Visual Basic Graphics Programming Pdf
Merja Caryk
Using some creativity and efficient coding, you can use VB6 to do almost anything that C++, java, DirectX or OpenGL does - and almost always as fast (and in some cases faster!). The code for DIB sections, the ultimate end of these tutorials, is not well-documented anywhere else on the net, so I have set out to clearly explain how extremely fast graphics-related code can be used inside Visual Basic without a lot of extra work or overly-cryptic API calls.
Also, unlike other programming tutorials, this series of articles will explain not only how to do fast graphics but how fast graphics work. You will first learn about pure VB routines for graphics processing; next comes the basic API routines of GetPixel and SetPixel/V; third comes the more advanced GetBitmapBits, SetBitmapBits, and DIB sections; the last tutorial will cover additional optimizations for the real speed demons out there. By the end of this series of tutorials you will be able to effectively write any graphics application you can dream up using nothing but VB6 and the Windows API.
Graphics programming (hereafter referred to as GP) is, in my opinion, the most far-reaching aspect of programming. Every Windows, Linux, and Mac program that has been written in the last twenty years has utilized graphics in some way. Because of the popularity of GUI-based operating systems, every programmer has been forced to learn at least the fundamentals of GP, because any program they write must include little picture boxes, have nice buttons and toolbars, load with a pretty splash screen, etc.
What this tutorial will not cover is how to do specific image editing routines (please refer to the numerous source code examples on the internet for that), how to write graphics-based dlls or ocxs, or how to use DirectX. There are resources for each of these if you are interested; my goal is simply to outline the standard Windows API methods for per-pixel image interfacing.
Graphics play a crucial role in Visual Basic programming, as an appealing user interface is essential for attracting users. In traditional BASIC, creating and designing graphics was a challenging task, requiring painstaking line-by-line programming in a text-based environment. Fortunately, Visual Basic 6 revolutionized this process, simplifying and streamlining graphics creation.
Using the line and shape controls to draw graphics will only enable you to create a simple design. In order to improve the look of the interface, you need to put in images and pictures of your own. Fortunately, there are two very powerful graphics tools you can use in Visual Basic 6 which are the image box and the picture box.
To load a picture or image into an image box or a picture box, you can click on the picture property in the properties window to launch a dialog box that will prompt you to select a certain picture file. You can also load a picture at runtime by using the LoadPictrure ( ) method. The syntax is
Although the Pset method can be used to draw a straight line on the form, it is a little slow. It is better to use the Line method if you want to draw a straight line faster. The format of the Line command is shown below. It draws a line from the point (x1, y1) to the point (x2, y2) and the color constant will determine the color of the line.
In the chapter of Visual Basic Essentials we will cover the drawing of 2D graphics on controls using Visual Basic. In this tutorial we will create a project containing a blank form and work step by step through drawing on the form.Start Visual Studio and create a new Windows Application project.
Begin by double clicking on the new Form in the Visual Studio project to access the event procedure code for the form control. From the pull-down list, select the Paint event as shown below (if you are using Visual Studio 2008 the events are accessed by clicking on the lightning bolt above the properties list):Once selected, Visual Studio will display the Paint event subroutine. The next task is to create a paintbrush with which to paint: Private Sub Form1_Paint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) Handles Me.Paint Dim blueBrush As New Drawing.SolidBrush(Color.Blue) End SubIn the above code we have created a new SolidBrush drawing object using color blue and assigned it to variable blueBrush. The next step is to use the brush to draw a shape: Private Sub Form1_Paint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) Handles Me.Paint Dim blueBrush As New Drawing.SolidBrush(Color.Blue) e.Graphics.FillRectangle(blueBrush, 20, 30, 100, 100) End SubThe above example tells the Graphics object to draw a rectangle at coordinates x=20, y=30 of height and width equal to 100. Press 'F5 to build and run the application which should appear as follows:Visual Basic provides a wide range of brush effects. A gradient effect, for example, can be achieved using the LinearGradientBrush: Dim myRectangle As New Drawing.Rectangle(10, 10, 100, 100) Dim myGradient As New Drawing2D.LinearGradientBrush(myRectangle, Color.Red, Color.Blue, 50) e.Graphics.FillRectangle(myGradient, 20, 30, 100, 100)The above code produces the following output:Drawing in Visual Basic Using a PenThe Visual Basic Pen object can be used to draw lines between specific points and of specific widths as follows:Dim greenPen As New Drawing.Pen(Color.Green, 10)e.Graphics.DrawLine(greenPen, 20, 30, 100, 100)The above example draws a line between the coordinates provided using a width of 10 pixels as follows:
