winforms - Updating UI in C# using Timer

Question

I am working on making my application that reads data from the serial port and updates a gauge on the UI more efficient and I wanted to ask for some advice on my code that processes the UI changes. I have a timer set to check for data being sent to the COM port and another timer that updates the UI with the variable received from the COM port. Basically what is happening is I am rotating a gauge. Here is my code for handling the graphics...

void timer_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e) //Timer regulates how often the gauge is     updated on the UI
{
    if (pictureBox1.Image != null)
        pictureBox1.Image.Dispose(); // dispose old image (you might consider reusing it rather than making a new one each frame)

    Point test = new Point((int)_xCor, (int)_yCor);
    Image img = new Bitmap(400, 400); // The box tht contains the image <--- Play around with this more
    pictureBox1.Image = img; // Setting the img Image to the pictureBox class?


    Graphics g = Graphics.FromImage(pictureBox1.Image); // G represents a drawing surface
    Matrix mm1 = new Matrix();
    //
    mm1.RotateAt((float)(90 + (((12.5 * state) - 20.95) * 6)), new Point((int)_xrotate, (int)_yrotate), MatrixOrder.Append);
    GraphicsPath gp = new GraphicsPath();
    g.Transform = mm1; // transform the graphics object so the image is rotated
    g.DrawImage(imgpic, test); // if the image needs to be behind the path, draw it beforehand
    mm1.Dispose();// prevent possible memory leaks
    gp.Dispose();// prevent possible memory leaks
    g.Dispose(); // prevent possible memory leaks
    pictureBox1.Refresh();
}

I am wondering if there is a more efficient way that I can rotate the Image on screen. i feel like there has to be but I can't figure it out.

Answer 1

This is the second time I provide a WPF solution for a winforms problem.

Just copy and paste my code in a file -> new project -> WPF Application and see the results for yourself.

Also take a look at how simple this code really is (I'm using random values, so you can remove that and adapt it to your needs).

The drawing I used (the <Path/> part in XAML) is not adequate for a Gauge. I just had that Path already drawn and I'm too lazy to create a new one. You should create a new drawing (I recommend using Expression Blend). But you can see the Rotation being applied and how fast it works.

using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Windows;
using System.ComponentModel;

namespace WpfApplication4
{
    public partial class Window2
    {
        public Window2()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            DataContext = new ViewModel();
        }
    }

    public class ViewModel: INotifyPropertyChanged
    {
        private double _value;
        public double Value
        {
            get { return _value; }
            set
            {
                _value = value;
                NotifyPropertyChange("Value");
            }
        }

        private int _speed = 100;
        public int Speed
        {
            get { return _speed; }
            set
            {
                _speed = value;
                NotifyPropertyChange("Speed");
                Timer.Change(0, value);
            }
        }

        public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;

        public void NotifyPropertyChange(string propertyName)
        {
            if (PropertyChanged != null)
                PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
        }

        private System.Threading.Timer Timer;

        public ViewModel()
        {
            Rnd = new Random();
            Timer = new Timer(x => Timer_Tick(), null, 0, Speed);
        }

        private void Timer_Tick()
        {
            Application.Current.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke((Action) (NewValue));
        }

        private Random Rnd;
        private void NewValue()
        {
            Value = Value + (Rnd.Next(20) - 10);
        }
    }
}

XAML:

<Window x:Class="WpfApplication4.Window2"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        Title="Window2" WindowState="Maximized">
    <DockPanel>
        <StackPanel DockPanel.Dock="Top">
            <TextBlock Text="Delay (MS):" Margin="2"/>
            <Slider Width="200" Minimum="100" SmallChange="1" LargeChange="10" Maximum="1500" Value="{Binding Speed}" Margin="2"/>
            <TextBlock Text="Current Value:" Margin="2"/>
            <TextBox Text="{Binding Value}" Margin="2"/>
        </StackPanel>

        <Path Data="M0.95991516,0.5 L73.257382,1.866724 90.763535,1.866724 90.763535,90.822725 66.430534,90.822725 66.430534,26.075016 0.5,24.828653 z" Fill="#FF506077" RenderTransformOrigin="0.861209625003783,0.507482926584064" Stretch="Fill" Stroke="Black">
            <Path.LayoutTransform>
                <TransformGroup>
                    <ScaleTransform ScaleY="1" ScaleX="-1"/>
                    <SkewTransform AngleY="0" AngleX="0"/>
                    <RotateTransform Angle="{Binding Value}" x:Name="Rotation"/>
                    <TranslateTransform/>
                </TransformGroup>
            </Path.LayoutTransform>
        </Path>
    </DockPanel>
</Window>