listbox colors

[p_c]

can anybody tell me if it is possible to display items in a list box with different font colors ?

thanks
p_c

[crptcblade]

Change the DrawMode property of the listbox to OwnerDrawFixed or OwnerDrawVariable and draw the items yourself.

I believe that is the only way.

[taxes]

Hi,

Like this?

Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        '    Private Sub FillListBoxWithColors()
        ' Make the listbox owner-draw.
        ListBox1.DrawMode = DrawMode.OwnerDrawFixed
        ListBox1.ItemHeight = 24
 
        ' Avoid flickering.
        ListBox1.BeginUpdate()
        ListBox1.Items.Clear()
 
        ' Create a list of all the properties in the Color class.
        Dim pi As Reflection.PropertyInfo
        For Each pi In GetType(Color).GetProperties(Reflection.BindingFlags.Static Or Reflection.BindingFlags.Public)
            ' Add the name of the property (that is, the color) to the ListBox.
            ListBox1.Items.Add(pi.Name)
        Next
        ' Now display the result.
        ListBox1.EndUpdate()
    End Sub
 
    ' this event handler is called for each element about to be drawn
 
    Private Sub ListBox1_DrawItem(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DrawItemEventArgs) Handles ListBox1.DrawItem
        ' Get the rectangle to be drawn.
        Dim rect As Rectangle = e.Bounds
 
        ' If this is the selected item, draw the background.
        If CBool(e.State And DrawItemState.Selected) Then
            ' Fill the rectable with the highlight system color.
            e.Graphics.FillRectangle(SystemBrushes.Highlight, rect)
        Else
            ' else, fill the rectangle with the Window system color.
            e.Graphics.FillRectangle(SystemBrushes.Window, rect)
        End If
 
        ' Get the color of the item to be drawn.
        Dim colorName As String = CStr(ListBox1.Items(e.Index))
        ' Build a brush of that color
        Dim b As New SolidBrush(Color.FromName(colorName))
 
        ' Shrink the rectangle by some pixels.
        rect.Inflate(-16, -2)
        ' Draw the rectangle interior.
        e.Graphics.FillRectangle(b, rect)
        ' Draw the rectable outline.
        e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, rect)
 
        ' select an appropriate color for the brush
        Dim b2 As Brush
        If CInt(b.Color.R) + CInt(b.Color.G) + CInt(b.Color.B) > 128 * 3 Then
            b2 = Brushes.Black
        Else
            b2 = Brushes.White
        End If
 
        ' draw the name of the color using the default font.
        e.Graphics.DrawString(colorName, e.Font, b2, rect.X + 4, rect.Y + 2)
 
        ' destroy the custom brush
        ' (don't dispose b2, because it is a system brush)
        b.Dispose()
    End Sub
 
    ' this is necessary, otherwise items don't redraw correctly when the form resizes.
    Private Sub ListBox1_Resize(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ListBox1.Resize
        ListBox1.Refresh()
    End Sub
 
    ' display the RGB value of the color under the mouse cursor
 
    Private Sub ListBox1_MouseMove(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles ListBox1.MouseMove
        ' don't do anything if we aren't showing colors
 
        If ListBox1.DrawMode = DrawMode.Normal Then Exit Sub
 
        ' get the index of the element under the mouse cursor.
        Dim index As Integer = ListBox1.IndexFromPoint(e.X, e.Y)
        ' exit if no valid entry.
        If index = ListBox.NoMatches Then Exit Sub
 
        ' get the corresponding color.
        Dim c As Color = Color.FromName(CStr(ListBox1.Items(index)))
    End Sub

Pretty, isn't it

EDIT at the prompting of BrownMonkey

With acknowledgements to Francesco Balena's book ISBN 0-7356-1375-3. (From which I find most of the responses I post )

[brown monkey]

by Francesco Balena

[taxes]

Originally posted by brown monkey
by Francesco Balena

Of course. You don't think I could have done that, do you ? I'm only just beginning to cope with his book after a year!