Is it possible to group multiple PictureBoxes? - vb.net

Question

I can drag a PictureBox onto a Form Control, a Tab Control or a Panel Control, etc. And I can import an image into a PictureBox. However, I don't know how to group multiple PictureBoxes together in Visual Studio 2017. Looks like there is no such a function. I need this function because I want to generate a big picture based on the user's input. That big picture consists of multiple small pictures, the visibility of which is controlled by the user through multiple checkboxes.
In Excel, I could put multiple pictures in it, group them together, use the VBA to control the visibility of each picture, and finally copy that picture group into a Word file. I would do this in a VSTO Word Document project in Visual Studio 2017 using vb.net.
I added some pictures for demonstrate the expected function.
Picture 1 shows the small pictures to be used in a big picture. (Please ignore the .vslx file)
Picture 2 shows a possible result based on user's input.

Answer 1

You can make your own custom control. here is an example/suggestion how to do it with a User control that can be reused across your application. the user control is holding panels in a matrix, you can set a drag&drop Event to each Panel control and the user will be able to drop a picture box on each panel:
USER CONTROL:
Public Class UserControl1
Public NumberOfPanelsInRow As Integer
Sub New(ByVal height As Integer, width As Integer, Optional ByVal numberofPanelsInRow As Integer = 3)
' This call is required by the designer.'
InitializeComponent()
' Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.'
Me.Height = height
Me.Width = width
Me.NumberOfPanelsInRow = numberofPanelsInRow
End Sub
Private Sub UserControl1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
' grouped panels to hold picturebox you can drag & drop to them...'
Dim panelHeight As Integer = Me.Height / NumberOfPanelsInRow
Dim panelWidth As Integer = Me.Width / NumberOfPanelsInRow
Dim colors() As Color = {Color.Pink, Color.Black, Color.Red, Color.Cyan, Color.Green, Color.Orange,
Color.Red, Color.Pink, Color.Black, Color.Red, Color.Cyan, Color.Green, Color.Orange, Color.Red}
Dim total As Integer = NumberOfPanelsInRow * NumberOfPanelsInRow
Dim currentYlocation As Integer = 0
Dim currentXlocation As Integer = 0
Dim location As Point = New Point(0, currentYlocation)
Dim rowcounter As Integer = 0
Dim itemcounter As Integer = 0
For i = 1 To total
If rowcounter >= NumberOfPanelsInRow Then
rowcounter = 0
currentYlocation += panelHeight
currentXlocation = 0
End If
' to each one of this panel you can drag a picture box'
Dim p As New Panel
p.Size = New Size(panelWidth, panelHeight)
p.Location = New Point(currentXlocation, currentYlocation)
p.BackColor = colors(itemcounter)
Me.Controls.Add(p)
rowcounter += 1
itemcounter += 1
currentXlocation += panelWidth
Next
End Sub
End Class
CALLING THE USER CONTROL FROM FORM1:
Public Class Form1
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Dim uc = New UserControl1(300, 300)
Me.Controls.Add(uc)
End Sub
End Class
GUI OUTPUT: