How to: Use a BitmapImage

This example shows how to use a BitmapImage as the source of an Image control in Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML).

Example

<!-- Simple image rendering. However, rendering an image this way may not
     result in the best use of application memory. See markup below which
     creates the same end result but using less memory. -->
<Image Width="200" 
Source="C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures\Sample Pictures\Water Lilies.jpg"/>

<Image Width="200">
  <Image.Source>
    <!-- To save significant application memory, set the DecodePixelWidth or  
     DecodePixelHeight of the BitmapImage value of the image source to the desired 
     height and width of the rendered image. If you don't do this, the application will 
     cache the image as though it were rendered as its normal size rather than just 
     the size that is displayed. -->
    <!-- Note: In order to preserve aspect ratio, only set either DecodePixelWidth
         or DecodePixelHeight but not both. -->
    <BitmapImage DecodePixelWidth="200"  
     UriSource="C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures\Sample Pictures\Water Lilies.jpg" />
  </Image.Source>
</Image>

// Create Image Element
Image myImage = new Image();
myImage.Width = 200;

// Create source
BitmapImage myBitmapImage = new BitmapImage();

// BitmapImage.UriSource must be in a BeginInit/EndInit block
myBitmapImage.BeginInit();
myBitmapImage.UriSource = new Uri(@"C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures\Sample Pictures\Water Lilies.jpg");

// To save significant application memory, set the DecodePixelWidth or
// DecodePixelHeight of the BitmapImage value of the image source to the desired
// height or width of the rendered image. If you don't do this, the application will
// cache the image as though it were rendered as its normal size rather than just
// the size that is displayed.
// Note: In order to preserve aspect ratio, set DecodePixelWidth
// or DecodePixelHeight but not both.
myBitmapImage.DecodePixelWidth = 200;
myBitmapImage.EndInit();
//set image source
myImage.Source = myBitmapImage;

' Create Image Element
Dim myImage As New Image()
myImage.Width = 200

' Create source
Dim myBitmapImage As New BitmapImage()

' BitmapImage.UriSource must be in a BeginInit/EndInit block
myBitmapImage.BeginInit()
myBitmapImage.UriSource = New Uri("C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures\Sample Pictures\Water Lilies.jpg")

' To save significant application memory, set the DecodePixelWidth or  
' DecodePixelHeight of the BitmapImage value of the image source to the desired 
' height or width of the rendered image. If you don't do this, the application will 
' cache the image as though it were rendered as its normal size rather than just 
' the size that is displayed.
' Note: In order to preserve aspect ratio, set DecodePixelWidth
' or DecodePixelHeight but not both.
myBitmapImage.DecodePixelWidth = 200
myBitmapImage.EndInit()
'set image source
myImage.Source = myBitmapImage

See also

• Imaging Overview