Graphics.MeasureString Method (String, Font, SizeF, StringFormat, Int32, Int32)
Measures the specified string when drawn with the specified Font and formatted with the specified StringFormat.
Assembly: System.Drawing (in System.Drawing.dll)
Public Function MeasureString ( text As String, font As Font, layoutArea As SizeF, stringFormat As StringFormat, <OutAttribute> ByRef charactersFitted As Integer, <OutAttribute> ByRef linesFilled As Integer ) As SizeF
Parameters
- text
-
Type:
System.String
String to measure.
- font
-
Type:
System.Drawing.Font
Font that defines the text format of the string.
- layoutArea
-
Type:
System.Drawing.SizeF
SizeF structure that specifies the maximum layout area for the text.
- stringFormat
-
Type:
System.Drawing.StringFormat
StringFormat that represents formatting information, such as line spacing, for the string.
- charactersFitted
-
Type:
System.Int32
Number of characters in the string.
- linesFilled
-
Type:
System.Int32
Number of text lines in the string.
Return Value
Type: System.Drawing.SizeFThis method returns a SizeF structure that represents the size of the string, in the units specified by the PageUnit property, of the text parameter as drawn with the font parameter and the stringFormat parameter.
| Exception | Condition |
|---|---|
| ArgumentException | font is null. |
The MeasureString method is designed for use with individual strings and includes a small amount of extra space before and after the string to allow for overhanging glyphs. Also, the DrawString method adjusts glyph points to optimize display quality and might display a string narrower than reported by MeasureString. To obtain metrics suitable for adjacent strings in layout (for example, when implementing formatted text), use the MeasureCharacterRanges method or one of the MeasureString methods that takes a StringFormat and pass GenericTypographic. Also ensure the TextRenderingHint for the Graphics is AntiAlias.
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:
Creates a string to measure and a font object set to Arial (16 point)
Sets the maximum layout size of the string.
Creates a string format object and sets its format flags to DirectionVertical.
Creates the integer variables charactersFitted and linesFilled and a size object to measure the string.
Measures the size of the string and determines the number of characters fitted and lines filled, using the string, the font object, the maximum layout size, and the string format.
Draws a red rectangle using the measured size of the string.
Draws the string within the drawn rectangle.
Draws the values of the number of characters fitted and lines filled.
The result is a vertical rectangle enclosing a vertical string.
Private Sub MeasureStringSizeFFormatInts(ByVal e As PaintEventArgs) ' Set up string. Dim measureString As String = "Measure String" Dim stringFont As New Font("Arial", 16) ' Set maximum layout size. Dim layoutSize As New SizeF(100.0F, 200.0F) ' Set string format. Dim newStringFormat As New StringFormat newStringFormat.FormatFlags = StringFormatFlags.DirectionVertical ' Measure string. Dim charactersFitted As Integer Dim linesFilled As Integer Dim stringSize As New SizeF stringSize = e.Graphics.MeasureString(measureString, stringFont, _ layoutSize, newStringFormat, charactersFitted, linesFilled) ' Draw rectangle representing size of string. e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(New Pen(Color.Red, 1), 0.0F, 0.0F, _ stringSize.Width, stringSize.Height) ' Draw string to screen. e.Graphics.DrawString(measureString, stringFont, Brushes.Black, _ New PointF(0, 0), newStringFormat) ' Draw output parameters to screen. Dim outString As String = "chars " & charactersFitted & _ ", lines " & linesFilled e.Graphics.DrawString(outString, stringFont, Brushes.Black, _ New PointF(100, 0)) End Sub
Available since 1.1