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A Zoomable and Scrollable PictureBox

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4.72/5 (14 votes)
31 May 2008CPOL1 min read 150.2K   12.2K   52   16
An ImagePanel component created to replace the PictureBox.

Image 1

Introduction

A big question in the Windows Forms world is "How can I zoom and scroll the PictureBox?" The answer is to use the ImagePanel, which enables you to simply zoom and pan an image.

I use Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Express Edition to build it. It's easy and simple. You can start a new project and add a user control. In the Design window, you drag a vertical scrollbar and a horizontal scrollbar to the user control, then go to the code window and add the code as in the source file, ImagePanel.cs. That's all, a zoomable and scrollable PictureBox replacement has been built and you can use it now.

Zooming is done by a Matrix object:

C#
Matrix mx=new Matrix(); // create an identity matrix
mx.Scale(zoom,zoom); // zoom image

Panning is done by the values returned by the scrollbars. We tell the scrollbar the image size, which is its real size multiplied by the zoom factor:

C#
if ((canvasSize.Width * zoom - viewRectWidth) > 0)
{
    this.hScrollBar1.Maximum =(int)( canvasSize.Width * zoom) - viewRectWidth;
}
if ((canvasSize.Height * zoom - viewRectHeight) > 0)
{
    this.vScrollBar1.Maximum = (int)(canvasSize.Height * zoom) - viewRectHeight;
}

So, the correct position within the real image is the scrollbar values divided by the zoom factor:

C#
Point pt=new Point((int)(hScrollBar1.Value/zoom),(int)(vScrollBar1.Value/zoom));

To display the image on the center of this control, the Matrix object is used again:

C#
mx.Translate(viewRectWidth/2.0f,viewRectHeight/2.0f, MatrixOrder.Append);

This component has a good feature: during image zoom out, only a portion of the image is drawn. It saves a lot of computer resources:

C#
if (canvasSize.Width * zoom < viewRectWidth && 
            canvasSize.Height * zoom < viewRectHeight)
    srcRect = new Rectangle(0, 0, canvasSize.Width, canvasSize.Height);
    // view all image
else srcRect = new Rectangle(pt, new Size((int)(viewRectWidth / zoom), 
                            (int)(viewRectHeight / zoom)));
// view a portion of image

To test this little but strong control, I put it on a form and added a trackbar to provide the zoom factor. Double click the ImagePanel to load a picture. Try it, how's it?

Thanks.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


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Comments and Discussions

 
QuestionAlternative solution Pin
djmarcus28-Feb-16 7:07
djmarcus28-Feb-16 7:07 
QuestionDragging image Pin
quicksilver17ro18-Aug-13 5:03
quicksilver17ro18-Aug-13 5:03 
Questionhow can i add dragging options? Pin
Member 838204526-Dec-12 1:09
Member 838204526-Dec-12 1:09 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
Manoj Kumar Choubey1-Mar-12 22:53
professionalManoj Kumar Choubey1-Mar-12 22:53 
GeneralExactly what I was looking for Pin
EpikYummeh29-Nov-11 15:36
EpikYummeh29-Nov-11 15:36 
Generalthanks Pin
asugix18-Jul-10 4:01
asugix18-Jul-10 4:01 
GeneralGreat work! Pin
sintesia25-Mar-10 6:56
sintesia25-Mar-10 6:56 
GeneralA Little Memory Used More Than Requared Pin
Member 278444925-Mar-09 17:21
Member 278444925-Mar-09 17:21 
QuestionHow can i transfer this to Windows Mobile 6? Pin
womisa1-Mar-09 11:45
womisa1-Mar-09 11:45 
Questionimage is not kept centered when zoom Pin
dvisions20-Sep-08 4:17
dvisions20-Sep-08 4:17 
AnswerRe: image is not kept centered when zoom Pin
richardn6617-Feb-10 9:28
richardn6617-Feb-10 9:28 
GeneralRe: image is not kept centered when zoom Pin
flacolarry19-Feb-10 13:41
flacolarry19-Feb-10 13:41 
Can you share how you do you keep the image centered when zooming?

Thanks.
QuestionHow about to add croping, resizing? Pin
Demaker2-Jul-08 1:20
Demaker2-Jul-08 1:20 
Generalmaybe simplified version Pin
Huanacaraz2-Jun-08 21:38
Huanacaraz2-Jun-08 21:38 
AnswerRe: maybe simplified version Pin
YLS CS3-Jun-08 4:33
YLS CS3-Jun-08 4:33 
GeneralRe: maybe simplified version Pin
Member 1224497215-Jul-16 2:24
Member 1224497215-Jul-16 2:24 

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