Working with Images

In viewing and manipulating images, GDI+ provides significant improvements over its predecessor, GDI. In this chapter we will discuss the following topics:

• Basic imaging-related classes defined in the .NET Framework library
• The difference between raster and vector images
• The Image class, its properties, and its methods
• Writing an image viewer application
• Opening and viewing images
• Retrieving image properties
• Creating thumbnails
• Rotating and flipping images
• Zooming in and out on images
• Saving and skewing images
• Changing the resolution and scaling of images
• Playing animated images
• The Bitmap class, its properties, and its methods
• Using the Icon class to work with icons
• Drawing transparent images
• Using the PictureBox control to draw images

As we said earlier, the graphics-related functionality in the .NET Framework class library is defined in the System.Drawing namespace and its helper namespaces. The imaging functionality is divided into two categories by separation into two namespaces. Basic imaging functionality is defined in the System.Drawing namespace; advanced imaging functionality is defined in the System.Drawing.Imaging namespace. This chapter covers the former; Chapter 8 will focus on the latter.