Perform Paint in top of multiple controls

Question

I have a short problem. How can i paint this kind of image in top of any controls like textbox etc.

This is my code:

Private Sub GroupBox6_Paint(sender As Object, e As PaintEventArgs) Handles GroupBox6.Paint
    If txtStatus.Text = "Cancelled" Then
        Try
            Dim newImage As Image = Image.FromFile(FOLDER_PATH & "\completed.png")
            Dim x As Single = ((GroupBox6.Width / 2) - (463 / 4))
            Dim y As Single = 10
            Dim width As Single = 463 / 2
            Dim height As Single = 242 / 2
            e.Graphics.DrawImage(newImage, x, y, width, height)
        Catch ex As Exception
        End Try
     End If
End Sub

And this is my Output:

so my goal is to paint the image Completed in top of textbox, label inside my groupbox any idea?

Do you want to show the image as an overlay when the user has completed a process and hide the underlying controls? I think it's easier to use a PictureBox control that is shown instead of the Groupbox when the status is "Cancelled" instead of drawing the image on the groupbox. — Markus, Dec 07 '16 at 08:47
@Markus if i use picture box it is not transparent that's why i paint the image on the control that will hold it. but in my case txtbox and label is covering the image. i just want to paint it and maybe send it to front of gropbox and other control inside of groupbox — Muj, Dec 07 '16 at 08:51
There are two solutions that i can think of. 1. Create a layered window and show it on top of the controls 2. Take a screenshot of the part the image will appear and draw it on picbox and then draw the png image — γηράσκω δ' αεί πολλά διδασκόμε, Dec 10 '16 at 08:58
@γηράσκωδ'αείπολλάδιδασκόμε hmm. can you give me a sample code or idea on how to do it. I think step 2 will work. — Muj, Dec 10 '16 at 09:03
You should be able to get it working with a picturebox with a transparent PNG and some tweaking. Other methods that draw on the screen directly are quite flawed, because you don't own the screen. Check this out : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4144371/a-picturebox-problem difficult to help more w/o a reproducing code. — Simon Mourier, Dec 10 '16 at 09:44
@SimonMourier *Other methods that draw on the screen **directly**...* where did you see a method like that — γηράσκω δ' αεί πολλά διδασκόμε, Dec 11 '16 at 01:41

γηράσκω δ' αεί πολλά διδασκόμε · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-13T10:00:47.173

You need two bitmaps and a picturebox for this to work. The first one is the png image and the second one the picturebox image:

Private pngImage, picBoxImage As Image

In form load event initialize the two images:

Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
    pngImage = Image.FromFile(FOLDER_PATH & "\completed.png") //load it once
    picBoxImage = CType(pngImage.Clone, Image)

    PictureBox1.Size = New Size(CInt(463 / 2), CInt(242 / 2))
    PictureBox1.Parent = GroupBox6
    PictureBox1.Image = picBoxImage
    PictureBox1.Visible = False //you dont want it at the beggining
End Sub

The sub to show the picturebox:

Private Sub ShowCompletedMessage()
    Dim screenLocation As Point
    Dim gr As Graphics
    //you can pass these values as parameters in the sub if you want to make the code more generic
    Dim x As Integer = CInt(((GroupBox6.Width / 2) - (463 / 4)))
    Dim y As Integer = 10
    Dim width As Integer = CInt(463 / 2)
    Dim height As Integer = CInt(242 / 2)

    //Ensure that picturebox is not visible. If it is you don't need to take a screenshot
    If PictureBox1.Visible = True Then
        Return
    End If

    gr = Graphics.FromImage(picBoxImage)

    //you need to transform the coordinates to screen ones
    screenLocation = GroupBox6.PointToScreen(New Point(x, y))

    //draw the portion of the screen to your bitmap
    gr.CopyFromScreen(screenLocation.X, screenLocation.Y, 0, 0, New Size(width, height), CopyPixelOperation.SourceCopy)

    //draw the png image on top
    gr.DrawImage(pngImage, 0, 0, width, height)

    PictureBox1.Location = New Point(x, y)
    PictureBox1.BringToFront()
    PictureBox1.Visible = True

    gr.Dispose()
    gr = Nothing


    Return

End Sub

Every time you want to show the message call the above sub. You decide from where and when. You need to hide picturebox if you don't need it anymore

PictureBox1.Visible = False

where should i put this kind of code in my form? inside groupbox paint event? so that i can try it and see the result — Muj, Dec 13 '16 at 03:15
@Muj Do *width*, *height* and *position* of png image change? Of course position will be relative to *GroupBox6*. — γηράσκω δ' αεί πολλά διδασκόμε, Dec 13 '16 at 05:43
yeah but where should i insert this code so that the system will execute it? in the `groupbox6 paint event?` or some where else? — Muj, Dec 13 '16 at 08:38

Perform Paint in top of multiple controls

1 Answers1