Color.ToString Method ()
Converts this Color structure to a human-readable string.
Assembly: System.Drawing (in System.Drawing.dll)
Return Value
Type: System.StringA string that is the name of this Color, if the Color is created from a predefined color by using either the FromName method or the FromKnownColor method; otherwise, a string that consists of the ARGB component names and their values.
A predefined 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, ToString returns a string that consists of the ARGB component names and their values, even if the ARGB value matches the ARGB value of a predefined color.
The following code example is designed for use with Windows Forms, and it requires PaintEventArgse, 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 non-zero 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.
This example displays certain known colors and uses ToString to display the names of the colors and their four component values.
Public Sub ToArgbToStringExample2(ByVal 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 ' Number of matches found. Dim count As Integer = 0 ' 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
Available since 1.1