

I've been reading stackoverflow for a while now just to learn, and I've come across a situation where I can finally ask a question. I'm making a Simon Says type memory game, where I flash shapes at the user, and the user has to click a button in the same order the shapes were shown to them. I want to draw the shape that I'm drawing on the screen within the button that they are clicking because it's much easier to remember and compare shapes to shapes rather than shapes to a button that says the shapes name.
Hopefully my question is clear, and thanks for taking a look!

Yes, you can set the Image property of Button. Alternatively, you can draw non-rectangular buttons, that is, buttons of any shape. The following code demonstrates both techniques:
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
class ShapeButton : Button {
public Action<PaintEventArgs> DoPaint { get; set; }
protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e) {
if (DoPaint != null) { DoPaint(e); }
}
}
static class Program {
static void Main() {
// Ellipse button
ShapeButton ellipseButton = new ShapeButton();
ellipseButton.Location = new Point(10, 10);
ellipseButton.Size = new Size(80, 80);
ellipseButton.DoPaint = delegate(PaintEventArgs e) {
Graphics graphics = e.Graphics;
SolidBrush brush1 = new SolidBrush(SystemColors.ButtonFace);
graphics.FillRectangle(brush1, 0, 0, ellipseButton.Width, ellipseButton.Height);
SolidBrush brush2 = new SolidBrush(Color.Red);
graphics.FillEllipse(brush2, 0, 0, ellipseButton.Width, ellipseButton.Height);
};
ellipseButton.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e) {
MessageBox.Show("Ellipse!");
};
// Triangle button
ShapeButton triangleButton = new ShapeButton();
triangleButton.Location = new Point(100, 10);
triangleButton.Size = new Size(80, 80);
triangleButton.DoPaint = delegate(PaintEventArgs e) {
Graphics graphics = e.Graphics;
SolidBrush brush1 = new SolidBrush(SystemColors.ButtonFace);
graphics.FillRectangle(brush1, 0, 0, triangleButton.Width, triangleButton.Height);
SolidBrush brush2 = new SolidBrush(Color.Green);
Point[] points = {
new Point(triangleButton.Width / 2, 0),
new Point(0, triangleButton.Height),
new Point(triangleButton.Width, triangleButton.Height)
};
graphics.FillPolygon(brush2, points);
};
triangleButton.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e) {
MessageBox.Show("Triangle!");
};
// Star button (using image)
Button starButton = new Button();
starButton.Location = new Point(190, 10);
starButton.Size = new Size(80, 80);
starButton.Image = new Bitmap("Star.png");
starButton.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e) {
MessageBox.Show("Star!");
};
// The form
Form form = new Form();
form.Text = "Shape Button Test";
form.ClientSize = new Size(280, 100);
form.Controls.Add(ellipseButton);
form.Controls.Add(triangleButton);
form.Controls.Add(starButton);
form.ShowDialog();
}
}
Result (after clicking on the triangle button):

In winforms to change the button's image at runtime you can use something like this:
button1.Image = new Bitmap(Image.FromFile(#"Pictures\Koala.jpg"));
It should be added to event handler. For example if you want to show the image when the button is clicked you subscribe to Click event of the button and add the code into the handler method:
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
button1.Image = new Bitmap(Image.FromFile(#"Pictures\Koala.jpg"));
}

In my example,
I have a pictureBox to show, two buttons, one to control, one to be drawn.
//odd display, even draw
int count = 0;
Image storePicture;
//whenever the background image changed,store it
private void pictureBoxShow_BackgroundImageChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//you can stored to a Image array if you have series pictures to show
storePicture = pictureBoxShow.BackgroundImage;
}
private void buttonControl_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
count++;
//odd show picture, even draw picture on button
if (count % 2 == 1)
pictureBoxShow.BackgroundImage = new Bitmap("shapes.JPG");
else
{
//in case you want to clear text on the button
buttonDrawn.Text = null;
//recreate the picture so that it fit the button size
buttonDrawn.Image = new Bitmap(storePicture, new Size(buttonDrawn.Width, buttonDrawn.Height));
}
}
Please remember to attach the handlers to corresponding events. ^^

Why not using PictureBox instead of Buttons.
you have just to add your task to its event/OnClick
Of course you can load any Image to any PictureBox in runtime

The code above is great, however you can click outside the circle within a square containing the circle and get the click event.
If you want to capture the click only if the user clicks inside the shape you have to set the region property with something like this
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
GraphicsPath gp = new GraphicsPath();
gp.AddEllipse(0, 0, 100, 100);
Button1.Region = new Region(gp);
}
}

