How do I make a color written to file as "RRRGGGBBBAAA", each pixel showing 000-255

[Winston17]

I'm a little confused. I'm trying to write a file that writes the color in PictureBox1 to a new file like Yellow would read "255255000255", where the first 3 digits is red, 4-6 is green, 7-9 (where the 0s are) is blue and the final 3 is alpha,using SaveFileDialog1. My application keeps getting red zig zags in the code, but if it helps, here is what I have...

Imports System.ComponentModel

Public Class Form1
    Function IntegerToColor(ByRef RGB As Int32) As System.Drawing.Color
        Dim Bytes As Byte() = BitConverter.GetBytes(RGB)
        Dim Alpha As Byte = Bytes(3)
        Dim Red As Byte = Bytes(0)
        Dim Green As Byte = Bytes(1)
        Dim Blue As Byte = Bytes(2)
        Return Color.FromArgb(Alpha, Red, Green, Blue)
    End Function
    Public Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        OpenFileDialog1.Filter = "J Pixel Color|*.pixcolu"
        If OpenFileDialog1.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
            Dim Text = IO.File.ReadAllText(OpenFileDialog1.FileName)
            If Text.Length = 12 Then
                Dim rr As Byte
                Dim gg As Byte
                Dim bb As Byte
                Dim aa As Byte
                If Byte.TryParse(text.Substring(0, 3), rr) AndAlso rr >= 0 AndAlso rr <= 255 AndAlso
                   Byte.TryParse(text.Substring(3, 3), gg) AndAlso gg >= 0 AndAlso gg <= 255 AndAlso
                   Byte.TryParse(text.Substring(6, 3), bb) AndAlso bb >= 0 AndAlso bb <= 255 AndAlso
                   Byte.TryParse(text.Substring(9, 3), aa) AndAlso aa >= 0 AndAlso aa <= 255 Then
                    Dim clr = Color.FromArgb(aa, rr, gg, bb)
                    PictureBox1.BackColor = clr
                Else
                    MessageBox.Show("Error. You Either Closed The Search, Selected An Invalid, Or Corrupt File, Or Selected A Folder.")
                End If
            Else
            End If

        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub PictureBox1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles PictureBox1.Click
        Dim result As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("What is this box for, you ask? This is where the color will be displayed. You can view and edit the code in a text-editing app. I might make a save button in the near future.", "Help", MessageBoxButtons.OK)
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Console.Beep(500, 500)
        Dim result As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("Are you sure you want to quit?", "Are you sure?", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
        If result = DialogResult.No Then
            Return
        ElseIf result = DialogResult.Yes Then
            End
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button3_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button3.Click
        Using colu = New OpenFileDialog()
            With colu
                .Filter = "My Pixel Color | *.pixcolu"

                If (.ShowDialog = DialogResult.OK) Then
                    Dim result As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("Would you like to close this color app when it opens in Notepad? Hitting YES will close this app and open the selected file in Notepad, hitting NO will keep the color app open and add a Notepad window with the selected file.", "How would you like to switch to Notepad?", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
                    If result = DialogResult.No Then
                        System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("notepad.exe", .FileName)
                    ElseIf result = DialogResult.Yes Then
                        System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("notepad.exe", .FileName)
                        End
                    End If
                End If
            End With
        End Using
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Close(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Closing(sender As Object, e As CancelEventArgs) Handles Me.Closing
        Console.Beep(500, 500)
        Dim result As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("Are you sure you want to quit?", "Are you sure?", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
        If result = DialogResult.No Then
            e.Cancel = True
        ElseIf result = DialogResult.Yes Then
            Console.Beep(500, 100)
            Console.Beep(490, 100)
            Console.Beep(480, 100)
            Console.Beep(470, 100)
            Console.Beep(460, 100)
            Console.Beep(450, 100)
            Console.Beep(440, 100)
            Console.Beep(430, 100)
            Console.Beep(420, 100)
            Console.Beep(410, 100)
            Console.Beep(400, 100)
            Console.Beep(390, 100)
            Console.Beep(380, 100)
            Console.Beep(370, 100)
            Console.Beep(360, 100)
            Console.Beep(350, 100)
            Console.Beep(340, 100)
            Console.Beep(330, 100)
            Console.Beep(320, 100)
            Console.Beep(310, 100)
            Console.Beep(300, 100)
            End
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub NotifyIcon1_MouseDoubleClick(sender As Object, e As MouseEventArgs)

