How to: Set Pictures at Run Time (Windows Forms)

Article
11/16/2012

You can programmatically set the image displayed by a Windows Forms PictureBox control.

To set a picture programmatically

Set the Image property using the FromFile method of the Image class.

In the example below, the path set for the location of the image is the My Documents folder. This is done, because you can assume that most computers running the Windows operating system will include this directory. This also allows users with minimal system access levels to safely run the application. The example below assumes a form with a PictureBox control already added.

Private Sub LoadNewPict()
   ' You should replace the bold image 
   ' in the sample below with an icon of your own choosing.
   PictureBox1.Image = Image.FromFile _
   (System.Environment.GetFolderPath _
   (System.Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal) _
   & "\Image.gif")
End Sub

private void LoadNewPict(){
   // You should replace the bold image 
   // in the sample below with an icon of your own choosing.
   // Note the escape character used (@) when specifying the path.
   pictureBox1.Image = Image.FromFile
   (System.Environment.GetFolderPath
   (System.Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal)
   + @"\Image.gif");
}

private void LoadNewPict(){
   // You should replace the bold image 
   // in the sample below with an icon of your own choosing.
   pictureBox1.get_Image().FromFile
   (System.Environment.GetFolderPath
   (System.Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal)
   + "\\Image.gif");

private:
   void LoadNewPict()
   {
      // You should replace the bold image 
      // in the sample below with an icon of your own choosing.
      pictureBox1->Image = Image::FromFile(String::Concat(
         System::Environment::GetFolderPath(
         System::Environment::SpecialFolder::Personal),
         "\\Image.gif"));
   }

To clear a graphic

First, release the memory being used by the image, and then clear the graphic. Garbage collection will free up the memory later if memory management becomes a problem.
```
If Not (PictureBox1.Image Is Nothing) Then
   PictureBox1.Image.Dispose()
   PictureBox1.Image = Nothing
End If
```
```
if (pictureBox1.Image != null) 
{
   pictureBox1.Image.Dispose();
   pictureBox1.Image = null;
}
```
```
if (pictureBox1->Image != nullptr)
{
   pictureBox1->Image->Dispose();
   pictureBox1->Image = nullptr;
}
```
Note

For more information on why you should use the Dispose method in this way, see Cleaning Up Unmanaged Resources.

This code will clear the image even if a graphic was loaded into the control at design time.

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How to: Set Pictures at Run Time (Windows Forms)

To set a picture programmatically

To clear a graphic

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