Include Paint.Net into a Visual Basic 2005 Application

[kokben]

Hello,

i'm developing a system which requires to allow user to draw graphics

and save down as references.

is there any way i can include paint.net as a component ? to my visual basic 2005 application?

thank you.

[Rick Brewster]

I don't know, you might be able to figure something out. It won't be quick or easy though.

[jamesn]

You can do this by recompiling paint.net as a class library. Then you can add the .dll's to your vb project. Then to open paint.net you can reference the class and call mainform.

[chavez]

jamesn,

I read your answer and was wondering if you've actually tried it out. I have tried to compile paintdotnet as a class library, and added the dll's to the vb project, but I was not able to call mainform. Am I doing something wrong?

[Rick Brewster]

PaintDotNet.exe, which contains MainForm, is not a class library. It's not designed to be used that way at all. It's meant to be an application -- not a component.

[jamesn]

When calling it as a class you need to add it to the project first. There are other parts you need to add to make it work also, but it can be done.

Dim pdnEdit As New PaintDotNet.MainForm

pdnEdit.Show()

Although it's not a component, some parts will work ok. Some parts dont. When using it this way though you are on your own as its not meant to work like this.

Also, as far as i know, it is the only good image editor which you can/could include in a project. The others are very limited and quite expensive. Even though, if you had to pay for the PDN source I am sure i would.

Good luck.

[Ely Raeds]

Wouldn't it be easier if you just extract the drawing area from PDN instead of the whole program? I suppose you can draw on the mainform.cs and then you will need a few other classes with the pencil and stuff.

So you add the mainform.cs (and the other relations) to your program and you should have your drawing area or am I seeing this way too simple?

I'm asking because I'm making a LAN Pictionary and I also need a drawing area but I can't seem to find a solution.