Printing a Form/UserControl in C#

My Program: Contains a form with few textboxes and one button. 'Default Printer' is set as Adobe PDF on my computer.
My Goal: Want to take a screenshot of a form/usercontrol when the user clicks 'Print' button. The screenshot is then saved on the desktop in .pdf format.
My Problem: I have following two problems with the code:
Size of Screenshot: The size of the screenshot is too big and it does not fit the size of the page (default page size) when printed/converted to .pdf. Please refer the two images below. I want the entire screenshot to fit inside the page.
Asks twice where to convert and save: When I click on 'Print Form' button, programs asks me TWICE where to print/convert and save the file. I want the program to ask me only Once, where to print and save the file.
Problem 1: The screenshot captured by the program does not fit the page when printed.
I want the screenshot image to fit like this on one page of .pdf:
Code:
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
button1.Text = "Print Form";
button1.Click += new EventHandler(button1_Click);
printDocument1.PrintPage += new PrintPageEventHandler(printDocument1_PrintPage);
this.Controls.Add(button1);
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
CaptureScreen();
printDocument1.Print();
}
Bitmap memoryImage;
private void CaptureScreen()
{
Graphics myGraphics = this.CreateGraphics();
Size s = this.Size;
memoryImage = new Bitmap(s.Width, s.Height, myGraphics);
Graphics memoryGraphics = Graphics.FromImage(memoryImage);
memoryGraphics.CopyFromScreen(this.Location.X, this.Location.Y, 0, 0, s);
}
private void printDocument1_PrintPage(System.Object sender, System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs e)
{
e.Graphics.DrawImage(memoryImage, 0, 0);
}
}
Thanks for your help in advance. I am a newbie, learning c# language and your help will be much appreciated. :)

Ok, check this out, and the modified printDocument1_PrintPage in particular:
private void printDocument1_PrintPage(object sender, PrintPageEventArgs e)
{
// calculate width and height scalings taking page margins into account
var wScale = e.MarginBounds.Width / (float)_memoryImage.Width;
var hScale = e.MarginBounds.Height / (float)_memoryImage.Height;
// choose the smaller of the two scales
var scale = wScale < hScale ? wScale : hScale;
// apply scaling to the image
e.Graphics.ScaleTransform(scale, scale);
// print to default printer's page
e.Graphics.DrawImage(_memoryImage, 0, 0);
}
I moved all the event wireup into InitializeComponent where it's usually supposed to go but it's more involved code:
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Printing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace testScreenCapScale
{
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1() { InitializeComponent(); }
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
CaptureScreen();
printDocument1.Print();
}
private Bitmap _memoryImage;
private void CaptureScreen()
{
// put into using construct because Graphics objects do not
// get automatically disposed when leaving method scope
using (var myGraphics = CreateGraphics())
{
var s = Size;
_memoryImage = new Bitmap(s.Width, s.Height, myGraphics);
using (var memoryGraphics = Graphics.FromImage(_memoryImage))
{
memoryGraphics.CopyFromScreen(Location.X, Location.Y, 0, 0, s);
}
}
}
private void printDocument1_PrintPage(object sender, PrintPageEventArgs e)
{
// calculate width and height scalings taking page margins into account
var wScale = e.MarginBounds.Width / (float)_memoryImage.Width;
var hScale = e.MarginBounds.Height / (float)_memoryImage.Height;
// choose the smaller of the two scales
var scale = wScale < hScale ? wScale : hScale;
// apply scaling to the image
e.Graphics.ScaleTransform(scale, scale);
// print to default printer's page
e.Graphics.DrawImage(_memoryImage, 0, 0);
}
}
}
Form1.Designer.cs
namespace testScreenCapScale
{
partial class Form1
{
private System.ComponentModel.IContainer components = null;
protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (disposing && (components != null))
components.Dispose();
base.Dispose(disposing);
}
private void InitializeComponent()
{
this.printDocument1 = new System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument();
this.button1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
this.SuspendLayout();
//
// printDocument1
//
this.printDocument1.PrintPage += new System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventHandler(this.printDocument1_PrintPage);
//
// button1
//
this.button1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(64, 220);
this.button1.Name = "button1";
this.button1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(75, 23);
this.button1.TabIndex = 0;
this.button1.Text = "button1";
this.button1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
this.button1.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.button1_Click);
//
// Form1
//
this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F);
this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(384, 377);
this.Controls.Add(this.button1);
this.Name = "Form1";
this.Text = "Form1";
this.ResumeLayout(false);
}
private System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument printDocument1;
private System.Windows.Forms.Button button1;
}
}

graphics from a class onto a form

Okay, so I needed to make a simple animation in c# to use as a loading icon. This worked all fine and good so lets take this square as an example
PictureBox square = new PictureBox();
Bitmap bm = new Bitmap(square.Width, square.Height);
Graphics baseImage = Graphics.FromImage(bm);
baseImage.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, 0, 0, 100, 100);
square.Image = bm;
So with that I made my animation and everything here worked, but then I realized that I need my animation to be in a class so I can call it from my co workers programs to use the animation. This is where the problem came in, I made my class and I did everything the same way but in a class instead of the form I then called my class from my form but the screen was blank and there was no animation. Is there something that needs to be passed in order to do this?
namespace SpinningLogo
{//Here is the sample of my class
class test
{
public void square()
{
PictureBox square = new PictureBox();
Bitmap bm = new Bitmap(square.Width, square.Height);
Graphics baseImage = Graphics.FromImage(bm);
baseImage.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, 0, 0, 100, 100);
square.Image = bm;
}
}
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{//Here is how I call my class
Debug.WriteLine("11");
test square = new test();
square.square();
}

