Clever Techniques for Determing Dimensions of Multi-Line Label?

[Robert W.]

Long ago I developed a simple algorithm for calculating how much space is
required to display a multi-line label in a limited width. It seemed to be
working okay but then my testing revealed a flaw when trying to display the
following string with an MS Sans Serif 8 point font in a 208 pixel width
space:

"A $50-million investment in cycling infrastructure - the largest history of
the province"

Using the Graphics "MeasureStr ing" function it determined that 2 lines were
necessary to display this text. But unfortunately the longer words forced a
word-wrap sooner than usual. So the string ended up being displayed like
this:

A $50-million investment in cycling
infrastructure - the largest history of the
province
As you can see, this is 3 lines, not 2. I realize I could overcompensate
the height required but then this will add an excessive vertical margin in
many cases. So I'm wondering if anyone has come up with a superior, accurate
approach to this problem?

--
Robert W.
Vancouver, BC
www.mwtech.com

[Mohammad Shalabi]

is it ok with you to use fixed width fonts? at least you do not need any
calcualtions.

thank you.
"Robert W." <Ro*****@discus sions.microsoft .com> wrote in message
news:90******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

Long ago I developed a simple algorithm for calculating how much space is
required to display a multi-line label in a limited width. It seemed to
be
working okay but then my testing revealed a flaw when trying to display
the
following string with an MS Sans Serif 8 point font in a 208 pixel width
space:

"A $50-million investment in cycling infrastructure - the largest history
of
the province"

Using the Graphics "MeasureStr ing" function it determined that 2 lines
were
necessary to display this text. But unfortunately the longer words forced
a
word-wrap sooner than usual. So the string ended up being displayed like
this:

A $50-million investment in cycling
infrastructure - the largest history of the
province
As you can see, this is 3 lines, not 2. I realize I could overcompensate
the height required but then this will add an excessive vertical margin in
many cases. So I'm wondering if anyone has come up with a superior,
accurate
approach to this problem?

--
Robert W.
Vancouver, BC
www.mwtech.com

[Robert W.]

Mohammad,

Actually, using fixed-width fonts would NOT solve the problem because the
words will typically wrap sooner than one expects.

In any case, I've done more research and found some code which I modified
for my own purposes. I'll post it here, as it may help others in the future:

public static int MeasureLabelHei ght(string text, Font font, int maxWid)
{
Form form1 = new Form(); // Necessary to access
'CreateGraphics ' below
Graphics g = form1.CreateGra phics(); // Create a Graphics object
for the Control

System.Drawing. StringFormat format = new System.Drawing. StringFormat ();
System.Drawing. RectangleF rect = new System.Drawing. RectangleF(0, 0,
maxWid, 10000);
System.Drawing. CharacterRange[] ranges = {new
System.Drawing. CharacterRange( 0, text.Length)};
System.Drawing. Region[] regions = new System.Drawing. Region[1];

format.SetMeasu rableCharacterR anges(ranges);

regions = g.MeasureCharac terRanges (text, font, rect, format);
rect = regions[0].GetBounds(g);

return (int)(rect.Bott om + 1.0F);
}


--
Robert W.
Vancouver, BC
www.mwtech.com

"Mohammad Shalabi" wrote:

is it ok with you to use fixed width fonts? at least you do not need any
calcualtions.

thank you.
"Robert W." <Ro*****@discus sions.microsoft .com> wrote in message
news:90******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

Long ago I developed a simple algorithm for calculating how much space is
required to display a multi-line label in a limited width. It seemed to
be
working okay but then my testing revealed a flaw when trying to display
the
following string with an MS Sans Serif 8 point font in a 208 pixel width
space:

"A $50-million investment in cycling infrastructure - the largest history
of
the province"

Using the Graphics "MeasureStr ing" function it determined that 2 lines
were
necessary to display this text. But unfortunately the longer words forced
a
word-wrap sooner than usual. So the string ended up being displayed like
this:

A $50-million investment in cycling
infrastructure - the largest history of the
province
As you can see, this is 3 lines, not 2. I realize I could overcompensate
the height required but then this will add an excessive vertical margin in
many cases. So I'm wondering if anyone has come up with a superior,
accurate
approach to this problem?

--
Robert W.
Vancouver, BC
www.mwtech.com

[Helge Jensen]

Robert W. wrote:

Using the Graphics "MeasureStr ing" function it determined that 2 lines were
necessary to display this text. But unfortunately the longer words forced a
word-wrap sooner than usual. So the string ended up being displayed like
this:

Why are you determining the number of lines? MeasureString returns the
area needed.

Is this using SizeF MeasureString(s tring text, Font font, SizeF
layoutAread, StringFormat format)?

Try using the following code:

Label l = ...;
SizeF area = new SizeF(
l.ClientRectang le.Width, float.PositiveI nfinity);
/* l.Format, but Label does not expose Format */
StringFormat format = StringFormat.Ge nericTypographi c;

SizeF needed = graphics.Measur eString(
l.Text, l.font, area, format);
int borders = l.Height - l.ClientRectang le.Height;
l.Height = (int)(Math.Ceil ing(needed.Heig ht) + borders);

--
Helge Jensen
mailto:he****** ****@slog.dk
sip:he********* *@slog.dk
-=> Sebastian cover-music: http://ungdomshus.nu <=-