| title | ms.date | ms.topic | helpviewer_keywords | ms.assetid | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Controls by Function |
03/30/2017 |
overview |
|
5e65a6c3-5d6f-480d-beb8-b28f865f07e3 |
Windows Forms offers controls and components that perform a number of functions. The following table lists the Windows Forms controls and components according to general function. In addition, where multiple controls exist that serve the same function, the recommended control is listed with a note regarding the control it superseded. In a separate subsequent table, the superseded controls are listed with their recommended replacements.
Note
The following tables do not list every control or component you can use in Windows Forms; for a more comprehensive list, see Controls to Use on Windows Forms
| Function | Control | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Data display | xref:System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView control | The xref:System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView control provides a customizable table for displaying data. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView class enables customization of cells, rows, columns, and borders. Note: The xref:System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView control provides numerous basic and advanced features that are missing in the xref:System.Windows.Forms.DataGrid control. For more information, see Differences Between the Windows Forms DataGridView and DataGrid Controls |
| Data binding and navigation | xref:System.Windows.Forms.BindingSource component | Simplifies binding controls on a form to data by providing currency management, change notification, and other services. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.BindingNavigator control | Provides a toolbar-type interface to navigate and manipulate data on a form. | |
| Text editing | xref:System.Windows.Forms.TextBox control | Displays text entered at design time that can be edited by users at run time, or changed programmatically. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox control | Enables text to be displayed with formatting in plain text or rich-text format (RTF). | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.MaskedTextBox control | Constrains the format of user input | |
| Information display (read-only) | xref:System.Windows.Forms.Label control | Displays text that users cannot directly edit. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.LinkLabel control | Displays text as a Web-style link and triggers an event when the user clicks the special text. Usually the text is a link to another window or a Web site. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip control | Displays information about the application's current state using a framed area, usually at the bottom of a parent form. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.ProgressBar control | Displays the current progress of an operation to the user. | |
| Web page display | xref:System.Windows.Forms.WebBrowser control | Enables the user to navigate Web pages inside your form. |
| Selection from a list | xref:System.Windows.Forms.CheckedListBox control | Displays a scrollable list of items, each accompanied by a check box. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox control | Displays a drop-down list of items. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.DomainUpDown control | Displays a list of text items that users can scroll through with up and down buttons. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.ListBox control | Displays a list of text and graphical items (icons). | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.ListView control | Displays items in one of four different views. Views include text only, text with small icons, text with large icons, and a details view. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.NumericUpDown control | Displays a list of numerals that users can scroll through with up and down buttons. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.TreeView control | Displays a hierarchical collection of node objects that can consist of text with optional check boxes or icons. | |
| Graphics display | xref:System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox control | Displays graphical files, such as bitmaps and icons, in a frame. |
| Graphics storage | xref:System.Windows.Forms.ImageList control | Serves as a repository for images. xref:System.Windows.Forms.ImageList controls and the images they contain can be reused from one application to the next. |
| Value setting | xref:System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox control | Displays a check box and a label for text. Generally used to set options. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.CheckedListBox control | Displays a scrollable list of items, each accompanied by a check box. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.RadioButton control | Displays a button that can be turned on or off. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.TrackBar control | Allows users to set values on a scale by moving a "thumb" along a scale. | |
| Date setting | xref:System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker control | Displays a graphical calendar to allow users to select a date or a time. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.MonthCalendar control | Displays a graphical calendar to allow users to select a range of dates. | |
| Dialog boxes | xref:System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog control | Displays the color picker dialog box that allows users to set the color of an interface element. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.FontDialog control | Displays a dialog box that allows users to set a font and its attributes. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog control | Displays a dialog box that allows users to navigate to and select a file. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.PrintDialog control | Displays a dialog box that allows users to select a printer and set its attributes. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.PrintPreviewDialog control | Displays a dialog box that displays how a control xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument component will appear when printed. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog control | Displays a dialog that allows users to browse, create, and eventually select a folder | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.SaveFileDialog control | Displays a dialog box that allows users to save a file. | |
| Menu controls | xref:System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip control | Creates custom menus. Note: The xref:System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip is designed to replace the xref:System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu control. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.ContextMenuStrip control | Creates custom context menus. Note: The xref:System.Windows.Forms.ContextMenuStrip is designed to replace the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ContextMenu control. | |
| Commands | xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control | Starts, stops, or interrupts a process. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.LinkLabel control | Displays text as a Web-style link and triggers an event when the user clicks the special text. Usually the text is a link to another window or a Web site. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.NotifyIcon control | Displays an icon in the status notification area of the taskbar that represents an application running in the background. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip control | Creates toolbars that can have a Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or custom look and feel, with or without themes, and with support for overflow and run-time item reordering. Note: The xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip control is designed to replace the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar control. | |
| User Help | xref:System.Windows.Forms.HelpProvider component | Provides pop-up or online Help for controls. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolTip component | Provides a pop-up window that displays a brief description of a control's purpose when the user rests the pointer on the control. | |
| Grouping other controls | xref:System.Windows.Forms.Panel control | Groups a set of controls on an unlabeled, scrollable frame. |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox control | Groups a set of controls (such as radio buttons) on a labeled, nonscrollable frame. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.TabControl control | Provides a tabbed page for organizing and accessing grouped objects efficiently. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.SplitContainer control | Provides two panels separated by a movable bar. Note: The xref:System.Windows.Forms.SplitContainer control is designed to replace the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Splitter control. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel control | Represents a panel that dynamically lays out its contents in a grid composed of rows and columns. | |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel control | Represents a panel that dynamically lays out its contents horizontally or vertically. | |
| Audio | xref:System.Media.SoundPlayer control | Plays sound files in the .wav format. Sounds can be loaded or played asynchronously. |
| Function | Superseded control | Recommended replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Data display | xref:System.Windows.Forms.DataGrid | xref:System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView |
| Information Display (Read-only controls) | xref:System.Windows.Forms.StatusBar | xref:System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip |
| Menu controls | xref:System.Windows.Forms.ContextMenu | xref:System.Windows.Forms.ContextMenuStrip |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu | xref:System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip | |
| Commands | xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar | xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip |
| xref:System.Windows.Forms.StatusBar | xref:System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip | |
| Form layout | xref:System.Windows.Forms.Splitter | xref:System.Windows.Forms.SplitContainer |