Re: Create Image from Panel Control - Visual Basic Discussion Boards

I'm wondering if this is a post-secondary assignment for credit.

http://www.falgames.com/

I thought I seen an example up here before But I will be dang if I can find it now.

I have a panel control which has geometry created on it from a third party dll. What I would like to do is that and create an image (preferably with transparent background) of what the user is seeing on that screen.

can anyone point me in the right direction?

Oh I guess I should mention that I am using VS2013 vb.net

Thanks

A panel is a control, and those can be drawn to a bitmap. See MSDN[^] Smile | :)

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Thanks for the advice but that does not create a transparent bitmap and in most cases will not work if the actual drawing to the panel is done through a 3rd party dll.

I think what I really need is more of a screen capture of the panel and then convert its size and transparentcy

I found this bit of code to work with 2 exceptions. 1) how to re-size it to a smaller image (So I can display a thumbnail type image and 2) how to make the background transparent.

I want item 2 because the image is displayed in a panel control with a black background. That is what the user needs to see. But when I create the image I do not want the black background

VB

Private Sub my_capture(ctrl As Control, fileName As String)
       Dim bounds As Rectangle = ctrl.Bounds
       Dim pt As Point = ctrl.PointToScreen(bounds.Location)
       Dim bitmap As New Bitmap(bounds.Width, bounds.Height)
       Using g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(bitmap)
           g.CopyFromScreen(New Point(pt.X - ctrl.Location.X, pt.Y - ctrl.Location.Y), Point.Empty, bounds.Size)
       End Using

       bitmap.Save(fileName, ImageFormat.Png)
   End Sub

You'd have to specify which color should become transparent[^].

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

I changed my code to this:
But it had no effect. I still get the image with a black background.

I am not sure how to include images with the reply otherwise I would show you before and after images

VB

Dim bounds As Rectangle = ctrl.Bounds
        Dim pt As Point = ctrl.PointToScreen(bounds.Location)
        Dim myBitmap As New Bitmap(bounds.Width, bounds.Height)

        myBitmap.MakeTransparent(ctrl.BackColor)

        Using m_g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(myBitmap)
            m_g.CopyFromScreen(New Point(pt.X - ctrl.Location.X, pt.Y - ctrl.Location.Y), Point.Empty, bounds.Size)
            m_g.Dispose()
        End Using

        myBitmap.Save(fileName, ImageFormat.Png)
        myBitmap.Dispose()

Hi Imports System.Drawing.Imaging
Imports System.Drawing.Printing

Private Sub PrintDocument1_PrintPage(ByVal Sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs) Handles PrintDocument1.PrintPage

Static page As Integer = 1

Dim startPosition As Integer = (page - 1) * PrintDocument1.DefaultPageSettings.Bounds.Height

Static maxPages As Integer = 0

If page = 1 Then

For Each ctrl As Control In Me.pRight19.Controls
If TypeOf ctrl Is TextBox Or TypeOf ctrl Is Label Or TypeOf ctrl Is PictureBox Or TypeOf ctrl Is RichTextBox Then
ctrl.Tag = Int((ctrl.Top + ctrl.Height) / PrintDocument1.DefaultPageSettings.Bounds.Height) + 1
If CInt(ctrl.Tag) > maxPages Then maxPages = CInt(ctrl.Tag)
End If
Next

End If

For Each ctrl As Control In Me.pRight19.Controls
If CInt(ctrl.Tag) = page Then
If TypeOf ctrl Is TextBox Or TypeOf ctrl Is Label Or TypeOf ctrl Is RichTextBox Then
Dim sf As New System.Drawing.StringFormat
If TypeOf ctrl Is TextBox Then
If DirectCast(ctrl, TextBox).TextAlign = HorizontalAlignment.Right Then
sf.Alignment = StringAlignment.Far
Else
sf.Alignment = StringAlignment.Near
End If
ElseIf TypeOf ctrl Is Label Then
If DirectCast(ctrl, Label).TextAlign = ContentAlignment.TopLeft Then
sf.Alignment = StringAlignment.Far
End If

ElseIf TypeOf ctrl Is RichTextBox Then
If DirectCast(ctrl, RichTextBox).SelectionAlignment = ContentAlignment.TopLeft Then
sf.Alignment = StringAlignment.Near
End If

