Winform panel mouseclick event handler not executing

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In WinForms, I am attempting to create a 250x250 px main panel that is filled with 50x50 px subpanels. When a subpanel is clicked, I would like a MouseClick event handler to be executed. In the final version, the each subpanel will be processed depending on the contents of its Tag property (not shown here).

Although the main panel and subpanels are correctly drawn, when a subpanel is clicked, the MouseClick event does not seem to fire.

The code is

C#

// **************************************** patterns_PAN_Paint

void patterns_PAN_Paint ( object           sender, 
                          PaintEventArgs   e )
    {
    SolidBrush  back_brush = new SolidBrush ( 
                                     Color.LightSkyBlue );
    SolidBrush  black_brush = new SolidBrush ( Color.Black );
    Graphics    g = e.Graphics;
    SolidBrush  marker_brush = new SolidBrush ( Color.Gold );
    Panel       p = ( Panel ) sender;
    int         x = 0;
    int         y = 0;

    p.Controls.Clear ( );
    g.FillRectangle( back_brush, p.DisplayRectangle );

    for ( int i = 0; ( i < 5 ); i++ )
        {
        for ( int j = 0; ( j < 5 ); j++ )
            {
            Panel       panel = new Panel ( )
                            {
                            Location = new Point ( x, y ),
                            Size = new Size ( 50, 50 ),
                            };
            Rectangle   rectangle = new Rectangle 
                            {
                            Location = new Point ( x, y ),
                            Size = new Size ( 50, 50 ),
                            };

            g.FillRectangle ( black_brush, rectangle );
            rectangle.Inflate ( -1, -1 );
            g.FillRectangle ( back_brush, rectangle );
            rectangle.Inflate ( -5, -5 );
            g.FillEllipse ( marker_brush, rectangle );

            panel.MouseClick += 
                new MouseEventHandler ( panel_MouseClick );
                
            x += 50;
            }
        x = 0;
        y += 50;
        }
    
    back_brush.Dispose ( );
    black_brush.Dispose ( );
    marker_brush.Dispose ( );
    
    } // patterns_PAN_Paint

// ****************************************** panel_MouseClick

void panel_MouseClick ( object          sender, 
                        MouseEventArgs  e )
    {
    
    throw new NotImplementedException ( );
    
    } // panel_MouseClick

Note that I am drawing to the Graphics of the main panel (the background) and then creating and drawing each subpanel.

NOTE: This is a .Net v3.5 Framework project.

Any ideas as to why MouseClick is not firing?

What I have tried:

The code above is the current attempt. It produces the graphics of the main and sub panel. However clicking on any subpanel has no effect.

Posted 5-May-23 11:54am

gggustafson

Updated 6-May-23 21:01pm

Graeme_Grant

v3

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2 solutions

Solution 3

The mouse clicks will work when you do it like this:

panel.MouseClick += new MouseEventHandler(panel_MouseClick);
patterns_PAN.Controls.Add(panel);

Problem with this solution is that the main panel graphics are not visible anymore as it is overdrawn by the individual panel graphics.
Here is an alternative:

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace WinPanels1
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            FillPanel();
        }

        private void FillPanel()
        {
            int x = 0;
            int y = 0;

            for (int i = 0; (i < 5); i++)
            {
                for (int j = 0; (j < 5); j++)
                {
                    Panel panel = new Panel()
                    {
                        Location = new Point(x, y),
                        Size = new Size(50, 50),
                    };

                    panel.MouseClick += new MouseEventHandler(panel_MouseClick);
                    panel.Paint += PanelPaint;
                    patterns_PAN.Controls.Add(panel);
                    x += 50;
                }

                x = 0;
                y += 50;
            }
        }

        void PanelPaint(object sender, PaintEventArgs e)
        {
            SolidBrush back_brush = new SolidBrush(Color.LightSkyBlue);
            SolidBrush black_brush = new SolidBrush(Color.Black);
            Graphics g = e.Graphics;
            SolidBrush marker_brush = new SolidBrush(Color.Gold);
            Panel p = (Panel)sender;

            g.FillRectangle(back_brush, p.DisplayRectangle);

            Rectangle rectangle = new Rectangle
            {
                Location = new Point(0, 0),
                Size = new Size(50, 50),
            };

            g.FillRectangle(black_brush, rectangle);
            rectangle.Inflate(-1, -1);
            g.FillRectangle(back_brush, rectangle);
            rectangle.Inflate(-5, -5);
            g.FillEllipse(marker_brush, rectangle);

            back_brush.Dispose();
            black_brush.Dispose();
            marker_brush.Dispose();
        }

        void panel_MouseClick(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            Debug.Print("panel_MouseClick()");
        }
    }
}

Posted 6-May-23 21:01pm

RickZeeland

Updated 7-May-23 1:48am

v3

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Graeme_Grant · Accepted Answer · 2023-05-05T12:56:00

Why a Panel control? Wouldn't a PictureBox control be more suitable?

