< C++ .NET WinForm, Dialog Box & Controls 5 | Main | C++ .NET WinForm, Dialog Box & Controls 7 >

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Windows Form, Dialog Boxes and More Controls 6

 

 

ToolStripContainer Control ToolStrip (previously known as Toolbars) Using ToolStrip     ToolStripContainer Control   A ToolStripContainer has panels on its left, right, top, and bottom sides for positioning and rafting ToolStrip, MenuStrip, and StatusStrip controls. Multiple ToolStrip controls stack vertically if you put them in the left or right ToolStripContainer. They stack horizontally if you put them in the top or bottom ToolStripContainer. You can use the central ToolStripContentPanel of the ToolStripContainer to position traditional controls on the form. Any or all ToolStripContainer controls are directly selectable at design time and can be deleted. Each panel of a ToolStripContainer is expandable and collapsible, and resizes with the controls that it contains. Important ToolStripContainer Members are listed in the following Table.   Name Description BottomToolStripPanel Gets the bottom panel of the ToolStripContainer. BottomToolStripPanelVisible Gets or sets a value indicating whether the bottom panel of the ToolStripContainer is visible. LeftToolStripPanel Gets the left panel of the ToolStripContainer. LeftToolStripPanelVisible Gets or sets a value indicating whether the left panel of the ToolStripContainer is visible. RightToolStripPanel Gets the right panel of the ToolStripContainer. RightToolStripPanelVisible Gets or sets a value indicating whether the right panel of the ToolStripContainer is visible. TopToolStripPanel Gets the top panel of the ToolStripContainer. TopToolStripPanelVisible Gets or sets a value indicating whether the top panel of the ToolStripContainer is visible.   Table 9

 

 

ToolStrip (previously known as Toolbars)

 

Although ToolStrip replaces and adds functionality to the ToolBar control of previous versions, ToolBar is retained for both backward compatibility and future use if you choose. Use ToolStrip and its associated classes in new Windows Forms applications to create toolbars that can have a Windows XP, Office, Internet Explorer, or custom appearance and behavior, all with or without themes, and with support for overflow and run-time item reordering. ToolStrip controls also offer a rich design-time experience that includes in-place activation and editing, custom layout, and sharing of horizontal or vertical space within a specified ToolStripContainer. ToolStrip is the container for ToolStripButton, ToolStripComboBox, ToolStripSplitButton, ToolStripLabel, ToolStripSeparator, ToolStripDropDownButton, ToolStripProgressBar, and ToolStripTextBox objects. While the ToolStrip class provides many members that manage painting, mouse and keyboard input, and drag-and-drop functionality, you can use the ToolStripManager class to join ToolStrip controls within a specified ToolStripContainer and merge ToolStrip controls with each other. Use the ToolStripRenderer class with the ToolStripManager class to gain even more control and customizability over painting and layout style. Use the ToolStripControlHost class to host any other Windows Forms control in a ToolStrip.

 

Using ToolStrip

 

ToolStrips are a standard feature of just about every GUI application, and the ToolStrip class provides everything you need to add toolbar functionality to an application. The ToolStrip class has a number of properties, as summarized in the following table.

 

 

Buttons on a toolbar are represented by ToolStripButton (previously known as ToolBarButton) objects, and this class also has several useful properties, which are summarized in the following table.

 

 

ToolStripButtons can be displayed with one of the following four styles:

 

1. PushButton (the default), where the button simply acts as a pushbutton.

2. DropDownButton, where clicking the button drops down a menu.

3. ToggleButton, where the button toggles between its up and down states.

4. Separator, where the button acts as a separator between two other buttons. Like the separator on a menu, this style of button can’t be selected.

 

The ToolStrip class has two commonly used events: ButtonClick, which is fired when a button is clicked, and ButtonDropDown, which is fired when the menu of a drop-down button is about to be displayed. This exercise will add a ToolBar to the form. The bar will host two buttons: the first is a drop-down button with a menu, and the second is a standard pushbutton. You’ll also add a handler for the second button to learn how handlers are used with ToolBars.

 

38. Continue using the CppControls project you created earlier. First of all we need to put a ToolStripContainer. This will be a container for our ToolStrip. Drag a ToolStripContainer onto the form. Just select the Top panel for the visibility. Next, select Dock Fill in Form.

 

 

 

 

39.      Next, select the Re-parent Controls.

 

 

40.     Drag a ToolStrip control onto the ToolStripContainer. It will fit nicely in the ToolStripContainer.

 

 

41.     Build and run your project and the following is the output.

 

 

42. Back to the GUI designer and open the ToolStrip Tasks. Select Insert Standard Item that contains part of the standard Windows toolbar buttons: New, Open, Save, Print, Cut, Copy, Paste and Help.

 

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43.     You can select System or Professional RenderMode property and Professional is the default. In this exercise, please select Professional RenderMode.

 

 

44.     Other than editing the given Toolbar buttons properties, you can add more Toolbar buttons by selecting the ToolStrip Tasks’s Edit Items… shown below.

 

 

45.     You can also add new button using the Add ToolStripButton dropdown button shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

46. Let add code for the Open File dialog box so that when the button is clicked, an Open File dialog will be launched. Select the Open File button and select the event page of the Properties Editor. Double click on the empty field of the Click event and add the following code to the event handler.

private: System::Void openToolStripButton_Click(System::Object^  sender, System::EventArgs^  e)

{

   // Instantiate new object...

   OpenFileDialog^ openFileDialog1 = gcnew OpenFileDialog;

   // Set the initial drive when the openFileDialog is opened...

   openFileDialog1->InitialDirectory = "c:\\";

   // Open the open file dialog...

   openFileDialog1->ShowDialog();

}

 

 

47. Build and run your application. Click the Open File button in the ToolBar. The following dialog box should be expected. Keep in mind there is no code for the handler when you select file and click the Open button.

 

 

 

 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

 

 

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< C++ .NET WinForm, Dialog Box & Controls 5 | Main | C++ .NET WinForm, Dialog Box & Controls 7 >