Bitmap effects enable designers and developers to apply visual effects to rendered Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) content.
For example, bitmap effects allow you to easily apply a DropShadowBitmapEffect effect or a blur effect to an image or a button.
The unmanaged APIs provide an extensible framework for independent hardware vendors (IHVs) to develop custom effects to use in WPF applications.
Bitmap effects (IMILBitmapEffect object) are simple pixel processing operations. A bitmap effect takes a IWICBitmapSource Interface as an input and produces a new IWICBitmapSource Interface after applying the effect, such as a blur or drop shadow.
Native Bitmap Effects
There are 5 built in bitmap effects available in WPF.
| Effect | Description | Effect CLSID |
|---|
| Blur | Simulates looking at an object through an out-of-focus lens. | CLSID_MILBitmapEffectBlur |
| DropShadow | Applies a shadow behind a visual object at a slight offset. | CLSID_MILBitmapEffectDropShadow |
| OuterGlow | Creates a halo of color around objects or areas of color. | CLSID_MILBitmapEffectOuterGlow |
| Bevel | Creates a bevel which raises the surface of the image according to a specified curve. | CLSID_MILBitmapEffectBevel |
| Emboss | Creates a bump mapping of the visual object to give the impression of depth and texture from an artificial light source. | CLSID_MILBitmapEffectEmboss |
Custom BitmapEffects
Custom effects are created by implemented the unmanaged APIs to create an effect library that can be used in a managed WPF application.
For an example of a custom bitmap effect, see Custom RGBFilter Effect in WPF.