End If
sf.FormatFlags = StringFormatFlags.NoClip
e.Graphics.DrawString(ctrl.Text, ctrl.Font, New SolidBrush(ctrl.ForeColor), New Rectangle(ctrl.Left, ctrl.Top - startPosition, ctrl.Width + 50, ctrl.Height), sf)
ElseIf TypeOf ctrl Is PictureBox Then
e.Graphics.DrawImage(DirectCast(ctrl, PictureBox).Image, New PointF(ctrl.Left, ctrl.Top - startPosition))

End If
End If
Next
page += 1
If page > maxPages Then
e.HasMorePages = False
page = 1
maxPages = 0
Else
e.HasMorePages = True
End If

End Sub

Private Sub ToolStripButton1_Click_1(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ToolStripButton1.Click

' PrintDocument1.Print()
PrintPreviewDialog1.Document = PrintDocument1
PrintPreviewDialog1.ShowDialog()

End Sub

Drago11

I am not sure what all the printing code has to do with my question. Maybe you just pasted it in to the wrong question. Am I missing something?

That's the good answer, but to the wrong question Laugh | :laugh:

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Set the transparency AFTER you capture the screen.

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Eddy

yep that is what the issue was. Setting it after did the trick.

Now that I have that working(thanks to you) and I see the results, I think I need to save the image as B/W or greyScale.

Is that difficult?

Not very hard, but I reckon it will need to remain a 32bit argb format for transparency to work.

There's a howto[^] on MSDN Smile | :)

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Hmmm that use the Imaging class

I have seen that used in medical applications I believe,

Maybe I will try a different approach. You would think that Microsoft would of made saving an image a whole lot easier wouln't you? Laugh | :laugh:

I am using the this sub and on the following line of code I get an error

VB

pixColor = myBitmap.GetPixel(x, y)

the error states "An unhandled exception of type 'System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException' occurred in System.Drawing.dll

Additional information: Parameter must be positive and < Width."

Would anyone know why?

VB

Private Sub my_capture(ctrl As Control, fileName As String)
       Dim bounds As Rectangle = ctrl.Bounds
       Dim pt As Point = ctrl.PointToScreen(bounds.Location)
       Dim myBitmap As New Bitmap(bounds.Width, bounds.Height)
       Dim BW_Bitmap As New Bitmap(bounds.Width, bounds.Height)
       Dim x As Integer
       Dim y As Integer
       Dim pixColor As Color
       Dim luma As Integer

       Using m_g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(myBitmap)

           m_g.CopyFromScreen(New Point(pt.X - ctrl.Location.X, pt.Y - ctrl.Location.Y), Point.Empty, bounds.Size)

           m_g.Dispose()

       End Using

       For y = 0 To BW_Bitmap.Height

           For x = 0 To BW_Bitmap.Width

               pixColor = myBitmap.GetPixel(x, y)

               luma = CInt(pixColor.R * 0.3 + pixColor.G * 0.59 + pixColor.B * 0.11)

               BW_Bitmap.SetPixel(x, y, Color.FromArgb(luma, luma, luma))

           Next

       Next

       BW_Bitmap.Save(fileName, ImageFormat.Png)

       BW_Bitmap.Dispose()

       myBitmap.Dispose()

   End Sub

..from 0 to 640, is 641 steps, not 640. That's one more step than there is pixels, causing it to go out of range.

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Well

! Boy do I feel stupid. Thanks

how to create ActiveX control

Considering you haven't told us anything about what you want to do and which flavor of VB you're using, it's pretty much impossible to tell you anything useful.

A guide to posting questions on CodeProject

Click this: Asking questions is a skill.
Seriously, do it.

Dave Kreskowiak

We have couple of projects (1 win forms and 1 web form) written in VB.Net. We would like to get those converted into C#. We would be using VS 2012 Professional for BUILD. I am already googling for such tools but would also like to take community's opinion/recommendation on any such highly recommended tools with highest precision/accuracy in converting code from VB.Net to C#. I am good with free and paid tools. Your pointers/suggestions will be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Vipul Mehta

From what I've seen, most tools work well. But, if the project works, why are you converting it? It is is worthwhile, why not take the time to convert by hand?

The syntax isn't that different, and it is an opportunity to learn.

All our projects are written in C#. Hence wanted to convert these 2 apps to C#.

Regards,
Vipul Mehta

I have some code that moves data from an Access database into an Excel spreadsheet. I know that there are easier ways of doing this, but for my particular needs I have to have it moved this way.
The code goes through a query in Access and moves data into the spreadsheet with a loop. That part works just fine.

