.NET Framework Class Library
Control..::.Invalidate Method

Invalidates the entire surface of the control and causes the control to be redrawn.

Namespace:  System.Windows.Forms
Assembly:  System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)
Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Sub Invalidate
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As Control

instance.Invalidate()
C#
public void Invalidate()
Visual C++
public:
void Invalidate()
JScript
public function Invalidate()
Remarks

Calling the Invalidate method does not force a synchronous paint; to force a synchronous paint, call the Update method after calling the Invalidate method. When this method is called with no parameters, the entire client area is added to the update region.

Examples

The following code example enables the user to drag an image or image file onto the form, and have it be displayed at the point on it is dropped. The OnPaint method is overridden to repaint the image each time the form is painted; otherwise the image would only persist until the next repainting. The DragEnter event-handling method determines the type of data being dragged into the form and provides the appropriate feedback. The DragDrop event-handling method displays the image on the form, if an Image can be created from the data. Because the DragEventArgs..::.X and DragEventArgs..::.Y values are screen coordinates, the example uses the PointToClient method to convert them to client coordinates.

Visual Basic
Private picture As Image
Private pictureLocation As Point

Public Sub New()
   ' Enable drag-and-drop operations.
   Me.AllowDrop = True
End Sub

Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(ByVal e As PaintEventArgs)
   MyBase.OnPaint(e)

   ' If there is an image and it has a location, 
   ' paint it when the Form is repainted.
   If (Me.picture IsNot Nothing) And _
     Not (Me.pictureLocation.Equals(Point.Empty)) Then
      e.Graphics.DrawImage(Me.picture, Me.pictureLocation)
   End If
End Sub

Private Sub Form1_DragDrop(ByVal sender As Object, _
  ByVal e As DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragDrop
   ' Handle FileDrop data.
   If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
      ' Assign the file names to a string array, in 
      ' case the user has selected multiple files.
      Dim files As String() = CType(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop), String())
      Try
         ' Assign the first image to the 'picture' variable.
         Me.picture = Image.FromFile(files(0))
         ' Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         Me.pictureLocation = Me.PointToClient(New Point(e.X, e.Y))
      Catch ex As Exception
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
         Return
      End Try
   End If

   ' Handle Bitmap data.
   If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) Then
      Try
         ' Create an Image and assign it to the picture variable.
         Me.picture = CType(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.Bitmap), Image)
         ' Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         Me.pictureLocation = Me.PointToClient(New Point(e.X, e.Y))
      Catch ex As Exception
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
         Return
      End Try
   End If

   ' Force the form to be redrawn with the image.
   Me.Invalidate()
End Sub

Private Sub Form1_DragEnter(ByVal sender As Object, _
  ByVal e As DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragEnter
   ' If the data is a file or a bitmap, display the copy cursor.
   If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) _
      Or e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy
   Else
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.None
   End If
End Sub
C#
private Image picture;
private Point pictureLocation;

public Form1()
{
   // Enable drag-and-drop operations and 
   // add handlers for DragEnter and DragDrop.
   this.AllowDrop = true;
   this.DragDrop += new DragEventHandler(this.Form1_DragDrop);
   this.DragEnter += new DragEventHandler(this.Form1_DragEnter);
}

protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
{
   // If there is an image and it has a location, 
   // paint it when the Form is repainted.
   base.OnPaint(e);
   if(this.picture != null && this.pictureLocation != Point.Empty)
   {
      e.Graphics.DrawImage(this.picture, this.pictureLocation);
   }
}

private void Form1_DragDrop(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
{
   // Handle FileDrop data.
   if(e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) )
   {
      // Assign the file names to a string array, in 
      // case the user has selected multiple files.
      string[] files = (string[])e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop);
      try
      {
         // Assign the first image to the picture variable.
         this.picture = Image.FromFile(files[0]);
         // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         this.pictureLocation = this.PointToClient(new Point(e.X, e.Y) );
      }
      catch(Exception ex)
      {
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
         return;
      }
   }

   // Handle Bitmap data.
   if(e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) )
   {
      try
      {
         // Create an Image and assign it to the picture variable.
         this.picture = (Image)e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.Bitmap);
         // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         this.pictureLocation = this.PointToClient(new Point(e.X, e.Y) );
      }
      catch(Exception ex)
      {
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
         return;
      }
   }
   // Force the form to be redrawn with the image.
   this.Invalidate();
}

private void Form1_DragEnter(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
{
   // If the data is a file or a bitmap, display the copy cursor.
   if (e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) || 
      e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) ) 
   {
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy;
   }
   else
   {
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.None;
   }
}
Visual C++
private:
   Image^ picture;
   Point pictureLocation;

public:
   Form1()
   {

      // Enable drag-and-drop operations and
      // add handlers for DragEnter and DragDrop.
      this->AllowDrop = true;
      this->DragDrop += gcnew DragEventHandler( this, &Form1::Form1_DragDrop );
      this->DragEnter += gcnew DragEventHandler( this, &Form1::Form1_DragEnter );
   }

protected:
   virtual void OnPaint( PaintEventArgs^ e ) override
   {

      // If there is an image and it has a location,
      // paint it when the Form is repainted.
      Form::OnPaint( e );
      if ( this->picture != nullptr && this->pictureLocation != Point::Empty )
      {
         e->Graphics->DrawImage( this->picture, this->pictureLocation );
      }
   }

private:
   void Form1_DragDrop( Object^ /*sender*/, DragEventArgs^ e )
   {

      // Handle FileDrop data.
      if ( e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::FileDrop ) )
      {
         // Assign the file names to a String* array, in
         // case the user has selected multiple files.
         array<String^>^files = (array<String^>^)e->Data->GetData( DataFormats::FileDrop );
         try
         {
            // Assign the first image to the picture variable.
            this->picture = Image::FromFile( files[ 0 ] );

            // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
            this->pictureLocation = this->PointToClient( Point(e->X,e->Y) );
         }
         catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
         {
            MessageBox::Show( ex->Message );
            return;
         }

      }

      // Handle Bitmap data.
      if ( e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::Bitmap ) )
      {
         try
         {
            // Create an Image and assign it to the picture variable.
            this->picture = dynamic_cast<Image^>(e->Data->GetData( DataFormats::Bitmap ));

            // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
            this->pictureLocation = this->PointToClient( Point(e->X,e->Y) );
         }
         catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
         {
            MessageBox::Show( ex->Message );
            return;
         }
      }

      // Force the form to be redrawn with the image.
      this->Invalidate();
   }

   void Form1_DragEnter( Object^ /*sender*/, DragEventArgs^ e )
   {
      // If the data is a file or a bitmap, display the copy cursor.
      if ( e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::Bitmap ) || e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::FileDrop ) )
      {
         e->Effect = DragDropEffects::Copy;
      }
      else
      {
         e->Effect = DragDropEffects::None;
      }
   }
Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0, 1.0
See Also

Reference

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