How to: Draw Wrapped Text in a Rectangle

Windows Forms Programming

You can draw wrapped text in a rectangle by using the DrawString overloaded method of the Graphics class that takes a Rectangle or RectangleF parameter. You will also use a Brush and a Font.

You can also draw wrapped text in a rectangle by using the DrawText overloaded method of the TextRenderer that takes a Rectangle and a TextFormatFlags parameter. You will also use a Color and a Font.

The following illustration shows the output of text drawn in the rectangle when you use the DrawString method.

To draw wrapped text in a rectangle with GDI+

Use the DrawString overloaded method, passing the text you want, Rectangle or RectangleF, Font and Brush.

Visual Basic

Dim text1 As String = "Draw text in a rectangle by passing a RectF to the DrawString method."
Dim font1 As New Font("Arial", 12, FontStyle.Bold, GraphicsUnit.Point)
Try
    Dim rectF1 As New RectangleF(30, 10, 100, 122)
    e.Graphics.DrawString(text1, font1, Brushes.Blue, rectF1)
    e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, Rectangle.Round(rectF1))
Finally
    font1.Dispose()
End Try

string text1 = "Draw text in a rectangle by passing a RectF to the DrawString method.";
using (Font font1 = new Font("Arial", 12, FontStyle.Bold, GraphicsUnit.Point))
{
    RectangleF rectF1 = new RectangleF(30, 10, 100, 122);
    e.Graphics.DrawString(text1, font1, Brushes.Blue, rectF1);
    e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, Rectangle.Round(rectF1));
}

To draw wrapped text in a rectangle with GDI

Use the TextFormatFlags enumeration value to specify the text should be wrapped with the DrawText overloaded method, passing the text you want, Rectangle, Font and Color.

Visual Basic

Dim text2 As String = _
    "Draw text in a rectangle by passing a RectF to the DrawString method."
Dim font2 As New Font("Arial", 12, FontStyle.Bold, GraphicsUnit.Point)
Try
    Dim rect2 As New Rectangle(30, 10, 100, 122)

    ' Specify the text is wrapped.
    Dim flags As TextFormatFlags = TextFormatFlags.WordBreak
    TextRenderer.DrawText(e.Graphics, text2, font2, rect2, Color.Blue, flags)
    e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, Rectangle.Round(rect2))
Finally
    font2.Dispose()
End Try

string text2 = "Draw text in a rectangle by passing a RectF to the DrawString method.";
using (Font font2 = new Font("Arial", 12, FontStyle.Bold, GraphicsUnit.Point))
{
    Rectangle rect2 = new Rectangle(30, 10, 100, 122);

    // Specify the text is wrapped.
    TextFormatFlags flags = TextFormatFlags.WordBreak;
    TextRenderer.DrawText(e.Graphics, text2, font2, rect2, Color.Blue, flags);
    e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Black, Rectangle.Round(rect2));

}

Compiling the Code

The previous examples require:

PaintEventArgs e, which is a parameter of PaintEventHandler.

Tasks

How to: Draw Text with GDI

How to: Construct Font Families and Fonts

How to: Draw Text at a Specified Location

Other Resources

Using Fonts and Text