Desktop Controls (.NET)

This section provides comprehensive documentation on the various controls available for building rich Windows desktop applications using the .NET Framework and .NET Core.

Introduction to Controls

Controls are the fundamental building blocks of a graphical user interface (GUI). They represent visual elements that users interact with, such as buttons, text boxes, labels, and lists. .NET provides a rich set of pre-built controls that simplify the development of user-friendly Windows applications.

Key Control Categories

The available controls can be broadly categorized based on their functionality:

• Basic Controls: For input and display of simple data (e.g., TextBox, Label, Button, CheckBox, RadioButton).
• Selection Controls: For allowing users to choose from a list of options (e.g., ListBox, ComboBox, ListView, TreeView).
• Navigation Controls: For organizing and navigating through application content (e.g., TabControl, MenuStrip, ToolStrip).
• Information Controls: For displaying status or providing feedback (e.g., ProgressBar, ToolTip, StatusBar).
• Container Controls: For grouping other controls and managing layout (e.g., Panel, GroupBox, Form).
• Data-Bound Controls: Designed for seamless integration with data sources (e.g., DataGridView).

Commonly Used Controls

Button Control

The Button control is used to initiate an action when clicked by the user.

Properties:

• Text: The text displayed on the button.
• Enabled: Determines if the button can be interacted with.
• BackColor, ForeColor: Control button colors.

Events:

• Click: Occurs when the button is clicked.

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;

public class MyForm : Form
{
    private Button myButton;

    public MyForm()
    {
        myButton = new Button();
        myButton.Text = "Click Me";
        myButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(50, 50);
        myButton.Click += new EventHandler(MyButton_Click);
        this.Controls.Add(myButton);
    }

    private void MyButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        MessageBox.Show("Button was clicked!");
    }

    [STAThread]
    static void Main()
    {
        Application.EnableVisualStyles();
        Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
        Application.Run(new MyForm());
    }
}
            

TextBox Control

The TextBox control allows users to enter and display text. It supports single-line and multi-line input.

Properties:

• Text: The current text in the text box.
• Multiline: Set to true for multi-line input.
• ReadOnly: If true, the user cannot edit the text.
• PasswordChar: Character used to mask input for password fields.

string userInput = myTextBox.Text;
MessageBox.Show($"You entered: {userInput}");
            

Label Control

The Label control is used to display static text, such as titles, descriptions, or instructions, to the user.

Properties:

• Text: The text to display.
• AutoSize: If true, the label resizes to fit its text.
• Font: Specifies the font for the text.

Designing Your UI

You can add controls to your forms using the Visual Studio Designer or programmatically. The designer provides a drag-and-drop interface for arranging controls and setting their properties visually.

Tips for effective UI design:

• Use clear and concise labels.
• Group related controls logically using containers.
• Provide visual feedback for user actions.
• Ensure consistent layout and styling.
• Consider accessibility requirements.

Further Reading

Explore the links below for detailed information on specific controls and advanced UI design techniques:

• Button Class Details
• TextBox Class Details
• List Controls Overview
• Working with Dialogs