Compile error when you try to create an instance of System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem (814358)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to create an instance of a PropertyItem object in a project that you try to compile, you receive one of the following error messages:

Visual Basic .NET Error

'System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem.Private Overloads Sub New()' is not accessible in this context because it is 'Private'.

Visual Basic 2005 Error

error BC30251: Type 'System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem' has no constructors.

Visual C# .NET Error

'System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem.PropertyItem()' is inaccessible due to its protection level.

Visual C# 2005 Error

error CS0143: The type 'System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem' has no constructors defined

CAUSE

A PropertyItem object encapsulates a metadata property to be included in an image file. A PropertyItem object is not intended to be used a stand-alone object. A PropertyItem object is intended to be used by classes that are derived from System.Drawing.Image. A PropertyItem object is used to retrieve and change the metadata of existing image files, not to create the metadata. Therefore, the PropertyItem class does not have a defined Public constructor, and you cannot create an instance of a PropertyItem object.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use an existing PropertyItem object instead of creating a new instance of the PropertyItem class. To do this, use the following code sample:

Visual Basic .NET or Visual Basic 2005 Sample Code

     ' Create a Bitmap Image to access a PropertyItem object.
     Dim MyImage As System.Drawing.Bitmap
     MyImage = New System.Drawing.Bitmap("C:\Sample.jpg") ' Refer to some existing .JPEG image.

     ' Define a PropertyItem variable.
     Dim pItem As System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem

     ' Instead of creating a new instance of PropertyItem, use an existing PropertyItem object.
     For Each pItem In MyImage.PropertyItems
         ' You can modify the pItem object now.
         Exit For
     Next

Visual C# .NET or Visual C# 2005 Sample Code

     // Create a Bitmap Image to access a PropertyItem object.
     System.Drawing.Bitmap MyImage;
     MyImage = new System.Drawing.Bitmap("C:\\Sample.jpg");  // Refer to some existing .JPEG image.
     // Define a PropertyItem variable.
     // Instead of creating a new instance of PropertyItem, use an existing PropertyItem object.
     foreach (System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem pItem in MyImage.PropertyItems)
     {
        // You can modify the pItem object now.
        break;
     }

Note For this code to work correctly, you should have a reference to the System.Drawing.dll assembly.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

Open Microsoft Visual Studio .NET or Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. Create a Windows application named PropertyItemDemo by using Visual Basic .NET, Visual Basic 2005, Visual C# 2005, or Visual C# .NET.

By default, Form1 is created.
Append the following code to the Form1_Load() event handler:

Visual Basic .NET or Visual Basic 2005 Sample Code
```
Dim pItem As New System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem
```
Visual C# .NET or Visual C# 2005 Sample Code
```
System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem pItem = new System.Drawing.Imaging.PropertyItem();
```
On the Build menu, click Build Solution.

You receive the error mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article.