Graphics Programming With Gdi+ - Softcover

Chand, Mahesh

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0321160770 ISBN 13: 9780321160775

Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional, 2003

Synopsis

By introducing the .NET Framework to the programming world, Microsoft has changed the perspective and vision of programming and programmers. Unlike previous programming environments, the .NET Framework is designed with the future of software development in mind. Besides introducing the new C# language and significant additions to Visual Basic .NET and other languages, the .NET Framework provides many new tools and utilities that make a programmer's life easier. Languages, tools, and utilities aside, the .NET Framework library is the real power of the .NET Framework. It's an object-oriented class library that defines an interface to interact with various programming technologies. Any programming language that is designed to work with the .NET Framework can access the library, which makes a programmer's life easier because the methods and properties defined in the library are the same, regardless of the language. Each class defined in the .NET Framework library belongs to a particular namespace --a logical unit that is used to separate a particular programming interface from others. For example, the System.Windows.Forms namespace defines classes that are used for WindowsForms development. System.Data and its subnamespaces define classes that are used for database development ADO.NET . GDI+ is the next-generation graphics device interface, defined in System.Drawing and its subnamespaces. This book focuses on how to write graphical Windows and Web applications using GDI+ and C# for the Microsoft .NET Framework. Who Is This Book For? This book is designed for intermediate developers who want to write graphics applications for the .NET Framework using GDI+ and C#. Here are the topics we will cover: What GDI+ is all about, and how it differs from GDI How GDI+ works, and where it is defined in the .NET Framework library How to draw text, lines, curves, rectangles, ellipses, and other graphics shapes in GDI+ How to fill rectangles, ellipses, and other closed curves with different colors, styles, and textures Painting and drawing in .NET Viewing and manipulating images How Windows Forms and Web Forms are related to drawing How to write Web-based graphics applications Printing in .NET Transforming graphics objects, colors, and images Interactive color blending and transparent colors Using GDI in .NET applications Precautions to take when writing GDI+ applications Optimizing the performance of GDI+ applications Prerequisites There are some things you should know before beginning this book: Language: This book is written in C#, but developers who want to use GDI+ with other .NET Framework languages--including Visual Basic .NET--can also use this book. Because C# and VB.NET share the same .NET Framework library, there isn't much difference aside from the language syntaxes. Knowledge of C# or VB.NET is not a requirement, however. If you are a C++ developer, you should have no difficulty using this book. Framework: I used Visual Studio .NET to develop and test the samples in this book. Knowledge of Visual Studio .NET and basics of the .NET Framework is a requirement. Basics of graphics programming: A basic understanding of graphics programming is a plus but is not mandatory. GDI programming experience: Experience with GDI programming is a plus but is not mandatory. What's in This Book That I Won't See in Other Books? This book is written by an experienced author who has been watching every .NET move closely since the birth of .NET. The author works very closely with the .NET community and has extensive experience developing real-world .NET applications. Besides covering GDI+-related namespaces and classes, this book takes a practical approach, discussing all concepts. Almost every chapter of the book ends with a real-world application, including FirstWebApp, GDI+Painter, ImageViewer, and many more. One chapter Chapter 13 is dedicated to GDI+ performance techniques, discussing what to do and what not to do, when we're writing graphics applications in .NET using GDI+. Chapter Organization Before we start, let's take a quick tour of this book. It has 15 chapters and one appendix. Here's a brief introduction: Chapter 1: GDI+: The Next-Generation Graphics Interface GDI+ is a new and improved version of GDI. This chapter introduces the GDI+ library, its advantages over previous versions, new features and additions to the library, and how it is related to the .NET Framework. Chapter 2: Your First GDI+ Application In the .NET Framework Library, GDI+ functionality is defined in the System.Drawing namespace and its subnamespaces. This chapter discusses the contents of these namespaces. After finishing this chapter, you will understand which functionality is defined where and when to which namespace. Chapter 3: The Graphics Class The Graphics class plays a major role in GDI+. Whenever you need to draw a graphics object, you must use the Graphics class. This chapter discusses Graphics class methods and properties, and how to use them. After completing this chapter, you'll have a pretty good idea how to draw and fill various graphics objects. Chapter 4: Working with Brushes and Pens Brushes and pens are used to fill and draw graphics objects. GDI+ provides many classes for working with brushes and pens. This chapter describes how to work with them. Chapter 5: Colors, Fonts, and Text This chapter discusses the color-, font-, and text-related classes provided by the .NET Framework class library in more detail. Chapter 6: Rectangles and Regions Rectangles and regions can be very useful--and very tricky. This chapter covers them in detail. Chapter 7: Working with Images The .NET Framework divides GDI+ functionality between two namespaces: System.Drawing and System.Drawing.Imaging . This chapter covers the basic imaging-related functionality defined in the System.Drawing namespace Chapter 8: Advanced Imaging This chapter discusses more imaging functionality, including the System.Drawing.Imaging namespace and how to work with metafiles in the .NET Framework. We will also see how to maintain the quality and rendering speed of images in GDI+. Chapter 9: Advanced 2D Graphics This chapter discusses advanced two-dimensional graphics programming using GDI+. Advanced 2D techniques and tools include blending, matrices, graphics paths, and gradient brushes. Chapter 10: Transformation This chapter examines GDI+ transformation. Transformation can be applied not only to graphics shapes, curves, and images, but also to image colors. Chapter 11: Printing Printing functionality in the .NET Framework library is defined in the System.Drawing.Printing namespace. This chapter explores this namespace and how to write printing applications. Chapter 12: Developing GDI+ Web Applications GDI+ can also be used in Web applications. This chapter discusses how to use GDI+ in Web applications with ASP.NET. Chapter 13: GDI+ Best Practices and Performance Techniques This chapter concentrates on GDI+ best practices and GDI+-related tips and tricks to improve the quality and performance of drawing. Chapter 14: GDI Interoperability This chapter demonstrates how GDI can be used with GDI+ in managed applications. Chapter 15: Miscellaneous GDI+ Examples In this chapter we have some fun with GDI+. Among the topics in this chapter are designing interactive GUI applications, creating shaped forms, and adding custom text in images. Appendix A: Exception Handling in .NET This appendix introduces exception and error handling in .NET. Example Source Code Complete source code for the examples in this book in both C# and Visual Basic .NET is available for download at [a href="http://www.awprofessional.com/titles/0321160770" target="New" target=_new>www.awprofessional.com/titles/0321160770 . Exception and Error Handling in the Samples The .NET Framework supports structured exception handling that's similar to C++ exception handling. The examples in this book do not include exception handling code. Adding exception handling code to every code snippet would have been confusing and redundant. Instead, we discuss exception and error handling concepts in Appendix A. It is highly recommended that you read Appendix A and apply exception and error handling techniques in your applications. 0321160770P10142003

