Provides tool windows which host Windows Forms controls and WPF controls in Visual Studio.
- Technologies: Visual Studio 2015 SDK
- Topics: Visual Studio Shell, VSX
Description
This sample demonstrates how to create a package that provides tool windows which host Windows Forms controls and WPF controls.
Goals:
- Exposing properties in the Properties window based on the selected item
- Tool window toolbars
- Tool window with visibility controlled by a UI Context (solution loaded)
- Tool window docked to another window as default start position
- Usage of tool window events
This sample has a package (PackageToolWindow) and two tool windows (PersistedWindowPane and DynamicWindowPane). Each of the tool windows hosts a UserControl (PersistedWindowControl and DynamicWindowControl).
The first window is persisted (its hidden/shown state is preserved when Visual Studio is restarted). It hosts a toolbar and demonstrates how to display properties in the Properties window based on the current selection inside the tool window.
The second window has dynamic visibility (based on a UI Context). When a solution exists, the window is displayed. When no solution exists, it is hidden. Note that if one manually shows/hides the tool window, this mechanism would be disabled. To restore it, one can create a solution, show the tool window, close the solution, and finally hide the tool window. The window also provides a view helper which enables it to subscribe to tool window events. These include events such as moved, resized, shown, hidden, and so on.
Requirements
Get all samples
Clone the repo (How to):
git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/VSSDK-Extensibility-Samples.git
Run the sample
- To run the sample, hit F5 or choose the Debug > Start Debugging menu command. A new instance of Visual Studio will launch under the experimental hive.
- Launch the Persisted Window: * View > Other Windows > Persisted Window: The Persisted Tool Window appears as a tabbed window docked with Solution Explorer. * This tool window has a persistant state, meaning that Visual Studio will remember if the tool window is open, and where it is located. If you close and relaunch Visual Studio, the Persisted Window will still be in the same location.
- Move the Persisted Tool Window to dock on the left side of the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE).
- Exit Visual Studio. Press F5 again to start Visual Studio from the experimental instance. The Persisted Tool Window appears where it was when you exited Visual Studio.
- Display the Properties Window: * View > Properties Window
- Click any of the window titles listed in the Persisted Tool Window. Note that the Persisted Tool Window displays the titles of all tool windows in the IDE and might include some that are not visible. The Properties window displays data about the selected tool window.
- Close one of the tool windows listed in the Persisted Tool Window and click the Refresh icon in the toolbar. The window titles list is updated to indicate that the window is no longer visible.
- Launch the Dynamic Visibility Window: * View > Other Windows > Dynamic Visibility Window
- Hide the Dynamic Visibility Window by closing it.
Related topics