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Allows you to trace all outdated APIs that are not recommended for use with DirectX-rendered and Per-Monitor DPI-aware applications.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.v25.2.dll

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

csharp

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

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Use the Throw diagnostics level to throw exceptions whenever the unsupported/outdated code is detected.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

csharp

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Throw);

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Throw)

Other available diagnostics levels:

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

C#
VB.NET

csharp

WindowsFormsSettings.ForcePaintApiDiagnostics(PaintApiDiagnosticsLevel.Trace);

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#
VB.NET

csharp

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

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#
VB.NET

csharp

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());
}

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.