The problem is that I have to format the spreadsheet with this code. All of the different categories of data will be formatted differently. The piece I am looking at now is called "TheTO."

The code I have moves the data and then goes back and formats cells based on their content. It looks for the words in the cells to do this. The problem is that I will have to repeat this code for about 40 different phrases. That seems excessive to me. Also, if any of those phrases change at all, the code won't work.

I want to have the formatting happen during the loop. However, I don't know how to do that.

Here is the code. I am including one block of the code that is formatting the cells. There would be many, many more because the C.Value will be different every time.

TheTO = rs!to
oSheet.Cells(2, 1).Value = TheTO
TheSTOname = rs!STO
oSheet.Cells(3, 1).Value = TheSTOname
TheStaffName = rs!TeamName
oSheet.Cells(3, 2).Value = TheStaffName
theActDesc = rs!ActDesc
oSheet.Cells(3, 3).Value = theActDesc

rs.MoveNext

Do Until rs.EOF

    If rs!to = TheTO Then
        If rs!STO = TheSTOname Then
            If TheStaffName = rs!TeamName Then
                If theActDesc = rs!ActDesc Then
                    rs.MoveNext
                Else
                    theRow = theRow + 1
                    oSheet.Cells(theRow, 3).Value = rs!ActDesc
                    rs.MoveNext
                End If
            Else
                'theRow = theRow + 1
                oSheet.Cells(theRow, 2).Value = rs!TeamName
                TheStaffName = rs!TeamName
                
                rs.MoveNext
            End If
        Else
            theRow = theRow + 1
            oSheet.Cells(theRow, 1).Value = rs!STO
            TheSTOname = rs!STO
            TheStaffName = ""
            
            rs.MoveNext
        End If
    Else
        theRow = theRow + 1
        oSheet.Cells(theRow, 1).Value = rs!to
        TheTO = rs!to

        rs.MoveNext
    End If
skip:
Loop

iNumCols = IIf(w > 0, w, iNumCols)
'Format the header row as bold
With oSheet.Range("a1").Resize(1, iNumCols)
.Font.Bold = True
'Size the columns
.Columns("A:A").ColumnWidth = 40
.Columns("B:B").ColumnWidth = 22
.Columns("C:C").ColumnWidth = 73.44
End With

oSheet.Range("A:A").NumberFormat = "dd-mmm-yy "




With oSheet.Range("A1:" & Chr(iNumCols + 64) & rs.RecordCount + 1)
For Each C In oSheet.Range("A1:" & Chr(iNumCols + 64) & rs.RecordCount + 1).Cells
   If C.Value = "First TO" Then
    With C
        .Font.Name = "Arial"
        .Font.Bold = True
        .Font.Size = 12
        .Interior.ColorIndex = 15
        .Borders(xlEdgeTop).LineStyle = xlContinuous
        .Borders(xlEdgeTop).Weight = xlThin
        .Borders(xlEdgeTop).ColorIndex = xlAutomatic
        .Borders(xlEdgeBottom).LineStyle = xlContinuous
        .Borders(xlEdgeBottom).Weight = xlThin
        .Borders(xlEdgeBottom).ColorIndex = xlAutomatic
        .Borders(xlEdgeRight).LineStyle = xlContinuous
        .Borders(xlEdgeRight).Weight = xlThin
        .Borders(xlEdgeRight).ColorIndex = xlAutomatic
        .Borders(xlEdgeLeft).LineStyle = xlContinuous
        .Borders(xlEdgeLeft).Weight = xlThin
        .Borders(xlEdgeLeft).ColorIndex = xlAutomatic
        .Borders(xlInsideVertical).LineStyle = xlContinuous
        .Borders(xlInsideVertical).Weight = xlThin
        .Borders(xlInsideVertical).ColorIndex = xlAutomatic
        .Borders(xlInsideHorizontal).LineStyle = xlContinuous
        .Borders(xlInsideHorizontal).Weight = xlThin
        .Borders(xlInsideHorizontal).ColorIndex = xlAutomatic



     End With
    End If
Next C

Thank you, in advance, for any help you can give me!!!!! (I am very new to coding!!)

You don't need to loop through the Access data to copy it to Excel line by line - Excel has a CopyFromRecordset method[^] which can be used to transfer it in one go.

=========================================================
I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka.
=========================================================

The loop is so that the items are listed correctly and do not repeat like they do in the query in Access. I don't know any way to make it look the way it needs to look without the loop.

Any ideas on the formatting?