Using Resources to store images in a windows forms C# program

It is useful to store the images used by a program inside the executable as resources. Visual studio offers an efficient way to do that.

The method is very simple  but I always forget how to do it. So, this is a very short tutorial.

Note: I use Visual studio 2017 but the procedure is similar with other versions.

1.    Create the project

We use Visual studio to create a windows Forms App.

2.    Put the resource in the project

Open the Resource.resx file by double clicking on it. (Visual studio will open a specific editor)

In the toolbar of this editor select Add Resource and select “Add existing file” then choose the desired image file (here I will use summer.bmp).

This will create a new resource containing the desired image

3.    Use the image

You can now use the image resource in the designer i.e. as the image property of a Picture box

But you can also access the image in the code by using <program_name>.Properties.Resources.<resourcename>.

See example below:

namespace image_in_ressource

{

    public partial class Form1 : Form

    {

        private Image summerImage;

        public Form1()

        {

            InitializeComponent();

            summerImage = new Bitmap(image_in_ressource.Properties.Resources.summer);

        }

        private void Form1_Paint(object sender, PaintEventArgs e)

        {

            e.Graphics.DrawImageUnscaled(summerImage, new Point(0, 0));

        }

    }

}