Here is a solution for another question that I gave that does what I think that you are trying to do... The solution is for rendering cells (subpanels) without flickering and to enable them to be identified when clicked.

Create a new project and drop this code in... Then run and click away...

1. Form Designer:

C#

#region Windows Form Designer generated code

/// <summary>
///  Required method for Designer support - do not modify
///  the contents of this method with the code editor.
/// </summary>
private void InitializeComponent()
{
    this.butAdd = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
    this.butHide = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
    this.butShow = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
    this.Canvas = new System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox();
    this.labSelected = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
    this.label2 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
    ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.Canvas)).BeginInit();
    this.SuspendLayout();
    // 
    // butAdd
    // 
    this.butAdd.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)
        ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top | System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
    this.butAdd.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(676, 6);
    this.butAdd.Name = "butAdd";
    this.butAdd.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(112, 34);
    this.butAdd.TabIndex = 1;
    this.butAdd.Text = "ADD";
    this.butAdd.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
    this.butAdd.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.OnAddClick);
    // 
    // butHide
    // 
    this.butHide.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)
        ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top |
          System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
    this.butHide.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(676, 46);
    this.butHide.Name = "butHide";
    this.butHide.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(112, 34);
    this.butHide.TabIndex = 1;
    this.butHide.Text = "HIDE";
    this.butHide.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
    this.butHide.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.OnHideClick);
    // 
    // butShow
    // 
    this.butShow.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)
        ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top |
          System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
    this.butShow.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(676, 86);
    this.butShow.Name = "butShow";
    this.butShow.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(112, 34);
    this.butShow.TabIndex = 1;
    this.butShow.Text = "SHOW";
    this.butShow.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
    this.butShow.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.OnShowClick);
    // 
    // Canvas
    // 
    this.Canvas.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)
        ((((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Top |
            System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Bottom) |
            System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Left) |
            System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
    this.Canvas.BackColor = System.Drawing.SystemColors.ControlDark;
    this.Canvas.BorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.BorderStyle.FixedSingle;
    this.Canvas.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(12, 12);
    this.Canvas.Name = "Canvas";
    this.Canvas.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(646, 426);
    this.Canvas.TabIndex = 2;
    this.Canvas.TabStop = false;
    // 
    // labSelected
    // 
    this.labSelected.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)
        ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Bottom |
          System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
    this.labSelected.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(676, 400);
    this.labSelected.Name = "labSelected";
    this.labSelected.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(121, 38);
    this.labSelected.TabIndex = 3;
    this.labSelected.Text = "None";
    this.labSelected.TextAlign = System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
    // 
    // label2
    // 
    this.label2.Anchor = ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles)
        ((System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Bottom |
          System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles.Right)));
    this.label2.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Segoe UI", 9F,
        System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold, System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point);
    this.label2.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(664, 368);
    this.label2.Name = "label2";
    this.label2.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(133, 32);
    this.label2.TabIndex = 4;
    this.label2.Text = "Selected Cell:";
    this.label2.TextAlign = System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;
    // 
    // Form1
    // 
    this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(10F, 25F);
    this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
    this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(800, 450);
    this.Controls.Add(this.label2);
    this.Controls.Add(this.labSelected);
    this.Controls.Add(this.Canvas);
    this.Controls.Add(this.butShow);
    this.Controls.Add(this.butHide);
    this.Controls.Add(this.butAdd);
    this.Name = "Form1";
    this.Text = "Form1";
    ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.Canvas)).EndInit();
    this.ResumeLayout(false);

}

#endregion
private Button butAdd;
private Button butHide;
private Button butShow;
private PictureBox Canvas;
private Label labSelected;
private Label label2;
}

2. Form code-behind

C#

public partial class Form1 : Form
{
    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        this.Resize += Form1_Resize;
        
        Canvas.Paint += Canvas_Paint;
        Canvas.MouseClick += Canvas_MouseClick;
 
