Visual Basic 2012 Programmer's Reference

PRESENTING GRAPHICS AND MEDIA

Any WPF control can display an image. Example program FormImage, which is available for download on the book’s website, uses the following XAML code to fill a Grid control’s background:

<Window x:Class="MainWindow"
 xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
 xmlns:x=http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml
 Title="FormImage" Height="300" Width="300">
   <Window.Resources>
       <ImageBrush ImageSource="smile.bmp" x:Key="brSmile" />
   </Window.Resources>
   <Grid Background="{StaticResource brSmile}">
 
   </Grid>
</Window>

Although a Grid control can display an image or other graphic, its real purpose is to arrange other controls. The following table describes controls whose main purpose is to present graphics and media.

CONTROL	PURPOSE
Ellipse	Displays an ellipse.
Image	Displays a bitmap image, for example, from a .bmp, .jpg, or .png file. Can optionally stretch the image with or without distortion.
Line	Draws a line segment.
MediaElement	Presents audio and video. To let you control the media, it provides Play, Pause, and Stop methods, and Volume and SpeedRatio properties. (See example program UseMediaElement, available for download on the book’s website.)
Path	Draws a series of drawing instructions.
Polygon	Draws a closed polygon.
Polyline	Draws a series of connected line segments.
Rectangle	Draws a rectangle, optionally with rounded corners.

The shape drawing objects (Ellipse, Line, Path, Polygon, Polyline, and Rectangle) ...