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

  • Article

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->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.

See also