How can i measure a string to be printed

Question

i have to measure a string to determine the exact with, so that i can create a label an set the following information on the report to be printed out correctly.

i sow alot of postings about measure a stirng with Graphics.MeasureString but when i use these i don't get the exact millimeters as in the printout.

here my code:

public double getStingWith_mm(string InputText, string Fontname, bool TypeBold, bool TypeItalic, double Fontsize)
{

    try
    {
        if (grU == null)
        {
            //grU = CreateGraphics();
            //grU = Graphics.FromImage(new Bitmap(1, 1));
            System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument PD = new System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument();
            grU = PD.PrinterSettings.CreateMeasurementGraphics();
        }

        FontStyle fStyle = FontStyle.Regular;
        try
        {
            if (TypeBold)
                fStyle = FontStyle.Bold;
            if (TypeItalic)
                fStyle = FontStyle.Italic;
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            logger4net.Error("some error during creating of the fonts.", ex);
        }

        try
        {
            currentFont = new System.Drawing.Font(
                    new FontFamily(Fontname),
                   (int)Math.Ceiling(Fontsize),  //next higher size!
                   fStyle,
                   GraphicsUnit.Millimeter);

        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            logger4net.Error("some error during creating of the fonts " + Fontname, ex);

            try
            {
                currentFont = new System.Drawing.Font(
                        new FontFamily("Arial"),
                       (int)Math.Ceiling(Fontsize),  //next higher size!
                       fStyle,
                       GraphicsUnit.Millimeter);
            }
            catch (Exception ex2)
            {
                logger4net.Error("some error during creating of the fonts: we fall back to Arial!!", ex);
            }
        }

        // Change the page scale.  
        grU.PageUnit = GraphicsUnit.Millimeter;
        grU.TextRenderingHint = System.Drawing.Text.TextRenderingHint.AntiAlias;
        SizeF size = grU.MeasureString(InputText, currentFont); //string format (zusatzparameter) , 495)                
        //SizeF result2 = grU.MeasureString(InputText, currentFont, int.MaxValue, StringFormat.GenericTypographic);
        SizeF result2 = grU.MeasureString(InputText, currentFont, new PointF(0, 0), new StringFormat(StringFormatFlags.MeasureTrailingSpaces));
        SizeF result3 = grU.MeasureString(InputText, currentFont, int.MaxValue, StringFormat.GenericTypographic);
        int resultInt = MeasureDisplayStringWidth(grU, InputText, currentFont);
        //return Math.Ceiling(size.Width);
        return Math.Ceiling(result2.Width);



    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        logger4net.Error(ex);
        return 0;
    }

    return 0;
}

static public int MeasureDisplayStringWidth(Graphics graphics, string text, System.Drawing.Font font)
    {
        System.Drawing.StringFormat format = new System.Drawing.StringFormat();
        System.Drawing.RectangleF rect = new System.Drawing.RectangleF(0, 0, 1000, 1000);
        CharacterRange ranges = new System.Drawing.CharacterRange(0, text.Length);
        List<CharacterRange> RangesArray = new List<CharacterRange>();
        RangesArray.Add(ranges);
        System.Drawing.Region[] regions = new System.Drawing.Region[1];

        format.SetMeasurableCharacterRanges(RangesArray.ToArray());

        regions = graphics.MeasureCharacterRanges(text, font, rect, format);
        rect = regions[0].GetBounds(graphics);

        return (int)(rect.Right + 1.0f);
    }

in the function getStingWith_mm i got more reults values to check if one of my aproach could reach the right value!

now if i start this function with the text "test", font Arial 12, bold. i got a return value between 21 to 25 mm. but on the printout it's about 10 mm i don't the my error. all the other examplex on stackoverflow work with MeasureString and it should work...

most of my code i got it from the following posts how to measure width of a string precisely? How to determine width of a string when printed?

thx for any suggestion!

Answer 1

after long testing i found out that i can't measure the with with the two methods to get the exact printout with. wo here is my solution usin itextsharp 4.x

public double getStingWith_mm(string InputText, string Fontname, bool TypeBold, bool TypeItalic, double Fontsize)    
{    

try    
{    

    string fontPathName = "";    

    // get parent of System folder to have Windows folder    
    DirectoryInfo dirWindowsFolder = Directory.GetParent(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System));    

    // Concatenate Fonts folder onto Windows folder.    
    string strFontsFolder = Path.Combine(dirWindowsFolder.FullName, "Fonts");    

    // check fontname    
    // if Bold then search  font name + " Bold "    
    // if Italic then search font name + " Italic "    
    //only opentype fonts set the name to "-Italic" or "-Bold"    
    if ((TypeBold) && (TypeItalic))    
    {    
        fontPathName = fontsKey.GetValue(Fontname + " Bold Italic " + "(TrueType)", string.Empty) as string;    
    }    
    else if (TypeBold)    
    {    
        fontPathName = fontsKey.GetValue(Fontname + " Bold " + "(TrueType)", string.Empty) as string;    
    }    
    else if (TypeItalic)    
    {    
        fontPathName = fontsKey.GetValue(Fontname + " Italic " + "(TrueType)", string.Empty) as string;    
    }    

    //fallback to normal name if empty or normal font!    
    if (fontPathName == string.Empty)    
    {    
        fontPathName = fontsKey.GetValue(Fontname + " (TrueType)", string.Empty) as string;    
    }    


    // font for special characters!!!    
    string specialCharFontName = Path.Combine(strFontsFolder, fontPathName);    
    BaseFont specialCharBaseFont = BaseFont.CreateFont(specialCharFontName, BaseFont.IDENTITY_H, BaseFont.EMBEDDED);    



    // setzen der Headline Fonts!    
    iTextSharp.text.Font currentITFont = null;    
    try    
    {    
        currentITFont = new iTextSharp.text.Font(    
            specialCharBaseFont,    
            (float)Fontsize,    
            iTextSharp.text.Font.NORMAL //set here bold or italic din't change the font measuement, so i set it in the fontname to load!    
            );    
    }    
    catch (Exception ex)    
    {    
        logger4net.Error("Font konnte nicht geladen werden: " + Fontname);    
    }    


    float returnvalue7 = currentITFont.GetCalculatedBaseFont(true).GetWidthPoint(InputText, (float)Fontsize);    


    double result4 = Utilities.PointsToMillimeters(returnvalue7);    

    return Math.Ceiling(result4);    



}    
catch (Exception ex)    
{    
    logger4net.Error(ex);    
    return 0;    
}    

}