How to draw a line using mouse drag?

Question

I need to draw a line in delphi using the cursor, I already have created the line code, but I can\'t get what to do next? How can do that, I push the mouse, when the line ne

Answer 1

Something like this:

unit Unit4;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs;

type
  TForm4 = class(TForm)
    procedure FormResize(Sender: TObject);
    procedure FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
    procedure FormPaint(Sender: TObject);
    procedure FormMouseDown(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
      Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
    procedure FormMouseUp(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
      Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
    procedure FormMouseMove(Sender: TObject; Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
  private
    { Private declarations }
    FStartPoint, FEndPoint: TPoint;
    FDrawingLine: boolean;
    bm: TBitmap;
    procedure AddLineToCanvas;
    procedure SwapBuffers;
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;

var
  Form4: TForm4;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

procedure TForm4.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  bm := TBitmap.Create;
  FDrawingLine := false;
end;

procedure TForm4.FormMouseDown(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
  Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
begin
  FStartPoint := Point(X, Y);
  FDrawingLine := true;
end;

procedure TForm4.FormMouseMove(Sender: TObject; Shift: TShiftState; X,
  Y: Integer);
begin
  if FDrawingLine then
  begin
    SwapBuffers;
    Canvas.MoveTo(FStartPoint.X, FStartPoint.Y);
    Canvas.LineTo(X, Y);
  end;
end;

procedure TForm4.FormMouseUp(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
  Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
begin
  FDrawingLine := false;
  FEndPoint := Point(X, Y);
  AddLineToCanvas;
  SwapBuffers;
end;

procedure TForm4.AddLineToCanvas;
begin
  bm.Canvas.MoveTo(FStartPoint.X, FStartPoint.Y);
  bm.Canvas.LineTo(FEndPoint.X, FEndPoint.Y);
end;

procedure TForm4.FormPaint(Sender: TObject);
begin
  SwapBuffers;
end;

procedure TForm4.SwapBuffers;
begin
  BitBlt(Canvas.Handle, 0, 0, ClientWidth, ClientHeight,
    bm.Canvas.Handle, 0, 0, SRCCOPY);
end;

procedure TForm4.FormResize(Sender: TObject);
begin
  bm.SetSize(ClientWidth, ClientHeight);
end;

end.

Compiled sample EXE

Notice that this method is simple and robust, but not optimal in terms of performance. This will likely be an issue if you try to run this on a Windows 3.1-era computer.

Answer 2

Another technique that can be used, without the need to create a bitmap, is using the Pen.Mode property. Something like this:

  TForm2 = class(TForm)
    procedure FormMouseDown(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
      Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
    procedure FormMouseMove(Sender: TObject; Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
    procedure FormMouseUp(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
      Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
  private
   PO,LP: TPoint;
   draw: boolean;
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;

procedure TForm2.FormMouseDown(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
  Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
begin
 PO.X:= X;
 PO.Y:= Y;
 LP.X:= X;
 LP.Y:= Y;
 draw:= true;
 Canvas.Pen.Mode:= pmNotXor;
end;

procedure TForm2.FormMouseMove(Sender: TObject; Shift: TShiftState; X,
  Y: Integer);
begin
 if draw then
  begin
   if (LP.X <> PO.X) or (LP.Y <> PO.Y) then
    begin
     Canvas.MoveTo(PO.X,PO.Y);
     Canvas.LineTo(LP.X,LP.Y);
    end;
   LP.X:= X;
   LP.Y:= Y;
   Canvas.MoveTo(PO.X,PO.Y);
   Canvas.LineTo(LP.X,LP.Y);
  end;
end;

procedure TForm2.FormMouseUp(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
  Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
begin
 if draw then draw:= false;
end;