How to Create a Slideshow Program

Use VB.NET to create an image slideshow.

Knowing how to create a slide-show program using Microsoft Visual Basic.NET (VB.NET) can save you time when you need to show your pictures to friends and family. VB.NET is an object-oriented computer programming language used to design Windows applications. A slide show is used to display images while pausing a few seconds in between. In a few steps you will create a slide-show VB.NET project using a picture box, list box and a few buttons.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Visual Basic Express

Instructions

1. Start Microsoft Visual Basic Express, click "New Project..." on the left pane of your screen, then select "Windows Forms Application." Click "OK."

2. Double click "Button" on the "Toolbox" pane to add a new button control. Add a second button. Double click "PictureBox" to add a new picture-box control.

3. Double click "ListBox" to add a list-box control. Double click "OpenFileDialog" to add the control to your project. Double click "Button1" to open the "Form1.vb"module.

4. Copy and paste the following code under "Button1_Click" to open the file dialog Window and browse for images:

   OpenFileDialog1.Multiselect = False

   OpenFileDialog1.Filter = "Jpeg|*.jpg|Gif|*.gif|Jpeg|*.jpeg|Bitmap|*.bmp"

   OpenFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = True

   OpenFileDialog1.Title = "Browse"

   If OpenFileDialog1.ShowDialog <> DialogResult.Cancel Then

   ListBox1.Items.Add(OpenFileDialog1.FileName)

   End If

5. Copy and paste the following code to create a new procedure to loop through the images and pause between them using a Thread:

   Sub slideShow()

   Dim iCntr As Integer

   For iCntr = 0 To ListBox1.Items.Count - 1

   pctrBx.Image = Image.FromFile(ListBox1.Items.Item(iCntr))

   Thread.Sleep(3000)

   Next

   Exit Sub

   End Sub

6. Copy and paste the following code under "Public Class Form1" to declare two global variables:

   Dim pctrBx As New PictureBox

   Dim frmFrame As New Form

7. Click "Form1.vb" and double click "Button2." Copy and paste the following code to show the Form where the images are going to be displayed and also start the Thread:

   If ListBox1.Items.Count <> 0 Then

   frmFrame.Size = New Size(1000, 1000)

   frmFrame.BackColor = Color.Black

   frmFrame.Text = "Image Slideshow"

   pctrBx.Dock = DockStyle.Fill

   pctrBx.BackColor = Color.Black

   pctrBx.SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.StretchImage

   pctrBx.BorderStyle = BorderStyle.Fixed3D

   frmFrame.Controls.Add(pctrBx)

   frmFrame.Show()

   Dim pauseThread As New Thread(AddressOf slideShow)

   pauseThread.Start()

   Else

   MsgBox("Please select an image")

   End If

8. Click "Form1.vb" and double click "ListBox1." Copy and paste the following code to add the selected item in the Listbox to the PictureBox control:

   PictureBox1.SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.StretchImage

   PictureBox1.Image = Image.FromFile(ListBox1.SelectedItem)

9. Click the "Debug" menu then select "Start Debugging" to run your program. Click "Button1" to browse for images. Click "Button2" to start the slide show.

References

• Create an Image Slideshow in VB.NET