GDI+ Text Sample

To get samples and instructions for installing them, see the following:

  • Click Samples on the Visual Studio Help menu.

    For more information, see Locating Sample Files.

  • The most recent versions and the complete list of samples are available on the Visual Studio 2008 Samples Web site.

  • You can also locate samples on your computer's hard disk. By default, samples and a Readme file are copied to a folder under \Program Files\Visual Studio 9\Samples\. For Visual Studio Express Editions, all samples are located on the Internet.

To view the sample documentation

  1. In Solution Explorer, double-click the Documentation folder.

  2. If you are using Visual Basic Express Edition, right-click ReadMe.htm in the Documentation folder. Select View in Browser.

  3. If you are using another version of Visual Basic, double-click ReadMe.htm in the Documentation folder.

Demonstrates

While some effects can be implemented by setting the properties of the Brush and Pen classes, other effects require some code:

  • Shadow   To create the shadow, the text is drawn twice. The first time it is in gray and offset. The second time is in black.

  • Embossing   To create the embossing effect, the text is drawn twice. The first time it is in black and offset. The second time it is drawn in white, the current background color.

  • Block text   To get this effect, the text is drawn repeatedly in black, moving the text up and to the right each time. Then the text is drawn in the main color.

  • Shearing   When drawing, shearing means to slant an image. Text is slanted by calling the Shear method of the Transform property of the Graphics object.

  • Reflection   Reflecting the text requires measuring the height of the text, scaling the text, and repositioning the origin. The height returned from the MeasureString method includes some extra spacing for descenders and white space, but the text will be reflected around the baseline, which is the line which all capital letters sit on. To calculate the height above the baseline, use the GetCellAscent method. Since GetCellAscent returns a Design Metric value, it must be converted to pixels and scaled for the font size. The text is reflected using a scaling transform, but first a new origin is set to prevent the text from being drawn outside the viewable area of the form. Finally, the reflected text is drawn first, demonstrating the GraphicsState class. The only reason to draw the Reflected one first is to demonstrate the use of the GraphicsState object. Finally, the upright text is drawn.