        Canvas.SetDoubleBuffered();
        Canvas.BackColor = Color.Gray;
        Canvas.BorderStyle = BorderStyle.FixedSingle;
        Canvas.Cursor = Cursors.Hand;
    }

    private bool showCells = true;

    private record Cell(int Row, int Column, string Text, bool Visible = true);

    private readonly List<Cell> cells = new();

    private readonly float cellWidth = 50f;
    private readonly float cellHeight = 50f;
    private readonly Font cellFont =  new Font( "Time New Roman", 8, FontStyle.Bold );

    private readonly StringFormat cellTextFormat = new StringFormat()
    {
        LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center,
        Alignment = StringAlignment.Center
    };

    private readonly Color cellBackColor = Color.White;
    private readonly Color cellForeColor = Color.Black;
    private readonly Color cellBorderColor = Color.Black;

    private void Form1_Resize(object? sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        //Canvas.Invalidate();
    }

    private void Canvas_MouseClick(object? sender, MouseEventArgs e)
    {
        if (showCells)
            labSelected.Text =
                $@"{Math.Floor(e.X / cellWidth):N0},{Math.Floor(e.Y / cellHeight):N0}";
    }

    private void Canvas_Paint(object? sender, PaintEventArgs e)
    {
        Graphics gr = e.Graphics;

        foreach (Cell cell in cells)
        {
            RectangleF rect =
                new RectangleF(cell.Column * cellWidth,
                               cell.Row * cellHeight, cellWidth, cellHeight);
        
            // background
            using SolidBrush backBrush = new SolidBrush(cellBackColor);
            gr.FillRectangle(backBrush, rect);

            // are we hiding the cells?
            if (!showCells)
                continue;

            // border
            using Pen pen = new Pen(cellBorderColor, 1);
            pen.Alignment = PenAlignment.Outset;
            gr.DrawRectangle(pen, rect);

            // text
            using SolidBrush foreBrush = new SolidBrush(cellForeColor);
            gr.DrawString(cell.Text, cellFont, foreBrush, rect, cellTextFormat);
        }
    }

    private void OnAddClick(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        cells.Clear();
        
        FillCells();

        showCells = true;
        Canvas.Invalidate();
    }

    private void OnShowClick(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        if (showCells) return;

        showCells = true;
        Canvas.Invalidate();
    }

    private void OnHideClick(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        if (!showCells) return;

        showCells = false;
        Canvas.Invalidate();

        labSelected.Text = "None";
    }

    void FillCells()
    {
        int nLabelNum = 10;

        for (int j = 0; j < nLabelNum; j++)
        for (int i = 0; i < nLabelNum; i++)
            cells.Add(new Cell(j, i, $"{i} | {j}"));
    }
}

It has 3 buttons, Add, Hide, Show. Press Add to render the clickable grid. The other buttons are self explanatory. There is also a label to display which cell was clicked.

UPDATE

Here is a version that corrects your use of dynamic panels. I've also added a mock paint event to show that the HostPanel can be painted behind the child controls (panels). What you want to render is up to you...

C#

public partial class Form1 : Form
{
    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        InitializeChildPanels();

        HostPanel.Paint += OnPaint;
        this.Closing += OnClosing;

        HostPanel.Invalidate();
    }

    private void OnPaint(object sender, PaintEventArgs e)
    {
        _thread = new Thread(() =>
        {
            Thread.Sleep(500);
            HostPanel.Invoke((MethodInvoker)delegate
            {
                HostPanel.BackColor = _colors[_colorIndex];
                _colorIndex = _colorIndex < _colors.Length - 1 ?
                    _colorIndex + 1 : 0;
            });
        });

        _thread.Start();
    }

    private Thread _thread;

    private Color[] _colors = new Color[]
    {
        Color.Red,
        Color.Green,
        Color.Yellow,
        Color.Blue, 
        Color.MediumPurple,
        Color.White,
        Color.Gray, 
    };

    private int _colorIndex = 0;

    private void InitializeChildPanels()
    {
        int y = 0;

        for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
        {
            int x = 0;

            for (int j = 0; j < 5; j++)
            {
                Point point = new Point(x, y);
                Panel panel = new Panel()
                {
                    Location = point,
                    Size = new Size(50, 50),
                    BackColor = Color.Red,
                    BorderStyle = BorderStyle.FixedSingle,
                    Tag = point
                };
                panel.MouseClick += OnMouseClick;
                HostPanel.Controls.Add(panel);
                x += 50;
            }

            y += 50;
        }
    }

    private void OnMouseClick(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
    {
        Panel panel = (Panel)sender;
        Point point = (Point)panel.Tag;
        Debug.WriteLine($"Index: {HostPanel.Controls.IndexOf(panel)} | Location: X:{point.X} Y:{point.Y} was clicked");
    }

    // cleanup to avoid memory leaks
    private void OnClosing(object sender, CancelEventArgs e)
    {
        _thread.Abort();
        _thread = null;

        Closing -= OnClosing;
        HostPanel.Paint -= OnPaint;
        foreach (Panel panel in HostPanel.Controls)
        {
            panel.MouseClick -= OnMouseClick;
        }
    }
}

I still prefer the PictureBox (first) method.

Enjoy!