WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel, PaintApiTraceLevelResolver) Method

Allows you to trace all outdated APIs that are not recommended for use with DirectX-rendered and Per-Monitor DPI-aware applications. Starting with version 18.2, also traces Appearance.BackColor properties modified for skinned UI elements.

Namespace: DevExpress.XtraEditors

Assembly: DevExpress.Utils.v23.2.dll

NuGet Packages: DevExpress.Utils, DevExpress.Wpf.Core

Declaration

C#

public static void ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(
    PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel level,
    PaintApiTraceLevelResolver resolver = null
)

VB.NET

Public Shared Sub ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(
    level As PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel,
    resolver As PaintApiTraceLevelResolver = Nothing
)

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
level	DevExpress.Utils.Diagnostics.PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel	A enumerator value that specifies how the application responds to this inadvisable API.

Optional Parameters

Name	Type	Default	Description
resolver	DevExpress.Utils.Diagnostics.PaintApiTraceLevelResolver	null	An optional object that allows you to implement a custom trace behavior.

Remarks

The ForcePaintApiDiagnostics method allows you to detect the following issues:

• the Appearance.BackColor property modified for skinned UI elements - this setting was not functional for versions 18.1 and older, but changes the element’s background color starting with version 18.2. See Application Appearance and Skin Colors for the details.
• Custom draw methods performed via the Graphics class methods. See DirectX Hardware Acceleration to learn more.
• Incorrect inheritance in custom skins.
• Incorrect DPI Awareness activation.

Use the Throw diagnostics level to throw exceptions whenever the unsupported/outdated code is detected.

C#

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Throw);

VB.NET

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Throw)

Other available diagnostics levels:

• Trace - unsupported APIs display result in warnings, displayed in Visual Studio’s “Output” window;

C#

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Trace);

VB.NET

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Trace)

• Disable - ignores unsupported API;
• Default - acts as “Trace” if DirectX and\or Per-Monitor HiDPI support is enabled; otherwise, the same as “Disable”.

The optional “resolver” parameter allows you to implement any custom trace behavior.

C#

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Trace, (apiLevel, api) => {
    if(api == "ApiName") {
        Console.WriteLine(apiLevel.ToString() + "This API is not recommended: " + api);
        return PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Disable;
    }
    return apiLevel;
});

VB.NET

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Trace, Function(apiLevel, api)
    If api = "ApiName" Then
        Console.WriteLine(apiLevel.ToString() & "This API is not recommended: " & api)
        Return PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Disable
    End If
    Return apiLevel
End Function)

The code snippet below allows your app to write the method’s output to the “logfile.txt” file on the desktop.

C#

static void Main() {
    Application.EnableVisualStyles();
    Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
    WindowsFormsSettings.ForceDirectXPaint();
    WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(DevExpress.Utils.Diagnostics.PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Trace, (dlevel, api) => {
        System.Text.StringBuilder msg = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
        msg.AppendLine($@"Logged by ForcePaintApiDiagnostics: incorrect\obsolete API found -- {api}");
        System.Diagnostics.StackTrace st = new System.Diagnostics.StackTrace();
        msg.AppendLine(st.ToString());
        msg.AppendLine();
        String desktopPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop);
        string logFilePath = String.Format("{0}\\{1}", desktopPath, "logfile.txt");
        System.IO.File.AppendAllText(logFilePath, msg.ToString());
        return dlevel;
    });
    Application.Run(new Form2());
}

VB.NET

Private Shared Sub Main()
    Application.EnableVisualStyles()
    Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(False)
    WindowsFormsSettings.ForceDirectXPaint()
    WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(DevExpress.Utils.Diagnostics.PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Trace, Function(dlevel, api)
        Dim msg As System.Text.StringBuilder = New System.Text.StringBuilder()
        msg.AppendLine($"Logged by ForcePaintApiDiagnostics: incorrect\obsolete API found -- {api}")
        Dim st As System.Diagnostics.StackTrace = New System.Diagnostics.StackTrace()
        msg.AppendLine(st.ToString())
        msg.AppendLine()
        Dim desktopPath As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop)
        Dim logFilePath As String = String.Format("{0}\{1}", desktopPath, "logfile.txt")
        System.IO.File.AppendAllText(logFilePath, msg.ToString())
        Return dlevel
    End Function)
    Application.Run(New Form2())
End Sub

See this article for more information: Obtain an Exception’s Call Stack.