How to: Wrap a Windows Forms Control with ToolStripControlHost

Visual Studio 2010

ToolStripControlHost is designed to enable hosting of arbitrary Windows Forms controls by using the ToolStripControlHost constructor or by extending ToolStripControlHost itself. It is easier to wrap the control by extending ToolStripControlHost and implementing properties and methods that expose frequently used properties and methods of the control. You can also expose events for the control at the ToolStripControlHost level.

To host a control in a ToolStripControlHost by derivation

Extend ToolStripControlHost. Implement a default constructor that calls the base class constructor passing in the desired control.
VB
C#
C++
F#
JScript
Copy
' Call the base constructor passing in a MonthCalendar instance. Public Sub New() MyBase.New(New MonthCalendar()) End Sub

Declare a property of the same type as the wrapped control and return Control as the correct type of control in the property's accessor.

C++

JScript

Copy


Public ReadOnly Property MonthCalendarControl() As MonthCalendar 
    Get
        Return CType(Control, MonthCalendar)
    End Get
End Property

Expose other frequently used properties and methods of the wrapped control with properties and methods in the extended class.

C++

JScript

Copy


' Expose the MonthCalendar.FirstDayOfWeek as a property.
Public Property FirstDayOfWeek() As Day 
    Get
        Return MonthCalendarControl.FirstDayOfWeek
    End Get
    Set
        MonthCalendarControl.FirstDayOfWeek = value
    End Set
End Property

' Expose the AddBoldedDate method.
Public Sub AddBoldedDate(ByVal dateToBold As DateTime) 
    MonthCalendarControl.AddBoldedDate(dateToBold)

End Sub

Optionally, override the OnSubscribeControlEvents, and OnUnsubscribeControlEvents methods and add the control events you want to expose.

C++

JScript

Copy


Protected Overrides Sub OnSubscribeControlEvents(ByVal c As Control) 

    ' Call the base so the base events are connected.
    MyBase.OnSubscribeControlEvents(c)

    ' Cast the control to a MonthCalendar control.
    Dim monthCalendarControl As MonthCalendar = _
        CType(c, MonthCalendar)

    ' Add the event.
    AddHandler monthCalendarControl.DateChanged, _
        AddressOf HandleDateChanged

End Sub

Protected Overrides Sub OnUnsubscribeControlEvents(ByVal c As Control)
    ' Call the base method so the basic events are unsubscribed.
    MyBase.OnUnsubscribeControlEvents(c)

    ' Cast the control to a MonthCalendar control.
    Dim monthCalendarControl As MonthCalendar = _
        CType(c, MonthCalendar)

    ' Remove the event.
    RemoveHandler monthCalendarControl.DateChanged, _
        AddressOf HandleDateChanged

End Sub

Provide the necessary wrapping for the events you want to expose.

C++

JScript

Copy


    ' Declare the DateChanged event.
    Public Event DateChanged As DateRangeEventHandler

    ' Raise the DateChanged event.
    Private Sub HandleDateChanged(ByVal sender As Object, _
        ByVal e As DateRangeEventArgs)

        RaiseEvent DateChanged(Me, e)
    End Sub
End Class

Example

C++

JScript

Copy


'Declare a class that inherits from ToolStripControlHost.

Public Class ToolStripMonthCalendar
    Inherits ToolStripControlHost

    ' Call the base constructor passing in a MonthCalendar instance.
    Public Sub New() 
        MyBase.New(New MonthCalendar())

    End Sub

    Public ReadOnly Property MonthCalendarControl() As MonthCalendar 
        Get
            Return CType(Control, MonthCalendar)
        End Get
    End Property

    ' Expose the MonthCalendar.FirstDayOfWeek as a property.
    Public Property FirstDayOfWeek() As Day 
        Get
            Return MonthCalendarControl.FirstDayOfWeek
        End Get
        Set
            MonthCalendarControl.FirstDayOfWeek = value
        End Set
    End Property

    ' Expose the AddBoldedDate method.
    Public Sub AddBoldedDate(ByVal dateToBold As DateTime) 
        MonthCalendarControl.AddBoldedDate(dateToBold)

    End Sub

    ' Subscribe and unsubscribe the control events you wish to expose.
    Protected Overrides Sub OnSubscribeControlEvents(ByVal c As Control) 

        ' Call the base so the base events are connected.
        MyBase.OnSubscribeControlEvents(c)

        ' Cast the control to a MonthCalendar control.
        Dim monthCalendarControl As MonthCalendar = _
            CType(c, MonthCalendar)

        ' Add the event.
        AddHandler monthCalendarControl.DateChanged, _
            AddressOf HandleDateChanged

    End Sub

    Protected Overrides Sub OnUnsubscribeControlEvents(ByVal c As Control)
        ' Call the base method so the basic events are unsubscribed.
        MyBase.OnUnsubscribeControlEvents(c)

        ' Cast the control to a MonthCalendar control.
        Dim monthCalendarControl As MonthCalendar = _
            CType(c, MonthCalendar)

        ' Remove the event.
        RemoveHandler monthCalendarControl.DateChanged, _
            AddressOf HandleDateChanged

    End Sub

    ' Declare the DateChanged event.
    Public Event DateChanged As DateRangeEventHandler

    ' Raise the DateChanged event.
    Private Sub HandleDateChanged(ByVal sender As Object, _
        ByVal e As DateRangeEventArgs)

        RaiseEvent DateChanged(Me, e)
    End Sub
End Class

Compiling the Code

This example requires:
References to the System and System.Windows.Forms assemblies.

For information about building this example from the command line for Visual Basic or Visual C#, see Building from the Command Line (Visual Basic) or Command-line Building With csc.exe. You can also build this example in Visual Studio by pasting the code into a new project. For more information, see How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio and How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio and How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio and How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio.

Reference

ToolStripControlHost

ToolStrip Control Overview (Windows Forms)

Concepts

ToolStrip Control Architecture

ToolStrip Technology Summary

Community ContentAdd

FAQ