    End Sub

    Private Sub Button4_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
        Dim Colors As DialogResult
        Colors = ColorDialog1.ShowDialog()
        If Colors = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
            PictureBox1.BackColor = ColorDialog1.Color
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub OpenFileDialog1_FileOk(sender As Object, e As CancelEventArgs) Handles OpenFileDialog1.FileOk

    End Sub

    Private Sub Button5_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button5.Click
        Dim hexString As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString2 As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString3 As String = Nothing
        hexString = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.R)
        hexString2 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.G)
        hexString3 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.B)
        Clipboard.SetText("#" & hexString.ToString().PadLeft(2, "0") + hexString2.ToString().PadLeft(2, "0") + hexString3.ToString().PadLeft(2, "0"))
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button6_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button6.Click

        Dim hexString As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString2 As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString3 As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing
        hexString = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.R)
        hexString2 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.G)
        hexString3 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.B)
        hexString4 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.A)
        hexString.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString2.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString3.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString4.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        SaveFileDialog1.Filter = "My Pixel Color (*.pixcolu*)|*.pixcolu"
        If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK _
        Then
            SaveFileDialog1.Filter = "TXT Files (*.txt*)|*.txt"
            If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK _
       Then
                My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText _
            (SaveFileDialog1.FileName, WriteLine(hexString & hexString2 & hexString3 & hexString4).Text, True)
            End If
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub SaveFileDialog1_FileOk(sender As Object, e As CancelEventArgs) Handles SaveFileDialog1.FileOk

    End Sub
End Class

I'm sure the red zig-zags is telling me that there is an error, but I don't know what to do after searching. Could you please help? How do I write it so I can save with a text file in chosen location in digits 000 - 255, combined with the other digits ("RRRGGGBBBAAA")? (If you have heard from me before, I was asking and how to make it read files, but how to write it?) I'm sure you get the idea of what I am trying to do, at the end of the code.

(Sorry if I have the code a little off.) Thank you for helping.

[OptionBase1]

If you post a bunch of code, always do something to indicate which line(s) of code are generating the errors. Also, you should use meaningful names for controls so that we don't have to guess that "Button6" is your "Save" button.

That being said, one huge issue I see is highlighted below:

My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText _
(SaveFileDialog1.FileName, WriteLine(hexString & hexString2 & hexString3 & hexString4).Text, True)

The bolded piece is all kinds of wrong. It probably should just be something like:

My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText _
            (SaveFileDialog1.FileName, (hexString & hexString2 & hexString3 & hexString4), True)

That being said, the True at the end will append to the file, which I'm assuming you want, but I'm not sure, so I thought I would at least mention it in case that isn't what you want.

[Winston17]

That appeared to fix everything but one thing, now "My.Computer"

If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK _
        Then
            SaveFileDialog1.Filter = "My Pixel Color (*.pixcolu*)|*.pixcolu"
            If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
                My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText _
            (SaveFileDialog1.FileName, (hexString & hexString2 & hexString3 & hexString4), True)
            End If

is underlined as red, and is says, "'Computer' is not a member of '_4.My'." What happened here? Somethings not right; I tried that, and I tried taking out "Computer", "My.FileSystem.WriteAllText" and still has the red zig-zag.

[Winston17]

I tried this;

        Dim hexString As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString2 As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString3 As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing
        hexString = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.R)
        hexString2 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.G)
        hexString3 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.B)
        hexString4 = Hex(PictureBox1.BackColor.A)
        hexString.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString2.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString3.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString4.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        SaveFileDialog1.Filter = "My Pixel Color (*.pixcolu*)|*.pixcolu"
        If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK _
        Then
            IO.File.WriteAllText _
        (SaveFileDialog1.FileName, (hexString & hexString2 & hexString3 & hexString4))
        End If

unfortunately, instead of writing black as "000000000255", it wrote "000FF". I would like it to have 4 3-digit numbers, not 3 lowest-digit numbers and hex.

[PlausiblyDamp]

That appeared to fix everything but one thing, now "My.Computer"

If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK _
        Then
            SaveFileDialog1.Filter = "My Pixel Color (*.pixcolu*)|*.pixcolu"
            If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
                My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText _
            (SaveFileDialog1.FileName, (hexString & hexString2 & hexString3 & hexString4), True)
            End If

is underlined as red, and is says, "'Computer' is not a member of '_4.My'." What happened here? Somethings not right; I tried that, and I tried taking out "Computer", "My.FileSystem.WriteAllText" and still has the red zig-zag.

