Accessing Document Layers

[redknt42]

I was wondering if somone could tell me the best way to add layers to the document object from a bitmap source, and also to retrieve layers int a bitmap for saving.

i.e.

bitmap b;

Document document;

document.layers.add(???();

b=document.layers.???;

I could spend an hour or two digging through the code, but I am too lazy, especially as I am sure someone knows it off the top of their head.

Thanks in advance!

[pyrochild]

I haven't messed around with that for a while, but I believe you add a Layer object, of which BitmapLayer is the only current implementation.

bitmap b;

Document document;

document.layers.add(new BitmapLayer();

b=document.layers[0];

Or something like that.

[redknt42]

Thanks, Pyrochild! The actual call to add a layer is this:

doc.Layers.Add(new BitmapLayer(Surface.CopyFromBitmap());

and to convert a layer into a bitmap is this:

BitmapLayer l = (BitmapLayer)doc.Layers[0];

Bitmap b = l.Surface.CreateAliasedBitmap();

which would have taken ages to figure out without your reply!

[pyrochild]

Glad to be of (partial) help

One note on that second part, though. Make sure the Surface does not go out of scope while the Bitmap is still in scope. Otherwise, the Surface could get garbage collected, and the bitmap will die as well, and you'll end up getting all sorts of errors that make no sense to any normal human. ("Aliased" means it's using the same memory locations)

You may have already known that, but I though I'd throw that out there anyway. That particular issue certainly gave me a few good headaches "back in the day."