This tip is an update to “Translate Color Values”. That method converted numbers to strings, then performed string manipulation to get individual RGB values. This solution uses a concept near and dear to C programmers-unions-and is an order of magnitude faster.

With the RGB function, VB provides a neat and valuable tool for converting separate Red, Green, and Blue values into a single Long color value. However, VB doesn’t provide any way to convert this color value back to its constituent RGB values. Enter the much-feared LSet command, which copies the storage of one user-defined type (UDT) onto another.

Put this code in a module:

 Public Type RGB_TYPE	R As Byte	G As Byte	B As Byte	Filler As ByteEnd TypePrivate Type RGB_FULL_TYPE	lngRGB As LongEnd TypePublic Function ToRGB(ByVal vlngColor As Long) _	As RGB_TYPE	Dim udtRGBFull As RGB_FULL_TYPE	udtRGBFull.lngRGB = vlngColor	' Poor man's C Union	LSet ToRGB = udtRGBFullEnd Function

To use this function, put a picture in a form's Picture property, and insert this code:

 Private Sub Form_MouseUp(Button As Integer, _	Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)	Dim udtRGB As RGB_TYPE	udtRGB = ToRGB(Point(X, Y))	With udtRGB		Me.Caption = "R=" & .R & " G=" & .G & _			" B=" & .B	End WithEnd Sub

Click on different places on the picture. VB3 users must return the values differently, because before VB4 VB didn't support the return of a UDT.