GDI+ Best Practices and Performance Techniques
It must be said that code optimization skill and knowledge of performance techniques are best acquired from the shared experiences of other developers. With the ever expanding capabilities of Internet communication, the best resources are online forums, newsgroups, and sites dedicated to code sharing. A recommended resource for topics covered in this chapter (and indeed throughout this book) is the C# Corner site (http://www.c-sharpcorner.com).
Let's start with an introduction of the basic architecture of drawing (rendering or painting) within Windows Forms using GDI+. By the end of this chapter, you will be armed with GDI+ tips and tricks that make a significant difference in the efficiency of many performance-oriented graphics applications. Note, however, that these tips and tricks may not be applicable for Web applications.
Here are the topics that we will discuss in this chapter:
- Understanding the drawing and rendering process
- How to write paint event handlers for Windows Forms and controls
- Disposing of graphics objects
- The OnPaintBackground method
- Drawing performance and the role of variables' scope and type
- Double buffering
- The SetStyle method
- Generic tips and tricks for quality and performance
GDI+: The Next-Generation Graphics Interface
- GDI+: The Next-Generation Graphics Interface
- Understanding GDI+
- Exploring GDI+ Functionality
- GDI+ from a GDI Perspective
- GDI+ Namespaces and Classes in .NET
- Summary
Your First GDI+ Application
- Your First GDI+ Application
- Drawing Surfaces
- The Coordinate System
- Tutorial: Your First GDI+ Application
- Some Basic GDI+ Objects
The Graphics Class
- The Graphics Class
- Graphics Class Properties
- Graphics Class Methods
- The GDI+Painter Application
- Drawing a Pie Chart
Working with Brushes and Pens
- Working with Brushes and Pens
- Understanding and Using Brushes
- Using Pens in GDI+
- Transformation with Pens
- Transformation with Brushes
- System Pens and System Brushes
- A Real-World Example: Adding Colors, Pens, and Brushes to the GDI+Painter Application
Colors, Fonts, and Text
- Colors, Fonts, and Text
- Accessing the Graphics Object
- Working with Colors
- Working with Fonts
- Working with Text and Strings
- Rendering Text with Quality and Performance
- Advanced Typography
- A Simple Text Editor
- Transforming Text
Rectangles and Regions
- Rectangles and Regions
- The Rectangle Structure
- The Region Class
- Regions and Clipping
- Clipping Regions Example
- Regions, Nonrectangular Forms, and Controls
Working with Images
- Working with Images
- Raster and Vector Images
- Working with Images
- Manipulating Images
- Playing Animations in GDI+
- Working with Bitmaps
- Working with Icons
- Skewing Images
- Drawing Transparent Graphics Objects
- Viewing Multiple Images
- Using a Picture Box to View Images
- Saving Images with Different Sizes
Advanced Imaging
- Advanced Imaging
- Rendering Partial Bitmaps
- Working with Metafiles
- Color Mapping Using Color Objects
- Image Attributes and the ImageAttributes Class
- Encoder Parameters and Image Formats
Advanced 2D Graphics
- Advanced 2D Graphics
- Line Caps and Line Styles
- Understanding and Using Graphics Paths
- Graphics Containers
- Reading Metadata of Images
- Blending Explained
- Alpha Blending
- Miscellaneous Advanced 2D Topics
Transformation
- Transformation
- Coordinate Systems
- Transformation Types
- The Matrix Class and Transformation
- The Graphics Class and Transformation
- Global, Local, and Composite Transformations
- Image Transformation
- Color Transformation and the Color Matrix
- Matrix Operations in Image Processing
- Text Transformation
- The Significance of Transformation Order
Printing
- Printing
- A Brief History of Printing with Microsoft Windows
- Overview of the Printing Process
- Your First Printing Application
- Printer Settings
- The PrintDocument and Print Events
- Printing Text
- Printing Graphics
- Print Dialogs
- Customizing Page Settings
- Printing Multiple Pages
- Marginal Printing: A Caution
- Getting into the Details: Custom Controlling and the Print Controller
Developing GDI+ Web Applications
- Developing GDI+ Web Applications
- Creating Your First ASP.NET Web Application
- Your First Graphics Web Application
- Drawing Simple Graphics
- Drawing Images on the Web
- Drawing a Line Chart
- Drawing a Pie Chart
GDI+ Best Practices and Performance Techniques
- GDI+ Best Practices and Performance Techniques
- Understanding the Rendering Process
- Double Buffering and Flicker-Free Drawing
- Understanding the SetStyle Method
- The Quality and Performance of Drawing
GDI Interoperability
Miscellaneous GDI+ Examples
- Miscellaneous GDI+ Examples
- Designing Interactive GUI Applications
- Drawing Shaped Forms and Windows Controls
- Adding Copyright Information to a Drawn Image
- Reading and Writing Images to and from a Stream or Database
- Creating Owner-Drawn List Controls
Appendix A. Exception Handling in .NET
