VB6 Save Form Image To File

• Download FormImageSave - 2.14 KB

Introduction

This is sample code to save image of the VB 6.0 form to a file.

Background

Normally the Form.image property only provides the drawing and printed text in the bitmap image. However if there are image controls, buttons, icons etc on the form then this code pictures those too.

Using the code

There is one single procedure SaveFormImageToFile which is self explainatory. The API BitBlt is used to convert form image to a picture and assign it to picture box. Then the image property of the picture box is used to store the picture using SavePicture methode.

Add a separate Picture box and command button on the form with its properties as given below:

Private Declare Function BitBlt Lib "gdi32" _
(ByVal hDestDC As Long, ByVal x As Long, ByVal y As Long, _
ByVal nWidth As Long, ByVal nHeight As Long, _
ByVal hSrcDC As Long, ByVal xSrc As Long, ByVal ySrc As Long, _
ByVal dwRop As Long) As Long

Public Sub SaveFormImageToFile(ByRef ContainerForm As Form, _
                               ByRef PictureBoxControl As PictureBox, _
                               ByVal ImageFileName As String)
  Dim FormInsideWidth As Long
  Dim FormInsideHeight As Long
  Dim PictureBoxLeft As Long
  Dim PictureBoxTop As Long
  Dim PictureBoxWidth As Long
  Dim PictureBoxHeight As Long
  Dim FormAutoRedrawValue As Boolean
  
  With PictureBoxControl
    'Set PictureBox properties
    .Visible = False
    .AutoRedraw = True
    .Appearance = 0 ' Flat
    .AutoSize = False
    .BorderStyle = 0 'No border
    
    'Store PictureBox Original Size and location Values
    PictureBoxHeight = .Height: PictureBoxWidth = .Width
    PictureBoxLeft = .Left: PictureBoxTop = .Top
    
    'Make PictureBox to size to inside of form.
    .Align = vbAlignTop: .Align = vbAlignLeft
    DoEvents
    
    FormInsideHeight = .Height: FormInsideWidth = .Width
    
    'Restore PictureBox Original Size and location Values
    .Align = vbAlignNone
    .Height = FormInsideHeight: .Width = FormInsideWidth
    .Left = PictureBoxLeft: .Top = PictureBoxTop
    
    FormAutoRedrawValue = ContainerForm.AutoRedraw
    ContainerForm.AutoRedraw = False
    DoEvents
    
    'Copy Form Image to Picture Box
    BitBlt .hDC, 0, 0, _
    FormInsideWidth / Screen.TwipsPerPixelX, _
    FormInsideHeight / Screen.TwipsPerPixelY, _
    ContainerForm.hDC, 0, 0, _
    vbSrcCopy
    
    DoEvents
    SavePicture .Image, ImageFileName
    DoEvents
    
    ContainerForm.AutoRedraw = FormAutoRedrawValue
    DoEvents
  End With
End Sub

Private Sub Command1_Click()
  SaveFormImageToFile frmSaveFormImageToFile, Picture1, "C:\Temp.bmp"
End Sub

Otherwise the code will set it.

Points of Interest

Image of the form in VB 6 along with the controls and their images is new.

History

This code is my first upload