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.NET Framework 3.5
 ActiveControl Property

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This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
ContainerControl..::.ActiveControl Property

Gets or sets the active control on the container control.

Namespace:  System.Windows.Forms
Assembly:  System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
<BrowsableAttribute(False)> _
Public Property ActiveControl As Control
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As ContainerControl
Dim value As Control

value = instance.ActiveControl

instance.ActiveControl = value
C#
[BrowsableAttribute(false)]
public Control ActiveControl { get; set; }
Visual C++
[BrowsableAttribute(false)]
public:
virtual property Control^ ActiveControl {
    Control^ get () sealed;
    void set (Control^ value) sealed;
}
JScript
public final function get ActiveControl () : Control
public final function set ActiveControl (value : Control)

Property Value

Type: System.Windows.Forms..::.Control
The Control that is currently active on the ContainerControl.

Implements

IContainerControl..::.ActiveControl
ExceptionCondition
ArgumentException

The Control assigned could not be activated.

The ActiveControl property activates or retrieves the active control on the container control.

In order to receive a valid value from this property, the object that calls it must either contain or be contained in the control it is calling. If one form tries to call another form's ActiveControl properties, it will receive an undefined value. In this case, you need to define your own communication mechanism between the forms to pass this data.

The following code example inherits from the ScrollableControl class and implements the IContainerControl interface. Implementation is added to the ActiveControl property and the ActivateControl method.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Drawing

   Public Class MyContainerControl
      Inherits ScrollableControl
      Implements IContainerControl 

      Private myActiveControl As Control

      Public Sub New()
         ' Make the container control Blue so it can be distinguished on the form.
         Me.BackColor = Color.Blue

         ' Make the container scrollable.
         Me.AutoScroll = True
      End Sub 

      ' Add implementation to the IContainerControl.ActiveControl property.
      Public Property ActiveControl() As Control Implements IContainerControl.ActiveControl
         Get
            Return Me.myActiveControl
         End Get

         Set
            ' Make sure the control is a member of the ControlCollection.
            If Me.Controls.Contains(value) Then
               Me.myActiveControl = value
            End If
         End Set
      End Property

      ' Add implementation to the IContainerControl.ActivateControl(Control) method.
      public Function ActivateControl(active As Control) As Boolean Implements IContainerControl.ActivateControl
         If Me.Controls.Contains(active) Then
            ' Select the control and scroll the control into view if needed.
            active.Select()
            Me.ScrollControlIntoView(active)
            Me.myActiveControl = active
            Return True
         End If
         Return False
      End Function 

   End Class  

C#
using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Drawing;

    public class MyContainer : ScrollableControl, IContainerControl
    {
        private Control activeControl;
        public MyContainer() 
        {
            // Make the container control Blue so it can be distinguished on the form.
            this.BackColor = Color.Blue;
            
            // Make the container scrollable.
            this.AutoScroll = true;
        }

        // Add implementation to the IContainerControl.ActiveControl property.
        public Control ActiveControl
        {
            get
            {
                return activeControl;
            }

            set
            {
                // Make sure the control is a member of the ControlCollection.
                if(this.Controls.Contains(value))
                {
                    activeControl = value;
                }
            }
        }

        // Add implementations to the IContainerControl.ActivateControl(Control) method.
        public bool ActivateControl(Control active)
        {
            if(this.Controls.Contains(active))
            {
                // Select the control and scroll the control into view if needed.
                active.Select();
                this.ScrollControlIntoView(active);
                this.activeControl = active;
                return true;
            }
            return false;
        }
    }

Visual C++
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
using namespace System::Drawing;

public ref class MyContainer: public ScrollableControl, public IContainerControl
{
private:
   Control^ activeControl;

public:
   MyContainer()
   {
      // Make the container control Blue so it can be distinguished on the form.
      this->BackColor = Color::Blue;

      // Make the container scrollable.
      this->AutoScroll = true;
   }

   property Control^ ActiveControl 
   {
      // Add implementation to the IContainerControl.ActiveControl property.
      virtual Control^ get()
      {
         return activeControl;
      }

      virtual void set( Control^ value )
      {

         // Make sure the control is a member of the ControlCollection.
         if ( this->Controls->Contains( value ) )
         {
            activeControl = value;
         }
      }
   }

   // Add implementations to the IContainerControl.ActivateControl(Control) method.
   virtual bool ActivateControl( Control^ active )
   {
      if ( this->Controls->Contains( active ) )
      {
         // Select the control and scroll the control into view if needed.
         active->Select(  );
         this->ScrollControlIntoView( active );
         this->activeControl = active;
         return true;
      }

      return false;
   }
};

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0
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