Render WPF Control to Image in Console App

[realJSOP]

Well, that example assumes a complete WPF app, which isn't what I'm doing (remember, I'm doing a console app/windows service), but I'll see if it works...

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

[realJSOP]

No change. :(

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

[Abhinav S]

*Groan* I honestly thought this fix would help you. I wonder what the issue is? :(

Build your own survey - http://www.factile.net

[Pete OHanlon]

John, without the WPF rendering subsystem being involved, you won't have the necessary infrastructure in place to render out your bitmap. You are missing a Dispatcher, which means that you cannot allocate a MediaContext instance.

*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington

"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos

CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier

[realJSOP]

I'm starting with xaml created in a scene editor. This xaml is comprised of just the textblock definition. I thought the problem might be because the textblok isn't in a container of any kind, so I created a canvas, and put the textblock in it before trying to render it. Here's my code:

	private readonly XNamespace \_xamlNS  = @"http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation";
	private readonly XNamespace \_sysNS   = @"clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib";
	private readonly XNamespace \_xNS     = @"http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml";
	private readonly XNamespace \_localNS = @"clr-namespace:System;assembly=WpfConsoleApp";

	//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	public void ImagesFromText2(string folder)
	{
		foreach (DynamicContentItem item in ContentItems)
		{
			if (item.ContentType == "text")
			{
				XElement container = new XElement("Canvas", 
								new XAttribute("xmlns", \_xamlNS),
								new XAttribute("xmlns:x", \_xNS),
								new XAttribute("xmlns:local", \_localNS),
								new XAttribute("Padding", "0,0,0,0"),
								new XAttribute("Width", item.CanvasElement.Width.ToString()),
								new XAttribute("Height", item.CanvasElement.Height.ToString()));

				XElement child = item.CanvasElement.AsXElement;
				string xaml = child.ToString();

				child.Name = @"{http://clearchannel.com/spotchart/WpfConsoleApp}SpotChartTextBlock";
				//xElement.RemoveAttribute("Background");
				//xElement.RemoveAttribute("Panel.ZIndex");
				//xElement.RemoveAttribute("Canvas.Right");
				//xElement.RemoveAttribute("Canvas.Bottom");
				//xElement.RemoveAttribute("Canvas.Left");
				//xElement.RemoveAttribute("Canvas.Top");
				child.SetAttributeValue("Margin", "0,0,0,0");
				child.SetAttributeValue("xmlns", \_xamlNS);
				child.SetAttributeValue("xmlns:x", \_xNS);
				child.SetAttributeValue("xmlns:local", \_localNS);

				string text = item.LocalData;
				if (item.CanvasElement.IsDateTime)
				{
					child.SetAttributeValue("Text", item.LocalDataFormatted);
				}
				child.Name = @"{http://clearchannel.com/spotchart/WpfConsoleApp}SpotChartTextBlock.RenderTransform";
				container.Add(child);

				xaml = container.ToString();
				Canvas canvas = (Canvas)(XamlReader.Parse(xaml));
				
				SpotChartTextBlock textBlock    = (SpotChartTextBlock)(canvas.Children\[0\]);
				textBlock.VerticalTextAlignment = item.VerticalAlign;
				textBlock.SizeToFit

[realJSOP]

I was honestly hoping it would. :)

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

[realJSOP]

I don't want to actually see the control, I just want to render it to an image, and save it as a PNG. Should I create a WPF class library and use it from my console app? This code will ultimately be located in a Windows service.

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

[JOAT MON]

I don't think it needs a canvas. Does textBlock.Process() call the TextBlock.Measure() and TextBlock.Arrange()? I think that because you do not render to a UI, the values are not calculated, and these functions need to be explicitly called.

Jack of all trades ~ Master of none.

[realJSOP]

That was it. I called measure and arrange in the process method, and she wookee velly good. :)

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

[JOAT MON]

Good deal! :thumbsup:

Jack of all trades ~ Master of none.