The following code excerpts demonstrate how to draw various shapes in Visual Basic:Drawing a Ellipse Dim greenPen As New Drawing.Pen(Color.Green, 10) e.Graphics.DrawEllipse(greenPen, 10, 10, 100, 200)Drawing a Rectangle Dim greenPen As New Drawing.Pen(Color.Green, 10) e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(greenPen, 10, 10, 100, 200)Drawing Text in Visual BasicText is drawn in Visual Basic using the DrawString() method. This takes the text, font object, brush and coordinates as parameters.First a font object needs to be defined. This involves specifying the font type and size:Dim fontObj As FontfontObj = new System.Drawing.Font("Times", 25, FontStyle.Bold)A number of brush types are preconfigured for your use in Visual Basic. In this example we will use the System.Drawing.Brushes.Chocolate brush: Dim fontObj As Font fontObj = New System.Drawing.Font("Times", 25, FontStyle.Bold) e.Graphics.DrawString("Techotopia Rocks", fontObj, Brushes.Chocolate, 10, 10)The above code draws the following text:Clearing a Drawing AreaA drawing area may be cleared using any color via the Visual Basic Graphics object Clear() method as follows:e.Graphics.Clear(Color.White)SummaryThis chapter is intended to provide a basic grounding in Graphics drawing in Visual Basic. The area of graphics drawing is vast and it is impossible to cover everything in a single chapter. Hopefully enough has been covered hear to give you the confidence to experiment and learn more.
I should also mention that with VB, it is easy to use DirectX with it. However, the problems with DirectX are that it is restricted to Windows only, and you need to write a lot more bulking to get the simplest tasks done.
amazon.com Visual Basic(r) Graphics Programming: Hands-On Applications and Advanced Color Development, 2nd EditionAll the tools you need to create the full range of Visual Basic(r) color graphics applications Expert Rod Stephens provides you with everything you need to add advanced graphics to your applications i ...
Thanks for all the replies. When I signed up for the course I did not know what language would be used. If I was going to spend time learning a language my choice would not be VB. That being said I thought trying to use it for something I was interested in would help.
mzunga: That is a good point. I think I should not extent learning too far from the class, but in a way the teacher encourages. If you hand in a good program that shows you know what your doing than the teacher will give you an automatic A for the midterm or final. So it may be better to programs in the book and work with the teacher to try to improve my programming than learn a specific function of VB.
others: I agree that python is quick and easy. I have little experience with programming but have read enough to know basic concepts like variables, variable scope, flow control, etc; Python seemed easy enough that you could focus more on what you were trying to accomplish than, ok where do I put that semi colon?
Graphics programming is a field of computer science that focuses on creating and manipulating visual content, such as images, animations, and videos, using a computer. It involves designing and implementing algorithms, techniques, and tools to generate and render graphical objects and scenes in real-time or offline.
Graphics programming plays a crucial role in a wide range of applications, including video games, virtual reality (VR) experiences, computer-aided design (CAD), scientific simulations, data visualization, film and animation production, and more. It enables the creation of visually stunning and interactive digital content that is essential in various industries and domains.
Over the years, graphics programming has evolved significantly, driven by advances in computer hardware and software technologies. One of the key components in graphics programming is the interplay between the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which are specialized processors designed for different tasks. The CPU handles general-purpose computing tasks, while the GPU is optimized for parallel processing of graphics data.
Graphics programming involves the coordination and utilization of two key processors: the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). These two processors work together to generate and render graphical objects and scenes.
The CPU is a general-purpose processor that performs various tasks in a computer system, such as executing instructions, managing memory, and handling input/output operations. In graphics programming, the CPU plays a crucial role in managing the overall flow of the program, handling non-graphical computations, and communicating with other system components.
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