Image.Save(..) throws a GDI+ exception because the

Question

i've got some binary data which i want to save as an image. When i try to save the image, it throws an exception if the memory stream used to create the image, was closed before the save. The reason i do this is because i'm dynamically creating images and as such .. i need to use a memory stream.

this is the code:

[TestMethod]
public void TestMethod1()
{
    // Grab the binary data.
    byte[] data = File.ReadAllBytes("Chick.jpg");

    // Read in the data but do not close, before using the stream.
    Stream originalBinaryDataStream = new MemoryStream(data);
    Bitmap image = new Bitmap(originalBinaryDataStream);
    image.Save(@"c:\test.jpg");
    originalBinaryDataStream.Dispose();

    // Now lets use a nice dispose, etc...
    Bitmap2 image2;
    using (Stream originalBinaryDataStream2 = new MemoryStream(data))
    {
        image2 = new Bitmap(originalBinaryDataStream2);
    }

    image2.Save(@"C:\temp\pewpew.jpg"); // This throws the GDI+ exception.
}

Does anyone have any suggestions to how i could save an image with the stream closed? I cannot rely on the developers to remember to close the stream after the image is saved. In fact, the developer would have NO IDEA that the image was generated using a memory stream (because it happens in some other code, elsewhere).

I'm really confused :(

Answer 1

Try this code:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    byte[] data = null;
    string fullPath = @"c:\testimage.jpg";

    using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
    using (Bitmap tmp = (Bitmap)Bitmap.FromFile(fullPath))
    using (Bitmap bm = new Bitmap(tmp))
    {
        bm.SetResolution(96, 96);
        using (EncoderParameters eps = new EncoderParameters(1))
        {   
            eps.Param[0] = new EncoderParameter(System.Drawing.Imaging.Encoder.Quality, 100L);
            bm.Save(ms, GetEncoderInfo("image/jpeg"), eps);
        }

        data = ms.ToArray();
    }

    File.WriteAllBytes(fullPath, data);
}

private static ImageCodecInfo GetEncoderInfo(string mimeType)
{
        ImageCodecInfo[] encoders = ImageCodecInfo.GetImageEncoders();

        for (int j = 0; j < encoders.Length; ++j)
        {
            if (String.Equals(encoders[j].MimeType, mimeType, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
                return encoders[j];
        }
    return null;
}

Answer 2

Copy the Bitmap. You have to keep the stream open for the lifetime of the bitmap.

When drawing an image: System.Runtime.InteropServices.ExternalException: A generic error occurred in GDI

    public static Image ToImage(this byte[] bytes)
    {
        using (var stream = new MemoryStream(bytes))
        using (var image = Image.FromStream(stream, false, true))
        {
            return new Bitmap(image);
        }
    }

    [Test]
    public void ShouldCreateImageThatCanBeSavedWithoutOpenStream()
    {
        var imageBytes = File.ReadAllBytes("bitmap.bmp");

        var image = imageBytes.ToImage();

        image.Save("output.bmp");
    }

Answer 3

As it's a MemoryStream, you really don't need to close the stream - nothing bad will happen if you don't, although obviously it's good practice to dispose anything that's disposable anyway. (See this question for more on this.)

However, you should be disposing the Bitmap - and that will close the stream for you. Basically once you give the Bitmap constructor a stream, it "owns" the stream and you shouldn't close it. As the docs for that constructor say:

You must keep the stream open for the lifetime of the Bitmap.

I can't find any docs promising to close the stream when you dispose the bitmap, but you should be able to verify that fairly easily.

Answer 4

I came across this error when I was trying a simple image editing in a WPF app.

Setting an Image element's Source to the bitmap prevents file saving. Even setting Source=null doesn't seem to release the file.

Now I just never use the image as the Source of Image element, so I can overwrite after editing!

EDIT

After hearing about the CacheOption property(Thanks to @Nyerguds) I found the solution: So instead of using the Bitmap constructor I must set the Uri after setting CacheOption BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad.(Image1 below is the Wpf Image element)

Instead of

Image1.Source = new BitmapImage(new Uri(filepath));

Use:

var image = new BitmapImage();
image.BeginInit();
image.CreateOptions = BitmapCreateOptions.IgnoreImageCache;
image.CacheOption = BitmapCacheOption.OnLoad;
image.UriSource = new Uri(filepath);
image.EndInit();
Image1.Source = image;

See this: WPF Image Caching

Answer 5

A generic error occurred in GDI+. May also result from incorrect save path! Took me half a day to notice that. So make sure that you have double checked the path to save the image as well.

Answer 6

I was getting this error, because the automated test I was executing, was trying to store snapshots into a folder that didn't exist. After I created the folder, the error resolved