Windows Forms Inheritance
Visual Studio .NET 2003
On some occasions, you may decide that a project calls for a form similar to one that you have created in a previous project. Or you may want to create a basic form with settings such as a watermark or certain control layout that you will then use again within a project, with each iteration containing modifications to the original form template. Form inheritance enables you to create a base form and then inherit from it and make modifications while preserving whatever original settings you need.
You can create subclassed forms in code or by using the Visual Inheritance picker.
In This Section
- Inheriting Windows Forms
- Gives directions for creating inherited forms in code.
- Inheriting Forms Using the Inheritance Picker Dialog Box
- Gives directions for creating inherited forms with the Inheritance Picker.
- Effects of Modifying a Base Form's Appearance
- Gives directions for changing a base form's controls and their properties.
- Walkthrough: Demonstrating Visual Inheritance
- Describes how to create a base Windows Form and compile it into a class library. You will import this class library into another project, and create a new form that inherits from the base form.
Related Sections
- Inheritance
- Describes how to define Visual Basic classes that serve as the basis for other classes.
- class
- Describes the C# approach of classes, in which single inheritance is allowed.
- Troubleshooting Inherited Event Handlers in Visual Basic .NET
- Lists common issues that arise with event handlers in inherited components
- What's New in Windows Forms and Controls
- Describes the new features of Windows Forms and controls.
