Loading from memory

[nullmind]

hey all, Working with a graphics app in VB for the frist time (usually dont use VB).

Basically, I want to open a file (that contains seperate forms of data, sounds, images etc.) Then, *without* dumping into a temporary file or anything, i want to load an image from it. I know the format very well, so i know where all images and such are. This should be possable right? If not I'm kinda screwed, the other language i develop in can do this, but doesnt off win32 interface.

[riis]

Dim iFileNum as integer
Dim sMemBuf as string
Dim lMemSize as long, lStartPos as long

iFileNum = freefile
open "myfile.ext" for binary as #ifilenum
lmemsize = <whatever you set it>
smembuf = space$(lmemsize)
lstartpos = <something>
get #ifilenum, lstartpos, smembuf

close #ifilenum

Note, in VB file positions are one-based! Not zero-based in languages such as C/C++.
In this example I'm using a string as a buffer to store data into. It can even hold non-ascii characters and doesn't convert returns to Windows-format.
Since you know the used file format well, you should be able to determine what the memsize and startpos will be.

[nullmind]

w00t. Ok, hehe, ill humor you some more with my lack of VB experience. How could i get this into a picturebox, without saving it..or hell, with saving it if i have too

[jim mcnamara]

Read until you are the offset into the file where the graphic starts.
Then write the graphic to a file.

Assuming the graphic is of a type Windows COM controls can use then do

' with a picture box on the form
Picture1.LoadPicture "filename"