Introduction

What is the use of MBColorPicker? It provides a graphical interface to select a color from a set of various colors. It is simple to use, just drop it onto a form, adjust the design time properties and use it like normal controls.

Background

MBColorPicker is a color picker control that provides various functionalities so the user can select the required color from a set of colors. The language used is VB.NET.

Control properties

Here is the list of properties available in MBColorPicker:

Code

The concept for this MBColorPicker came from the Microsoft Office 2007 color picker. I organized my paint event into layers like this:

  1. Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(ByVal pevent As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs)
  2. Dim g As Graphics = pevent.Graphics
  3. g.SmoothingMode = SmoothingMode.HighQuality
  4. g.InterpolationMode = InterpolationMode.High
  5. Dim r As Rectangle = New Rectangle(New Point(-1, -1), New Size(Me.Width + _radius, Me.Height + _radius))
  6. Dim path As GraphicsPath = New GraphicsPath
  7. Dim rp As Rectangle = New Rectangle(New Point(0, 0), New Size(Me.Width - 1, Me.Height - 1))
  8. DrawArc(rp, path)
  9. FillGradients(g, path)
  10. DrawImage(g)
  11. DrawText(g)
  12. DrawArrow(g)
  13. End Sub
The following are some methods that provide a transparent look to MBColorPicker. This method draws the background for MBColorPicker.
  1. ''' <summary>
  2. ''' Draw the MBColorPicker Control.
  3. ''' </summary>
  4. Protected Overrides Sub OnCreateControl()
  5. MyBase.OnCreateControl()
  6. A0 = BaseColor.A
  7. R0 = BaseColor.R
  8. G0 = BaseColor.G
  9. B0 = BaseColor.B
  10. _colorStroke = _baseStroke
  11. Dim r As Rectangle = New Rectangle(New Point(-1, -1), _
  12. New Size(Me.Width + _radius, Me.Height + _radius))
  13. If Me.Size <> Nothing Then
  14. Dim pathregion As GraphicsPath = New GraphicsPath
  15. DrawArc(r, pathregion)
  16. Me.Region = New Region(pathregion)
  17. End If
  18. End Sub
This methods draws the color boxes for MBColorPicker:
  1. ''' <summary>
  2. ''' Draw Color Boxes For MBColorPicker.
  3. ''' </summary>
  4. ''' <param name="graphics">Graphics As Graphics</param>
  5. Private Sub DrawColorBoxes(ByVal graphics As Graphics)
  6. DrawColorBelt(graphics, 0, _TopBoxMargin1, True)
  7. For i As Int16 = 1 To _ColorMatrixY - 2
  8. DrawColorBelt(graphics, i, (i - 1) * _ColorBoxUnit + _TopBoxMargin2, False)
  9. Next
  10. For i As Int16 = 0 To _ColorMatrixX - 1
  11. graphics.DrawRectangle(New Pen(Color.Gray), i * _
  12. (_ColorBoxUnit + _ColorBoxMarginX) + _ColorBoxMarginX, _
  13. _TopBoxMargin2, _ColorBoxUnit, _ColorBoxUnit * 5)
  14. Next
  15. DrawColorBelt(graphics, _ColorMatrixY - 1, _TopBoxMargin3, True)
  16. End Sub
  18. ''' <summary>
  19. ''' Draw Color Belt For MBColorPicker.
  20. ''' </summary>
  21. ''' <param name="graphics">Graphics As Graphics</param>
  22. ''' <param name="no">No As Int16</param>
  23. ''' <param name="yOffSet">yOffSet As Int16</param>
  24. ''' <param name="border">Border As Boolean</param>
  25. ''' <remarks></remarks>
  26. Private Sub DrawColorBelt(ByVal graphics As Graphics, ByVal no As Int16, _
  27. ByVal yOffSet As Int16, ByVal border As Boolean)
  28. For i As Int16 = 0 To _ColorMatrixX - 1
  29. DrawColorBox(graphics, _ColorMatrix(i, no), _
  30. New Point(i * (_ColorBoxUnit + _ColorBoxMarginX) + _ColorBoxMarginX, yOffSet), border)
  31. Next
  32. End Sub
This method handles the drop down color for MBColorPicker:
  1. Protected Overrides Sub OnMouseUp(ByVal mevent As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs)
  2. R0 = OnColor.R
  3. G0 = OnColor.G
  4. B0 = OnColor.B
  5. _colorStroke = OnStrokeColor
  6. _showbase = MB_ShowBase.Yes
  7. i_mode = 1
  8. mouse = True
  9. If _splitlocation = MB_SplitLocation.Right And xmouse > _
  10. Me.Width - _splitdistance And _splitbutton = MB_SplitButton.Yes Then
  11. If (_arrow = MB_Arrow.ToDown) Then
  12. Dim _MBColorPicker As MBColorPickerHelper = New MBColorPickerHelper(Me)
  13. _MBColorPicker.Show(Me.Parent, New Point(Me.Location.X, Me.Height + Me.Location.Y))
  14. ElseIf (_arrow = MB_Arrow.ToRight) Then
  15. Dim _MBColorPicker As MBColorPickerHelper = New MBColorPickerHelper(Me)
  16. _MBColorPicker.Show(Me.Parent, New Point(Me.Location.X + Me.Width, _
  17. (Me.Location.Y + Me.Height / 2) - _MBColorPicker.Height / 2))
  18. End If
  19. Else
  20. MyBase.OnMouseUp(mevent)
  21. If (_Keeppressed) Then
  22. _Ispressed = True
  23. For Each _control As Control In Me.Parent.Controls
  24. If _control.Name <> Me.Name And TypeOf (_control) Is MBColorPickerButton = True Then
  25. CType(_control, MBColorPickerButton)._Ispressed = False
  26. CType(_control, MBColorPickerButton).UpdateMouseLeave()
  27. End If
  28. Next
  29. End If
  30. End If
  31. End Sub

Using the code

It is very easy to use the MBColorPicker in your application. Just add the reference of the provided DLL to your application and just drag and drop.

History

  • MBColorPicker version 1.0.