Howdy All,

I have an object model that stores images for use in a graphics
application. Rather than reading the images and keeping them in memory,
which has a HUGE footprint, I instead read the file into an array of
bytes, convert the array of bytes into a memory stream, then use the
Image.FromStream method to create the image. When I am done with that
image, I dispose of the image object, but keep the memory stream open
so it is quick to access next time. This sort of works and has a much
smaller footprint. However, whenever I try to display the image in a
picture box, I get the following error:

A generic GDI+ error occurred.
Invalid parameter used.

System.ArgumentException: Invalid parameter used.
  at System.Drawing.Image.get_Width()
  at System.Drawing.Image.get_Size()
  at System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox.get_ImageRectangle()
  at System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox.OnPaint(PaintEventArgs pe)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Control.PaintWithErrorHandling(PaintEventArgs e,
Int16 layer, Boolean disposeEventArgs)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmPaint(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32
msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

The code that creates the memory stream and image from the stream is as
follows:

    Public Sub LoadImageStream()
        If m_ImageStream Is Nothing Then
            If m_Path.Length > 0 AndAlso System.IO.File.Exists(m_Path) Then
                SyncLock m_ImageLockObject
                    Dim fs As New System.IO.FileStream(m_Path, IO.FileMode.Open,
IO.FileAccess.Read, IO.FileShare.Read)
                    Dim arr(CInt(fs.Length - 1)) As Byte
                    fs.Read(arr, 0, CInt(fs.Length))
                    fs.Close()
                    m_ImageStream = New System.IO.MemoryStream(arr)
                End SyncLock
            End If
        End If
    End Sub

    Public ReadOnly Property Image() As System.Drawing.Bitmap
        Get
            If m_ImageStream Is Nothing Then
                LoadImageStream()
                DisposeImage()
            End If
            If m_Image Is Nothing AndAlso Not m_ImageStream Is Nothing Then
                m_Image = CType(System.Drawing.Bitmap.FromStream(m_ImageStream,
True), System.Drawing.Bitmap)
            End If
            Return m_Image
        End Get
    End Property

The image loads from the stream with no problem. But, when I try to
display the image in the picture box, I get the error.

I have seen tons of posts related to this. But, I have yet to find a
solution to the problem.

Does anyone have a solution, or is there some better method of caching
these images in memory?

Thanks,
Matthew Roberts

mroberts_hm<at>hotmail<dot>com
matthewroberts<at>srcp<dot>com