How to get resource as byte array in c#?

Question

I added image to my c# project from Project settings -> Resources
How can i get this image at runtime?
I trying this:

public byte[] GetResource(string ResourceName)
{
    System.Reflection.Assembly asm = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly();

    // list all resources in assembly - for test
    string[] names = asm.GetManifestResourceNames(); //even here my TestImg.png is not presented

    System.IO.Stream stream = asm.GetManifestResourceStream(ResourceName); //this return null of course

    byte[] data = new byte[stream.Length];

    stream.Read(data, 0, (int)stream.Length);

    return data;
}

I call this function this way:

byte[] data = GetResource("TestImg.png");

But I see my image in Resources folder in project explorer.
enter image description here

Could anyone tell what's wrong there?
enter image description here

Why do you cast stream.Length to an int? It already is an int. .LongLength returns a long. — Cole Tobin
– Cole Tobin, Commented Apr 1, 2013 at 13:07
It's worked for me with use Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly() — Shoshana Tzi
– Shoshana Tzi, Commented Jun 29, 2021 at 4:46

Cole Tobin · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-01 13:12:00Z

9

You need to set the file TestImg.png as an "Embedded Resource." The resource name would then be Resources/TestImg.png.

edited Apr 1, 2013 at 13:12

answered Apr 1, 2013 at 13:01

Cole Tobin

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5 Comments

Kosmo零 Over a year ago

TestImg.png is not even presented in asm.GetManifestResourceNames(); What the difference then if changing name of resource I search for? And anyway, i tried, no luck

Cole Tobin Over a year ago

Anyways, can you tell us what asm.GetManifestResourceNames returns? That would help.

Kosmo零 Over a year ago

Where I can set TestImg.png as embedded resource? I don't see this in Project settings -> Resources

Dustin Kingen Over a year ago

@Kosmos Right-click either the text file or the bitmap, and then select Properties. In the Properties dialog box, locate the Build Action property. By default, this property is set to Content. Click the property and change the Build Action property to Embedded Resource.

Kosmo零 Over a year ago

Thank you, finally in can be seen in names. To sad, the name is kinda weird - VLab_1_new.Resources.TestImg.png

Adola · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-29 05:12:51Z

3

This works:

    var info = Application.GetResourceStream(uri);
    var memoryStream = new MemoryStream();
    info.Stream.CopyTo(memoryStream);
    return memoryStream.ToArray();

In additional, if you want to save the image to your drive:

    var b =
    new Bitmap(namespace.Properties.Resources.image_resouce_name);
    b.Save("FILE LOCATION");

edited Dec 29, 2016 at 5:12

answered Dec 29, 2016 at 5:04

Adola

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Comments

Cole Tobin · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-01 13:12:40Z

2

You can access the image with Properties.Resources.TestImg.

edited Apr 1, 2013 at 13:12

Cole Tobin

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answered Apr 1, 2013 at 13:05

Sharique Hussain Ansari

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4 Comments

Kosmo零 Over a year ago

wow, this is so easy and really works :O thank you. Too sad it not at runtime

Kosmo零 Over a year ago

What I want is to show this image in WebBrowser by using data protocol msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc848897(v=vs.85).aspx

Kosmo零 Over a year ago

This is ok, but it at design time only... The web page may require any other name of image

Mike Rosoft Over a year ago

Visual Studio by default causes the image resource to be returned as Bitmap rather than as a byte array. See my response.

Mike Rosoft · Accepted Answer · 2022-10-27 14:41:45Z

You can edit the Resources.resx file and change:

  <data name="ResourceKey" type="System.Resources.ResXFileRef, System.Windows.Forms">
    <value>..\Resources\Image.jpg;System.Drawing.Bitmap, System.Drawing, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a</value>
  </data>

to (replace the type and assembly definition after the file name):

  <data name="ResourceKey" type="System.Resources.ResXFileRef, System.Windows.Forms">
    <value>..\Resources\Image.jpg;System.Byte[], mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089</value>
  </data>

Regenerate the .Designer.cs file, such as by opening the resources (.resx file) in the designer and changing its access type to internal and then back to public (or vice versa). Now you can access the image as byte array using Properties.Resources.ResourceKey. I don't know if this can be done without manually editing the resource file.

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