About this title

From the Back Cover

“Graphics Programming with GDI+ explores and exploits a wonderful range of GDI+ programming concepts, techniques, and applications for programmers of beginner to intermediate abilities. Being a prolific contributor to the Internet community of developers, Mahesh Chand is offering what seems to be a natural extension of what he does best—sharing his programming skills with other talented programmers. Each chapter compels to the next.”

         —Jason Hattingh, Director, Greystone Digital FX

“Mahesh does a very good job getting .NET developers up to speed using the GDI+ features supported in the .NET Framework. There is good coverage of graphics fundamentals that helps the reader better understand the concepts of graphics programming with GDI+, and there are some excellent sample applications that demonstrate the graphics topics covered to reinforce the concepts presented.”

         —Charles G. Parker, President, Parallel Consulting, Inc.

“Graphics Programming with GDI+ is a comprehensive reference for anyone who wants to leverage this technology. It presents a clear discussion of the topics in such a manner that is comprehensible to the beginner, but sufficiently in-depth to challenge seasoned programmers.”

         —Deborah J. Bechtold, MCSD, MCDBA

"This is the most comprehensive book about graphics programming using GDI+ so far. This book will be a very useful handbook for everyone who does graphics programming for Windows."

         —Min Liu, Software Design Engineer of GDI+, Microsoft Corporation

Graphics Programming with GDI+ is the .NET developer's guide to writing graphics applications for Windows and the Web. Through the use of detailed examples it provides experienced programmers with a deep understanding of the entire GDI+ API defined in the .NET Framework class library.

The book begins with an introduction to GDI+ and the basics of graphics programming in Windows. The core of the book is a hands-on guide to practical topics, including how to use Windows Forms and optimize GDI+ performance. Chapters demonstrate how to develop real-world tools such as GDI+Painter, GDI+Editor, ImageViewer, and ImageAnimator. The author provides extensive reusable sample code in C# throughout, and complete downloadable source code in C# and Visual Basic .NET is available online, as are color versions of screen shots from the book.

Key topics include:

• How GDI+ compares to GDI
• How GDI+ is defined and used in the .NET Framework
• How to draw, paint, and fill graphics objects
• Viewing and manipulating images
• Transforming graphics objects, images, and colors
• Printing in .NET
• How to develop GDI+ Web applications
• How to optimize drawing quality and performance
• Interactive color blending and transparent colors
• GDI interoperability
• Answers to frequently asked GDI+ questions

Graphics Programming in GDI+ is the most in-depth treatment available on writing effective graphics applications for the .NET Framework.

About the Author

Mahesh Chand is a .NET consultant and the founder and administrator of two popular community Web sites, www.c-sharpcorner.com and www.mindcracker.com. He has been working with .NET since the pre-beta releases. Mahesh is the author of A Programmer¿s Guide to ADO.NET in C# (APress, 2002) and coauthor of Applied ADO.NET (APress, 2003).

0321160770AB09252003

About this edition

• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0321160770
• ISBN 13: 9780321160775
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 704