Pass your test class a reference to the PictureBox that is on the form:
namespace SpinningLogo
{
class test
{
public void square(PictureBox thePB)
{
Bitmap bm = new Bitmap(thePB.Width, thePB.Height);
Graphics baseImage = Graphics.FromImage(bm);
baseImage.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, 0, 0, 100, 100);
thePB.Image = bm;
}
}
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
test square = new test();
square.square(myPictureBox); //whatever the PictureBox is really named
}
You could also pass the Form itself (using this), but then you'd still have to ID the PictureBox control (I assume).

You should pass to your test class Form instance, and not define PictureBox in test class. PictureBox should be field of Form, and by Form instance u will get access to your PictureBox.

C# : get the file path of picturebox onclick

I have created a function that loops a folder and retrieves each image file and draw a picturebox on the form.
Here is the function :
private void Create_Controls(string Img_path)
{
PictureBox p = new PictureBox();
p.Size = new Size(138, 100);
p.Location = new Point(6, 6);
p.BackgroundImage = Image.FromFile(Img_path);
p.BackgroundImageLayout = ImageLayout.Stretch;
this.Controls.Add(p);
}
So what i need to do is : whenever i click on any picturebox on the form , a message popup with the image file path.
So i thought about adding a custom event :
p.Click += delegate { Pop_Up(); };
AND
private void Pop_Up()
{
/* POP UP MESSAGE WITH Picturebox image file path*/
}

You need to use the property ImageLocation of the PictureBox . The property gets or sets the path or URL for the image to display in the PictureBox.

Just do the following:
p.Click += new EventHandler(Pop_Up);
...
private void Pop_Up(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var pb = sender as PictureBox;
if(pb != null)
MessageBox.Show(pb.ImageLocation);
}

You could use Tag property for this.
something like this .
private void Create_Controls(string Img_path)
{
PictureBox p = new PictureBox();
p.Size = new Size(138, 100);
p.Location = new Point(6, 6);
p.Tag = Img_path;
p.BackgroundImage = Image.FromFile(Img_path);
p.BackgroundImageLayout = ImageLayout.Stretch;
this.Controls.Add(p);
}
private void Pop_Up()
{
MessageBox.Show(p.Tag);
}
For more on this Go here.

Then along with what HatSoft says, change your Pop_up() method like:
private void Pop_Up(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
MessageBox.Show(((PictureBox)sender).ImageLocation);
}
But maybe a bit more elegant and checking if it is indeed a PictureBox etc.

c# how to print window form without window form borders

I have a window form. I want to print the contents of the form without the window appearance. I mean I want to print it like a receipt, without window borders. How do I do this?

You can take the MSDN example on how to Print to a Windows Form, Change the Surface being printed from the Form to a Panel Control, which will enable you to print without Borders. Your Contents will have to be added to the Panel instead of the Form but it will work. Here is a modified example of the MSDN example.
public class Form1 : Form
{
private Panel printPanel = new Panel();
private Button printButton = new Button();
private PrintDocument printDocument1 = new PrintDocument();
public Form1()
{
printPanel.Size = this.ClientSize;
this.Controls.Add(printPanel);
printButton.Text = "Print Form";
printButton.Click += new EventHandler(printButton_Click);
printDocument1.PrintPage += new PrintPageEventHandler(printDocument1_PrintPage);
printPanel.Controls.Add(printButton);
}
void printButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
CaptureScreen();
printDocument1.Print();
}
Bitmap memoryImage;
private void CaptureScreen()
{
Graphics myGraphics = printPanel.CreateGraphics();
Size s = printPanel.Size;
memoryImage = new Bitmap(s.Width, s.Height, myGraphics);
Graphics memoryGraphics = Graphics.FromImage(memoryImage);
Point screenLoc = PointToScreen(printPanel.Location); // Get the location of the Panel in Screen Coordinates
memoryGraphics.CopyFromScreen(screenLoc.X, screenLoc.Y, 0, 0, s);
}
private void printDocument1_PrintPage(System.Object sender,
System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs e)
{
e.Graphics.DrawImage(memoryImage, 0, 0);
}
public static void Main()
{
Application.Run(new Form1());
}
}

you can just get a blank screen by doing something like this
this.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormsBorderStyle.None;
this.ControlBox = false;
this.Text = String.Empty;