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Color.ToString Method

Converts this Color structure to a human-readable string.

[Visual Basic]
Overrides Public Function ToString() As String
[C#]
public override string ToString();
[C++]
public: String* ToString();
[JScript]
public override function ToString() : String;

Return Value

A string that is the name of the color of this Color structure, if the Color structure is created from a pre-defined color by using either the FromName method or the FromKnownColor method; otherwise, a string that consists of the ARGB component names and their values.

Remarks

A pre-defined color is also called a known color and is represented by an element of the KnownColor enumeration. When the ToString method is applied to a Color structure that is created by using the FromArgb method, the ToString method returns a string that consists of the ARGB component names and their values, even if the ARGB value matches the ARGB value of a pre-defined color.

Example

[Visual Basic, C#] The following example is designed for use with Windows Forms, and it requires PaintEventArgs e, which is a parameter of the Paint event handler. The code performs the following actions:

  • Iterates through the KnownColor enumeration elements to find all known colors that have a nonzero green component and a zero-value red component and that are not system colors.
  • During each iteration: saves the KnownColor element, if it matches the criteria, in an array.
  • Uses a brush to paint rectangles. Each of the rectangles is painted a KnownColor that matches the criteria stated in the first step. The name of the KnownColor and its component values are also displayed.

[Visual Basic, C#] This example displays certain known colors and uses the ToString method to display the names of the colors and their four component values.

[Visual Basic] 
Public Sub ToArgbToStringExample(e As PaintEventArgs)
Dim g As Graphics = e.Graphics
' Color structure used for temporary storage.
Dim someColor As Color = Color.FromArgb(0)
' Array to store KnownColor values that match the criteria.
Dim colorMatches(167) As KnownColor
Dim count As Integer = 0 ' number of matches found
' Iterate through KnownColor enums to find all corresponding colors
' that have a non-zero green component and zero-valued red
' component and that are not system colors.
Dim enumValue As KnownColor
For enumValue = 0 To KnownColor.YellowGreen
someColor = Color.FromKnownColor(enumValue)
If someColor.G <> 0 And someColor.R = 0 And _
Not someColor.IsSystemColor Then
colorMatches(count) = enumValue
count += 1
End If
Next enumValue
Dim myBrush1 As New SolidBrush(someColor)
Dim myFont As New Font("Arial", 9)
Dim x As Integer = 40
Dim y As Integer = 40
' Iterate through the matches found and display each color that
' corresponds with the enum value in the array. Also display the
' name of the KnownColor and the ARGB components.
Dim i As Integer
For i = 0 To count - 1
' Display the color
someColor = Color.FromKnownColor(colorMatches(i))
myBrush1.Color = someColor
g.FillRectangle(myBrush1, x, y, 50, 30)
' Display KnownColor name and four component values. To display
' component values:  Use the ToArgb method to get the 32-bit
' ARGB value of someColor (created from a KnownColor). Create
' a Color structure from the 32-bit ARGB value and set someColor
' equal to this new Color structure. Then use the ToString method
' to convert it to a string.
g.DrawString(someColor.ToString(), myFont, Brushes.Black, _
x + 55, y)
someColor = Color.FromArgb(someColor.ToArgb())
g.DrawString(someColor.ToString(), myFont, Brushes.Black, _
x + 55, y + 15)
y += 40
Next i
End Sub
        
[C#] 
public void ToArgbToStringExample(PaintEventArgs e)
{
Graphics     g = e.Graphics;
// Color structure used for temporary storage.
Color   someColor = Color.FromArgb(0);
// Array to store KnownColor values that match the criteria.
KnownColor[]  colorMatches = new KnownColor[167];
int  count = 0;   // number of matches found
// Iterate through the KnownColor enums to find all corresponding colors
// that have a nonzero green component and zero-value red component and
// that are not system colors.
for (KnownColor enumValue = 0;
enumValue <= KnownColor.YellowGreen; enumValue++)
{
someColor = Color.FromKnownColor(enumValue);
if ( someColor.G != 0 && someColor.R == 0 && !someColor.IsSystemColor )
colorMatches[count++] = enumValue;
}
SolidBrush  myBrush1 = new SolidBrush(someColor);
Font        myFont = new Font("Arial", 9);
int         x = 40;
int         y = 40;
// Iterate through the matches that were found and display each color that
// corresponds with the enum value in the array. also display the name of
// the KnownColor and the ARGB components.
for ( int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
// Display the color.
someColor = Color.FromKnownColor(colorMatches[i]);
myBrush1.Color = someColor;
g.FillRectangle(myBrush1, x, y, 50, 30);
// Display KnownColor name and the four component values. To display the
// component values:  Use the ToArgb method to get the 32-bit ARGB value
// of someColor, which was created from a KnownColor. Then create a
// Color structure from the 32-bit ARGB value and set someColor equal to
// this new Color structure . Then use the ToString method to convert it to
// a string.
g.DrawString(someColor.ToString(), myFont, Brushes.Black, x + 55, y);
someColor = Color.FromArgb(someColor.ToArgb());
g.DrawString(someColor.ToString(), myFont, Brushes.Black, x + 55, y + 15);
y += 40;
}
}
        

[C++, JScript] No example is available for C++ or JScript. To view a Visual Basic or C# example, click the Language Filter button Language Filter in the upper-left corner of the page.

Requirements

Platforms: Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 family, .NET Compact Framework

See Also

Color Structure | Color Members | System.Drawing Namespace

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