Question

I am not quite sure how to draw a Rectangle (not filled) when I drag my mousedown while left clicking the mouse.

I have this so far

            private void canevas_MouseDown( object sender , MouseEventArgs e )
            {
                    if( e.Button == MouseButtons.Left )
                    {
                            _topLeft = new Point( e.X , e.Y );
                            _drawing = true;
                    }
            }

            private void canevas_MouseMove( object sender , MouseEventArgs e )
            {
                    if( _drawing )
                    {
                            Rectangle rec = new Rectangle( _topLeft.X , _topLeft.Y , ( e.X - _topLeft.X ) , ( e.Y - _topLeft.Y ) );
                            canevas.CreateGraphics().DrawRectangle( Pens.Black , rec );
                    }
            }

But the problems it that I dont want all the rectangles to show up

Answer 1

Some code to go with Ed’s correct answer:

    Point startPos;      // mouse-down position
    Point currentPos;    // current mouse position
    bool drawing;        // busy drawing
    List<Rectangle> rectangles = new List<Rectangle>();  // previous rectangles

    private Rectangle getRectangle() {
        return new Rectangle(
            Math.Min(startPos.X, currentPos.X),
            Math.Min(startPos.Y, currentPos.Y),
            Math.Abs(startPos.X - currentPos.X),
            Math.Abs(startPos.Y - currentPos.Y));
    }

    private void canevas_MouseDown(object sender, MouseEventArgs e) {
        currentPos = startPos = e.Location;
        drawing = true;
    }

    private void canevas_MouseMove(object sender, MouseEventArgs e) {
        currentPos = e.Location;
        if (drawing) canevas.Invalidate();
    }

    private void canevas_MouseUp(object sender, MouseEventArgs e) {
        if (drawing) {
            drawing = false;
            var rc = getRectangle();
            if (rc.Width > 0 && rc.Height > 0) rectangles.Add(rc);
            canevas.Invalidate();
        }
    }

    private void canevas_Paint(object sender, PaintEventArgs e) {
        if (rectangles.Count > 0) e.Graphics.DrawRectangles(Pens.Black, rectangles.ToArray());
        if (drawing) e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Red, getRectangle());
    }

---

To get a ‘canevas’ that has double-buffering turned on, so it painting doesn’t flicker, use Project + Add New Item, select “Class” and paste this code:

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;

class Canvas : Panel {
    public Canvas() {
        this.DoubleBuffered = true;
        this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.ResizeRedraw, true);
    }
}

Compile. Drag the new control from the top of the toolbox onto your form, replacing the original ‘canevas’. Update the event handlers accordingly.