VisualStyles picker in c#

Aleksandar Ilioski

17y4.3kC#

Hello. I am trying to make some kind of visualStules picker.. here is piece of my code so You can understand what am I doing..

on form load event..
foreach (object stil in Enum.GetValues(typeof(System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleState)))
            {
                comboBox1.Items.Add(stil);
            }
than on comboBox1_indexChanged evenent..
Application.VisualStyleState = (System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles.VisualStyleState)comboBox1.SelectedItem;

that works fine.. but now i want user to see example of the results not to change tne VisualStyle state..
and the example to be drawn in picture box or something.. some form with selected styleState to be drawn and in ComboBox_IndexChange that image, or graphics change.. and finaly if the user like that choise and want to set that style in the application, confirm with dialog.. on button click.. but that is not problem.. the problem is the drawing example..
I want the Example to be something like in the (appairance tab) of Display Properties in WinXp
I was trying something like:
Bitmap bmp = new Bitmap(pictureBox1.Width, pictureBox1.Height);
            Form2 frm = new Form2();

            frm.DrawToBitmap(bmp, new Rectangle(new Point(0,0), frm.Size));
            frm.button1.DrawToBitmap(bmp, new Rectangle(frm.button1.Location, frm.button1.Size));
            frm.textBox1.DrawToBitmap(bmp, new Rectangle(frm.textBox1.Location, frm.textBox1.Size));
            frm.label1.DrawToBitmap(bmp, new Rectangle(frm.label1.Location, frm.label1.Size));
            frm.comboBox1.DrawToBitmap(bmp, new Rectangle(frm.comboBox1.Location, frm.comboBox1.Size));
            frm.checkBox1.DrawToBitmap(bmp, new Rectangle(frm.checkBox1.Location, frm.checkBox1.Size));
            frm.radioButton1.DrawToBitmap(bmp, new Rectangle(frm.radioButton1.Location, frm.radioButton1.Size));

            pictureBox1.Image = bmp;
but i don't like the results at all..
thank You, and I hope that somebody will help me solve this.. (Ideas or some code are welcome.. )

6 Replies

Know the answer? Post it — somebody with the same question will find it here.

jinge17y ago
Hi friend,

Thank you for your information. It's always glad to see people who likes learning.

I think you can close a copy of the visual tree and apply the certain style, and then save them to the image.

Please see this article.

http://blogs.msdn.com/kirillosenkov/archive/2009/10/12/saving-images-bmp-png-etc-in-wpf-silverlight.aspx
0
Aleksandar Ilioski17y ago
I would like to read more details about that, but you are saing that you don't need any code about that.., my problem with this style picker is to learn more, learn programing.. learn something new.. something diferent that is why i was trying to drowe my styled form..
0
Kirtan Patel17y ago
you need to use Skinning Application That will Change your Windows Applicatin Look and Feel check SkinCrafter . it has lot of themes .and will change whole application Look in One Click very simple and No need of any programming effort :) if my answer helps you please check "Do you like this answer"
0
jinge17y ago
Hi guy,

Trust me. If we have an easy and a stable way, why not borther finding trouble for yourself?

0
Aleksandar Ilioski17y ago
same thing came in to my mind to.. but I was hoping to solve it another way.. more programaticly.. but if i think one more time.. it is maybe good way (screenshot) and definitly the easy one.. i still want to see other opinions
0
jinge17y ago
Hi guy,

I want to give you a trick. Take a screenshot of each style when your application runs. And then load the images for each visual style when the selected index changed in the ComboBox.

jinge

0