Dynamic icons?

[wossname]

Is it possible to create an icon image at runtime?

I want to be able to draw a small image through code and then convert it to an icon class.

I do not want to load any icons from disc, nor save them to disc. the data must reside in RAM only. I notice that Icon has a ToBitmap() method, but I can find no similar method to reverse that conversion.

[wossname]

Hi,
just load an image into a bitmap object and use the bitmap.toicon()
method...there's also a method to save that resulting image to file.
Regards

That's what I wanted to do but, apparently, bitmap.toIcon() doesn't exist. Not in VS 2003 anyway, what version are you using?

[kleinma]

Oh i've forgoten to point out that method comes from vb6

btw, you might not be able to do that ...
hmmm ... but maybe you just need to get the graphical handle of the object ( sound of wisdom )

i.e.
assuming bmp is a variable for your bitmap...

Dim ico As Icon = Icon.FromHandle(bmp.GetHicon())

that might work

did you search google for that?

[kleinma]

yes for the toicon method ... is that something wrong?
do you have a solution? probably you don't! then why you are asking sucha QUESTION?

just wondering because i searched convert bitmap to icon and that was the exact code from the first result...

I use google all the time to find answers, so I was just wondering if you had done the same

[wossname]

yes for the toicon method ... is that something wrong?
do you have a solution? probably you don't! then why you are asking sucha QUESTION?

That's a bit cocky for a guy that first suggests something from an obsolete language, and then something that doesn't work.

The bmp.GetHIcon method just yields a black square rather than the icon in question. It does compile and run though.

The bitmap is holding the icon properly but I can't convert it to an icon.

This is so irritating.

[kleinma]

no I think you took it wrong, I was just wondering... why would there be anything wrong with searching google to give someone an answer? Other than the fact that maybe they could have done it themselves...

[wossname]

Another thread rages off topic.

[kleinma]

sorry woss... what size images are you trying to convert to icons? is it set? or could it be any size image that would need to be converted.. also are you looking to make just a single size icon? or one that supports multiple size, like 16x16,32x32, etc...

[wossname]

sorry woss... what size images are you trying to convert to icons? is it set? or could it be any size image that would need to be converted.. also are you looking to make just a single size icon? or one that supports multiple size, like 16x16,32x32, etc...

I'm trying to animate an icon that will be shown in a NotifyIcon object on the taskbar.

I want to be able to draw things onto a 16x16 bitmap (using the Graphics object) and then convert that to an Icon that can be sent to the NotifyIcon.
The images always stay in memory, they never get saved or loaded from disc.

Sounds simple really but its a harder task than it sounds.

Before you say it I can't use a bunch of icons like a flip-book because each frame will be randomly generated by an algorithm.

[pax]

Hey Wossy.
This seems to work just fine.

Dim b As New Bitmap(16, 16, Imaging.PixelFormat.Format32bppArgb)
 
'Some drawing here
 
Me.Icon = Icon.FromHandle(b.GetHicon)

[wossname]

Strange. What OS are you on? It works on my home laptop with XP on it, but not on my 2000 work PC.

Maybe something to do with alpha channels.

[pax]

Hi.

I used XP.
Try and make the bitmap 24bit instead.
Win2000 doesn't support alpha channel in icons.