Adding A Background Image Directly To A Form

unit Unit1; interface uses Windows, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Forms; type TForm1 = class(TForm) procedure FormCreate(Sender: TObject); procedure FormPaint(Sender: TObject); procedure FormDestroy(Sender: TObject); private { Private declarations } public { Public declarations } backgroundImage : TBitmap; end; var Form1: TForm1; implementation {$R *.DFM} procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject); begin backgroundImage := TBitmap.Create; backgroundImage.LoadFromFile(ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName)+'background.bmp'); end; procedure TForm1.FormPaint(Sender: TObject); begin Canvas.Draw( 0, 0, backgroundImage ); end; procedure TForm1.FormDestroy(Sender: TObject); begin backgroundImage.Free; end; end.

Comments

Attaching a background image directly to a form is easy; and a much less cumbersome alternative to using an image component stuck behind all your other controls.  Essentially you just create the TBitmap when the form is created, load the image from a file, then paint it onto the canvas.  (Don't forget to free the TBitmap at the end when the form is destroyed, as shown!)

Especially useful with 'containerless' forms (no titlebar or borders), with a little graphical ingenuity, you can create great-looking applications.  Since the image file is external, and loaded when the application starts, it also means you can change the 'skin' of the application simply by changing the image graphic.

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