How to add picture box in win32 API using visual c++

Question

I have a Window (win32 API) Application in visual c++. I am not using MFC. I have to add a picutre box to my application and Change the image of this picture box periodically. Can any one help me out in achieving the above task? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

This is quite a complex task to post full code here, but I will try to give a few guidelines on how to do it:

First method is to load the image and paint it

1. Load your image (unfortunately the plain Win32 API has support for quite a few image formats BMP, ICO ...).

   HBITMAP hImage = (HBITMAP)LoadImage(NULL, (LPCSTR)file, IMAGE_BITMAP, 0, 0, LR_LOADFROMFILE | LR_LOADTRANSPARENT);
   

2. Store the handle above somewhere in your application where you can access it from your WindowProcedure

3. In the WinProc on the WM_PAINT message you will need to paint the image. The code is something like:

   HDC hdcMem = CreateCompatibleDC(hDC); // hDC is a DC structure supplied by Win32API
   SelectObject(hdcMem, hImage);
   StretchBlt(
       hDC,         // destination DC
       left,        // x upper left
       top,         // y upper left
       width,       // destination width
       height,      // destination height
       hdcMem,      // you just created this above
       0,
       0,          // x and y upper left
       w,          // source bitmap width
       h,          // source bitmap height
       SRCCOPY);   // raster operation
   

Should work.

Now, the second way of doing it is to create a static control, with type being SS_BITMAP and set its image as:

hImage = LoadImage(NULL, file, IMAGE_BITMAP, w, h, LR_LOADFROMFILE);
SendMessage(hwnd, STM_SETIMAGE, IMAGE_BITMAP, (LPARAM)hImage);

where hwnd is the handle of your static control.