Where does _4 come from? Have you declared anything with the name My?

[Winston17]

I got part of it to work, I needed to have it convert each 4 channels (RGBA) to decimal and 3 digits.

Tested saving, It wrote "000FF" instead of "000000000255".

Making a few changes (Removing "Hex") did make it decimal, but instead of having the 3 digits in each 4 pixels, it only has lowest rounded digits (instead of "000000000255" I got "00025").

Here is what I have...

Dim hexString As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString2 As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString3 As String = Nothing
        Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing
        hexString = (PictureBox1.BackColor.R)
        hexString2 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.G)
        hexString3 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.B)
        hexString4 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.A)
        hexString.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString2.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString3.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        hexString4.ToString().PadLeft(3, "0"c)
        SaveFileDialog1.Filter = "My Pixel Color (*.pixcolu*)|*.pixcolu"
        If SaveFileDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK _
        Then
            IO.File.WriteAllText _
        (SaveFileDialog1.FileName, (hexString & hexString2 & hexString3 & hexString4))
        End If

I want 0 to be saved and written as text reading 000 on each 4 pixels, and 1 as 001, 5 as 005, 10 as 010, 25 as 025, 100 as 100 and so... up to 255 as 255.

I want to add leading 0s before the number if possible to make triple digits. Do I need to do "If less than 10" or "If less than 100" and add 0s if needed?

[OptionBase1]

Have you heard of the phrase "All dressed up with no place to go"?

The lines of code where you are adding leading 0's are the getting "all dressed up" piece, but you aren't assigning the resulting value to anything, the "no place to go" piece.

It should be something like:

hexString = hexString.PadLeft(3, "0"c)

[Winston17]

I ran into a new problem. It works, but while working, I noticed the ColorPicker doesn't support transparency/alpha.
So, I tried to make 3 buttons to adjust it (buttons renamed for comprehension):

    Private Sub InvisibleButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles InvisibleButton.Click
        Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing
        hexString4 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.A)
        hexString4 = 0
    End Sub

    Private Sub SolidButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SolidButton.Click
        Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing
        hexString4 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.A)
        hexString4 = 255
    End Sub

    Private Sub ClearButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ClearButton.Click
        Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing
        hexString4 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.A)
        hexString4 = 128
    End Sub

But when I hit the buttons, nothing happens, I even tried checking the file created in my app, it is stuck on "255".
How do I do one of the following?:

Plan A. Make 3 buttons and have it set alpha on Invisible (0), Transparent (128) and Solid (255)

Plan B. Make a number box ranging 0 - 255, link it to "PictureBox1.BackColor.A" and adjust alpha/transparency that way

Plan C. Set ColorDialog to allow Alpha (But it can't...This one pretty much failed)

Plan D. Download a different or modified version of ColorPicker, and import that to my app and use it to adjust transparency

Plan E. Get help on other ways to do it

Plan F. Ask the manufacturers of Visual Studio 2019, Microsoft to add the feature (Lets try to avoid this one)

Plan F. Remove Alpha from program (This one I also want to avoid)

Can anyone, please, help?

[si_the_geek]

The problem there is that you have declared hexString4 inside each of the routines - and variables declared inside a routine only exist inside that routine (the ones inside other routines are different variables, even if they have the same name).

To share a variable between routines you could pass it as a parameter (which isn't apt here) or you can declare the variable outside any routines (such as at the top of the class, just after the Public Class line) which should work for you in this case.

Note that if you do declare a variable outside of a routine, you should avoid declaring any variables inside routines with the same name (it causes confusion while writing/reading the code).

[Winston17]

Sorry, I wrote F twice in my last message, it was supposed to say;

Plan A. Make 3 buttons and have it set alpha on Invisible (0), Transparent (128) and Solid (255)

Plan B. Make a number box ranging 0 - 255, link it to "PictureBox1.BackColor.A" and adjust alpha/transparency that way

Plan C. Set ColorDialog to allow Alpha (But it can't...This one pretty much failed)

Plan D. Download a different or modified version of ColorPicker, and import that to my app and use it to adjust transparency

Plan E. Get help on other ways to do it

Plan F. Ask the manufacturers of Visual Studio 2019, Microsoft to add the feature (Lets try to avoid this one)

Plan G. Remove Alpha from program (This one I also want to avoid)



With the "routines declared" thing, Could you give me a few good-and-bad examples of code, si_the_geek?

