How can I convert a hex Color value to its human-readable string representation?

Question

I want to store a color hex value (such as "#FFFF1493") as its "human-friendly" name (such as "DeepPink").

With help from SLaks and nvoigt here, I've now got this code:

if (sender is Canvas)
{
    var canvas = sender as Canvas;
    var brush = canvas.Background as SolidColorBrush;
    var color = brush.Color;
    String brushColorAsStr = color.ToString();

    IAppSettings appSettings;
    if (App.SaveSettingsLocally)
    {
        appSettings = new AppSettingLocal();
    }
    else
    {
        appSettings = new AppSettingsRemote();
    }
    appSettings.SaveSetting(VisitsConsts.APP_BAR_COLOR_SETTING, brushColorAsStr);
}

...but the value in brushColorAsStr is "#FFFF1493" (when I click the DeepPink canvas control), and that doesn't work with my code to change the app bar color based on the color selected:

String brushColor = appSettings.GetSetting(VisitsConsts.APP_BAR_COLOR_SETTING);
if (null == brushColor) return;

if (brushColor.Equals("Blue"))
{
    CmdBar.Background = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.Blue);
}
else if (brushColor.Equals("Aqua"))
. . .

From here I got these suggestions:

Color colour = (Color)ColorConverter.ConvertFromString(brushColorAsStr);
System.Drawing.Color col = System.Drawing.ColorTranslator.FromHtml(brushColorAsStr);

...but "ColorConverter" and "Drawing" are unresolvable in my app. How can I get a human-readable name from a hex color val?

The first thing you probably should do is strip out the alpha channel, ie the first two hex digits.. — TaW, Nov 30 '14 at 18:49

score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:27

3

There isn't a mapping from numbers to names, but the Colors class maps from names to numbers. You can use reflection to build the reverse mapping.

See this previous answer for sample code: How to convert a Windows.UI.Color into a string color name in a Windows Universal app

edited May 23 '17 at 12:27

Community

1
1

answered Nov 30 '14 at 20:39

Rob Caplan - MSFT

21,714
3
32
54

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:50

1

These links might be helpful for you:

convert hex code to color name

http://www.xiirus.net/articles/article-c-convert-drawing_color-to-html-hex-color-value-and-back-cc8mp.aspx

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/f92a8d0a-8116-4fa6-8072-0b0f09536847/how-to-convert-the-hex-value-into-its-equivalent-color-name?forum=wpf

edited May 23 '17 at 11:50

Community

1
1

answered Nov 30 '14 at 18:50

Ishpreet

659
5
19

1

Nope; those, too, use classes that are not available to me / resolvable by me. Don't tell me I will have to end up doing "if color == "gobbledygookHexJunq"..." – B. Clay Shannon-B. Crow Raven Nov 30 '14 at 19:01

How can I convert a hex Color value to its human-readable string representation?

2 Answers2