Question

How to load PNG resource and draw it on a Device Context?

Asked by: sixstorm1

Hi all,

I've been searching all day for a way to load a 32-bit png image from a ressource in my app (from it's ID) and draw it in the specified device context, while keeping alpha transparency? I tried numerous things but none of them works (Win GDI, GDI+). Any clue on how to do achieve this?

My app is non-MFC and non-ATL, pure Win32.

Thanks in advance!!!

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Asked On
2009-09-15 at 12:19:41ID24734105
Tags

PNG

,

resource

,

draw

,

device

,

context

,

C++

,

win32

,

bitmap

,

image

Topics

Microsoft Programming

,

Microsoft Visual C++

,

C++ Programming Language

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
11

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Answers

 

by: jkrPosted on 2009-09-15 at 12:38:26ID: 25338489

Winbdows cannot handle PNGs natively, you'll need a helper library like this one here: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/graphics/cximage.aspx ("CxImage")

 

by: sixstorm1Posted on 2009-09-15 at 12:41:05ID: 25338525

Or maybe how to load a 32-bit bitmap? There MUST be a way to load an image with alpha transparency in native Win32.

 

by: pgnatyukPosted on 2009-09-15 at 12:46:11ID: 25338584

 

by: pgnatyukPosted on 2009-09-15 at 13:01:10ID: 25338734

@jkr: probably, you are wrong. But, I think, we can say that this Win32 API:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bwea7by5(VS.71).aspx


Shared Visual C++ Classes Reference CImage Class
CImage provides enhanced bitmap support, including the ability to load and save images in JPEG, GIF, BMP, and Portable Network Graphics (PNG) formats.

 

 

by: pgnatyukPosted on 2009-09-15 at 13:03:47ID: 25338766

@jkr: sorry, it is not Win32 API. It is very close to it. :)

 

by: JohnGabyPosted on 2009-09-15 at 13:53:43ID: 25339374

You can do this with GDI+ as follows:

void OnPaint(HWND hWnd)
{
    PAINTSTRUCT ps;
    HDC         hdc;
    
    if (hdc = BeginPaint(hWnd, &ps))
    {
        HRSRC   hRsrc;
 
        if (hRsrc = FindResource(hInst, MAKEINTRESOURCE(1), _T("BINARY")))
        {
            HGLOBAL hImage;
 
            if (hImage = LoadResource(hInst, hRsrc))
            {
                LPVOID  pImage;
 
                if (pImage = LockResource(hImage))
                {
                    HGLOBAL hBlock;
                    int     size    = SizeofResource(hInst, hRsrc);
 
                    if (hBlock = GlobalAlloc(GHND, size))
                    {
                        LPVOID  pBlock;
                        
                        if (pBlock = GlobalLock(hBlock))
                        {
                            IStream *   pStream;
 
                            memmove(pBlock, pImage, size);
 
                            if (CreateStreamOnHGlobal(hBlock, FALSE, &pStream) == S_OK)
                            {
                                Graphics    graphics(hdc);
                                Image       image(pStream);
 
                                graphics.DrawImage(&image, 0, 0);
 
                                pStream->Release();
                            }
 
                            GlobalUnlock(hBlock);
                        }
 
                        GlobalFree(hBlock);
                    }
                }
            }
        }
 
        EndPaint(hWnd, &ps);
    }
}
                                              
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by: sixstorm1Posted on 2009-09-15 at 14:50:35ID: 25339985

@JohnGaby:

Thank you very much for your code, but unfortunately nothing is drawn. I am able to get to the last nested block, but if I set a break point on line 38 (graphics.DrawImage(&image, 0, 0);), I see that that image.lastResult and graphics.lastResult have a "GdiPlusNotInitialized" value, which probably means GDI isn't initialized. With a little bit of googling I may be able to get that, but if anybody already has a piece of code, I'll take it gladly...

Anyway, I will accept your comment as a solution.

 

by: JohnGabyPosted on 2009-09-15 at 14:52:51ID: 25340000

You have to call GdiplusStartup somewhere at the beginning of your program (and GdiplusShutdown at the end).  You need to call the startup function before you use any gdiplus clases.

 

by: JohnGabyPosted on 2009-09-15 at 14:54:44ID: 25340011

 

by: sixstorm1Posted on 2009-09-15 at 15:10:34ID: 31629102

Works like a charm! However, 3rd argument of FindResource must be _T("PNG") instead of _T("BINARY").

 

by: JohnGabyPosted on 2009-09-15 at 15:29:32ID: 25340281

Works like a charm! However, 3rd argument of FindResource must be _T("PNG") instead of _T("BINARY").
---------------
Well, actually it has to match whatever you put in your .rc file.  I used the type "BINARY", you must have used "PNG".

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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