Small app with GDI+ using massive memory resources

>> am I not cleaning up properly?  

Anytime YOU create an Image, Bitmap, Graphic, Pen or Brush, you should call the dispose method and set the variable to Nothing to release the memory and speed up garbage collection when you are through with it.

        bit.Dispose()
        bit = Nothing
        myPen.Dispose()
        myPen = Nothing
        g.Dispose()
        g = Nothing

Regards,

Idle_Mind

bit.dispose causes errors in my program.   as soon as it's called the area where the bitmap is suppose to appear is blank, and the program halts with a generic error:

An unhandled exception of type 'System.ArgumentException' occurred in system.windows.forms.dll

Additional information: Invalid parameter used.


upon commenting out bit.dispose and bit = nothing, the program functions as normally.  myPen.dispose and g.dispose work fine.

Can you show us the complete code where you draw and how you cause the lines to be updated?

Idle_Mind

Private Sub pic_Resize(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Pic.Resize
        If Pic.Width >= 1 And Pic.Height >= 1 Then
            Dim bit As Bitmap = New Bitmap(Pic.Width, Pic.Height)
            Dim g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(bit)
            g.Clear(Pic.BackColor)

            bit.Dispose()
            bit = Nothing
            g.Dispose()
            g = Nothing

            pnlNotationDrawGrid()

        End If
    End Sub

Private Sub pnlNotationDrawGrid()

        'Draw line on picturebox
        'Put a picturebox on the form named pic
        Dim i As Short = PrivateVarIntStaffHeight
        i = i + 7
        Dim bit As Bitmap = New Bitmap(Pic.Width, Pic.Height)
        Dim g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(bit)
        Dim myPen As Pen = New Pen(PrivateVarColStaffColor, 1)

        'staffline1
        g.DrawLine(myPen, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosX, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY + i * 2, Pic.Width - 10, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY + i * 2)
        'staffline2
        g.DrawLine(myPen, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosX, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY + i, Pic.Width - 10, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY + i)
        'staffline3
        g.DrawLine(myPen, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosX, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY, Pic.Width - 10, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY)
        'staffline4
        g.DrawLine(myPen, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosX, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY - i, Pic.Width - 10, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY - i)
        'staffline5
        g.DrawLine(myPen, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosX, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY - i * 2, Pic.Width - 10, PrivateVarIntStaffStartPosY - i * 2)

        Pic.Image = bit

        'bit.Dispose()
        'bit = Nothing
        myPen.Dispose()
        myPen = Nothing
        g.Dispose()
        g = Nothing

    End Sub

Have you tried painting a Panel control instead of a Picturebox?

Ok, I tried the suggestions earlier, however I wasn't aware of the refresh method which is why I used the bitmaps.  I've taken out the pic box and replaced with a panel control, along with the suggested draw methods using only the pen.   Since I tried this before with out the .refresh methods, I was having trouble with the graphics updating.   With this new info, the program is staying at 20mb or so while performing the same operation that was causing the program to run up to the 500mb mark.

thx so much!

I'll give every point i have, try to split it between you two accordingly.

Glad we got it working correctly!  

=)
Idle_Mind