Form background image flicker C# .Net

Question

Programming language: Visual C# .Net
Hello!
My program have a form with a listbox, combobox, progressbar, groupbox and labels.
I want to have a background image (jpg) over the entire form.
The other controls have been set to Transparent BackColor.
BackgroundImage property isn't so good solution I think.
My program flicker if I open it or if another program is over and I set focus on my program.
Both the picture and all the other controls on the form flicker.
Can someone give me a better or perfect solution what I can do?
Should I use GDI or directx, how to do that?
Thanks!

mr.stork · Answer

I also have such kinda problem. I coded a tetris game by using gdi. But it has flickering. I tried to add initiliaze() method. But nothing changed. How could I achive double buffering?

Sondre Garmo · Answer

Thanks for help!
Here is how I do it.
//=================================================
Bitmap Background, BackgroundTemp;
public Form()
{
//
// Required for Windows Form Designer support
//
InitializeComponent();
initialize();
}
protected override void Dispose( bool disposing )
{
if ( disposing )
{
if (components != null )
{
components.Dispose();
}
}
base .Dispose( disposing );
BackgroundTemp.Dispose();
Background.Dispose();
}
private void initialize()
{
SetStyle(ControlStyles.UserPaint, true );
SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, true );
SetStyle(ControlStyles.DoubleBuffer, true );
string AppPath = Application.StartupPath;
BackgroundTemp = new Bitmap(@AppPath + "\Backgroundimages\Main.jpg");
Background = new Bitmap(BackgroundTemp, BackgroundTemp.Width, BackgroundTemp.Height);
}
protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
{
Graphics dc = e.Graphics;
dc.DrawImageUnscaled(Background,0,0);
base .OnPaint(e);
}
//==============================================

Mike Gold · Answer

use double buffering
Add this to your form constructor after initialization
SetStyle(ControlStyles.UserPaint, true);
SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, true);
SetStyle(ControlStyles.DoubleBuffer, true);
-Mike G.