C# 2003 picture box control mouse events problem

[MasterMax1313]

I'm trying to make a grid of picture box controls, which I do via code. Each of these boxes has a mouseclick, mousedown, mouseup, and mouseenter event. The mouseclick event is simple enough and works fine. However, i use the mousedown, mouseup, and mouseenter events to be able to click and drag to apply the same image across all of the boxes the mouse enters (similar to a terrain editor for a game like StarCraft). I set a form wide boolean variable to true when the mousedown event occurs, then check that variable whenever a mouseenter event occurs, and then set it to false when a mouseup event occurs. Most of the code is in place, however I am having a problem. After I click and drag along to apply the image in the grid, if I downclick inside of a box I've already applied an image to, the mouseenter event no longer seems to fire. I've tried removing the mouseclick event, but to no avail. I've also tried switching to mousemove event, but still no solution.

So basically my problem is that the picturebox controls that have a new image in them (they are preloaded with an image) caused by a mouseenter or a mouseclick, the mouseenter event does not fire again. But this only occurs if the first box clicked on is one with a new image. If I were to start in a box without a new image, it will drag across new images, changing them with no problem. I'll try to construct an image below.

The grid looks something like this (20x20).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
____________
1|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
2|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
3|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
4|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
5|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
6|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
7|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
8|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

So basically, any thoughts?

I've included some code as well below.

    private void CreateGridSystem(string sOriginalDirectory)
        {
            int y, z = -1;
 
            for(y = 0; y < MAX_GRID; y++)
            {
                if((y % MAX_LENGTH) == 0)
                {
                    z++;
                }
                tcTerrain[y] = new TerrainClass();
                pbBoxes[y] = new PictureBox();
                // set initial properties
                pbBoxes[y].Top = (z)*MAX_SIZE + 56;
                pbBoxes[y].Left = (y%MAX_LENGTH)*MAX_SIZE;
                pbBoxes[y].Width = MAX_SIZE;
                pbBoxes[y].Height = MAX_SIZE;
                pbBoxes[y].SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.StretchImage;
                //pbBoxes[x, y].Image = Image.FromFile(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + @"\Pictures" + @"\tree.gif");
                pbBoxes[y].Tag = y;
                pbBoxes[y].BorderStyle = BorderStyle.FixedSingle;
                this.Controls.Add(pbBoxes[y]);
                pbBoxes[y].Image = Image.FromFile(sOriginalDirectory + @"\Pictures" + @"\blank_space.bmp");
            //    pbBoxes[y].Click += new System.EventHandler(PicBoxHandler);
                pbBoxes[y].MouseDown += new System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventHandler(PicBoxMouseDownHandler);
                pbBoxes[y].MouseEnter += new System.EventHandler(PicBoxDragHandler);
                pbBoxes[y].MouseUp += new System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventHandler(PicBoxMouseUpHandler);
                pbBoxes[y].MouseMove += new MouseEventHandler(MouseMoveHandler);
            }
        }
 
 
        private void PicBoxHandler(Object sender, System.EventArgs e)
        {
            int i = 0;
            short theta = 0;
 
            i = (int)((System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox)sender).Tag;
            pbBoxes[i].Image.Dispose();
            System.GC.Collect();
            pbBoxes[i].Image = null;
 
            //tbbTree
            if(sTerrainChoice == 0)
            {
                pbBoxes[i].Image = imMerger.generate_new_image(sColorChoice, @"pine_tree.bmp", sDirectory, "", "", false);
                pbBoxes[i].BorderStyle = BorderStyle.None;
                tcTerrain[i].reset();
                tcTerrain[i].setTerrain(sTerrainChoice);
                tcTerrain[i].setSide(sSide);
            }
                //tbbShrub
            else if(sTerrainChoice == 1)
            {
                tcTerrain[i].reset();
                tcTerrain[i].setTerrain(sTerrainChoice);
                tcTerrain[i].setSide(sSide);
            }
                //tbbRiver
            else if(sTerrainChoice == 2)
            {
                pbBoxes[i].Image = /*imMerger.rotate_image(*/imMerger.generate_new_image(sColorChoice, @"river_t.bmp", sDirectory, "", "", false)/*)*/;
                pbBoxes[i].BorderStyle = BorderStyle.None;
                tcTerrain[i].reset();
                tcTerrain[i].setTerrain(sTerrainChoice);
                tcTerrain[i].setSide(sSide);
                imMerger.path_chooser(tcTerrain, true, i, MAX_LENGTH, theta);
                pbBoxes[i].Image.RotateFlip(System.Drawing.RotateFlipType.Rotate90FlipNone);
            }
                //tbbRock
            else if(sTerrainChoice == 3)
            {
                sTerrainChoice = 3;
            }
                //tbbGrass
            else if(sTerrainChoice == 4)
            {
                sTerrainChoice = 4;
            }
                //tbbPath
            else if(sTerrainChoice == 5)
            {
                sTerrainChoice = 5;
            }
                //tbbRedFlag
            else if(sTerrainChoice == 6)
            {
                sTerrainChoice = 6;
            }
                //tbbBlueFlag
            else if(sTerrainChoice == 7)
            {
                sTerrainChoice = 7;
            }
        }
 
 
        private void PicBoxMouseDownHandler(object sender, System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            bMouseClicked = true;
            label1.Text = bMouseClicked.ToString() + " " + ((System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox)sender).Tag;
//            pbBoxes[(int)((System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox)sender).Tag].Image.Dispose();
//            System.GC.Collect();
            PicBoxHandler(sender, e);
            bMouseClicked = true;
//            this.Dispose();
        }
        private void PicBoxMouseUpHandler(object sender, System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            bMouseClicked = false;
//            this.Dispose();
        }
        private void PicBoxDragHandler(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
        {
            label1.Text = bMouseClicked.ToString() + " " + ((System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox)sender).Tag;
            if((bMouseClicked == true))// && System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs
            {
//                pbBoxes[(int)((System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox)sender).Tag].Image.Dispose();
//                System.GC.Collect();
                PicBoxHandler(sender, e);
                pbBoxes[(int)((System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox)sender).Tag].MouseEnter -= System.EventHandler(PicBoxDragHandler);
                pbBoxes[(int)((System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox)sender).Tag].MouseEnter += new System.EventHandler(PicBoxDragHandler);
            }
        }

[kenobewan]

Not sure if this helps, but sounds like the new image needs a mouse event too...

[MasterMax1313]

I tried adding a new event handler, but to no avail. I don't think this was the solution because I'm not making a new control, just changing the image of the control.

[kenobewan]

Have you tried using the new image to trigger the same event handler? I believe that essentially you have a JS problem and the solution lies in trying to give the new image event handlers which it currently doesn't have... Of course I may be wrong, its happened before ;).

[MasterMax1313]

I've tried doing what you suggested, at least I think I know what you meant in your suggestion. I added

this.pbBoxes[i].MouseEnter += new EventHandler(PicBoxDragHandler);

to my code after the new image is set, in PicBoxHandler (see code above) but to no avail. Is this what you mean, or am I misunderstanding you?

[kenobewan]

My bad, I thought that this would have worked... You could try adding a JS event that triggers an alert and build it up from there to see what you can come up with, but unfortunately I am fresh out of ideas :(. Anyone else?

[MasterMax1313]

quick question on your post, by JS, I assume you mean javascript? I ask because i'm trying to do this in c#, and i wasn't sure if there was a miscommunication here.

[kenobewan]

Just found another possible way:
handling mousedown for dynamic pictureboxes

Does this help?