[si_the_geek]

Your code in post #8 would be changed to this:

    Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing

    Private Sub InvisibleButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles InvisibleButton.Click
        hexString4 = 0
    End Sub

    Private Sub SolidButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SolidButton.Click
        hexString4 = 255
    End Sub

    Private Sub ClearButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ClearButton.Click
        hexString4 = 128
    End Sub

To use the value in your save routine, just remove the declaration (dim) of hexString4, and remove the line hexString4 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.A)

[Winston17]

Like this?

Private Sub SolidButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SolidButton.Click
        hexString4 As String = Nothing
        hexString4 = 255
    End Sub

It didn't work...

[Winston17]

Your code in post #8 would be changed to this:

    Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing

    Private Sub InvisibleButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles InvisibleButton.Click
        hexString4 = 0
    End Sub

    Private Sub SolidButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SolidButton.Click
        hexString4 = 255
    End Sub

    Private Sub ClearButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ClearButton.Click
        hexString4 = 128
    End Sub

To use the value in your save routine, just remove the declaration (dim) of hexString4, and remove the line hexString4 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.A)

But you didn't delete Dim here if you mean this (In thick letters)?

    Dim hexString4 As String = Nothing

    Private Sub InvisibleButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles InvisibleButton.Click
        hexString4 = 0
    End Sub

    Private Sub SolidButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SolidButton.Click
        hexString4 = 255
    End Sub

    Private Sub ClearButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ClearButton.Click
        hexString4 = 128
    End Sub

[Winston17]

OK! Got the Alpha to work.
But now...
What do I use in the "question-marks" to color itself it's own color, or preserve color, but change alpha to the number?
Could not find a "Color.FromAlpha" tool to change just the transparency, So using "Color.FromArgb", and I have to change the Red-Green-Blue to themselves so they don't change...How?

    Private Sub InvisibleButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles InvisibleButton.Click
        PictureBox1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(0, ?, ?, ?)
    End Sub

    Private Sub SolidButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SolidButton.Click
        PictureBox1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(255, ?, ?, ?)
    End Sub

    Private Sub ClearButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ClearButton.Click
        PictureBox1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(128, ?, ?, ?)
    End Sub

I only need to change the alpha, not the colors. I got colors already, I just need to keep them memorized or the same. Can anyone tell me what I need?

[PlausiblyDamp]

OK! Got the Alpha to work.
But now...
What do I use in the "question-marks" to color itself it's own color, or preserve color, but change alpha to the number?
Could not find a "Color.FromAlpha" tool to change just the transparency, So using "Color.FromArgb", and I have to change the Red-Green-Blue to themselves so they don't change...How?

    Private Sub InvisibleButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles InvisibleButton.Click
        PictureBox1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(0, ?, ?, ?)
    End Sub

    Private Sub SolidButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SolidButton.Click
        PictureBox1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(255, ?, ?, ?)
    End Sub

    Private Sub ClearButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ClearButton.Click
        PictureBox1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb(128, ?, ?, ?)
    End Sub

I only need to change the alpha, not the colors. I got colors already, I just need to keep them memorized or the same. Can anyone tell me what I need?

Presumably you would need to copy the existing values for R, G, and B

[si_the_geek]

To use the value in your save routine, just remove the declaration (dim) of hexString4, and remove the line hexString4 = (PictureBox1.BackColor.A)

But you didn't delete Dim here if you mean this (In thick letters)?

That line of my post was referring to your save routine... meaning that you should use just the Dim I showed (which creates a variable all routines in the file can share), and remove the Dim that is inside the save routine (which creates a completely different variable which happens to have the same name).

[Niya]

What do I use in the "question-marks" to color itself it's own color, or preserve color, but change alpha to the number?

You could do this:-

        Dim alpha As Byte = 150 'Alpha value

        Me.PictureBox1.BackColor = Color.FromArgb((Me.PictureBox1.BackColor.ToArgb And &HFFFFFF) Or (CInt(alpha) << 24))