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.NET Framework Class Library
Control..::.AllowDrop Property

Gets or sets a value indicating whether the control can accept data that the user drags onto it.

Namespace: System.Windows.Forms
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)
Syntax
Public Overridable Property AllowDrop As Boolean
public virtual bool AllowDrop { get; set; }
public:
virtual property bool AllowDrop {
	bool get ();
	void set (bool value);
}
abstract AllowDrop : bool with get, set
override AllowDrop : bool with get, set

Property Value

Type: System..::.Boolean
true if drag-and-drop operations are allowed in the control; otherwise, false. The default is false.
Remarks

Notes to Inheritors

When overriding the AllowDrop property in a derived class, use the base class's AllowDrop property to extend the base implementation. Otherwise, you must provide all the implementation. You are not required to override both the get and set accessors of the AllowDrop property; you can override only one if needed.

Examples

The following code example enables the user to drag an image or image file onto the form, and have it be displayed at the point on it is dropped. The OnPaint method is overridden to repaint the image each time the form is painted; otherwise the image would only persist until the next repainting. The DragEnter event-handling method determines the type of data being dragged into the form and provides the appropriate feedback. The DragDrop event-handling method displays the image on the form, if an Image can be created from the data. Because the DragEventArgs..::.X and DragEventArgs..::.Y values are screen coordinates, the example uses the PointToClient method to convert them to client coordinates.


Private picture As Image
Private pictureLocation As Point

Public Sub New()
   ' Enable drag-and-drop operations.
   Me.AllowDrop = True
End Sub

Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(ByVal e As PaintEventArgs)
   MyBase.OnPaint(e)

   ' If there is an image and it has a location, 
   ' paint it when the Form is repainted.
   If (Me.picture IsNot Nothing) And _
     Not (Me.pictureLocation.Equals(Point.Empty)) Then
      e.Graphics.DrawImage(Me.picture, Me.pictureLocation)
   End If
End Sub

Private Sub Form1_DragDrop(ByVal sender As Object, _
  ByVal e As DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragDrop
   ' Handle FileDrop data.
   If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
      ' Assign the file names to a string array, in 
      ' case the user has selected multiple files.
      Dim files As String() = CType(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop), String())
      Try
         ' Assign the first image to the 'picture' variable.
         Me.picture = Image.FromFile(files(0))
         ' Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         Me.pictureLocation = Me.PointToClient(New Point(e.X, e.Y))
      Catch ex As Exception
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
         Return
      End Try
   End If

   ' Handle Bitmap data.
   If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) Then
      Try
         ' Create an Image and assign it to the picture variable.
         Me.picture = CType(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.Bitmap), Image)
         ' Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         Me.pictureLocation = Me.PointToClient(New Point(e.X, e.Y))
      Catch ex As Exception
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
         Return
      End Try
   End If

   ' Force the form to be redrawn with the image.
   Me.Invalidate()
End Sub

Private Sub Form1_DragEnter(ByVal sender As Object, _
  ByVal e As DragEventArgs) Handles MyBase.DragEnter
   ' If the data is a file or a bitmap, display the copy cursor.
   If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) _
      Or e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy
   Else
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.None
   End If
End Sub


private Image picture;
private Point pictureLocation;

public Form1()
{
   // Enable drag-and-drop operations and 
   // add handlers for DragEnter and DragDrop.
   this.AllowDrop = true;
   this.DragDrop += new DragEventHandler(this.Form1_DragDrop);
   this.DragEnter += new DragEventHandler(this.Form1_DragEnter);
}

protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
{
   // If there is an image and it has a location, 
   // paint it when the Form is repainted.
   base.OnPaint(e);
   if(this.picture != null && this.pictureLocation != Point.Empty)
   {
      e.Graphics.DrawImage(this.picture, this.pictureLocation);
   }
}

private void Form1_DragDrop(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
{
   // Handle FileDrop data.
   if(e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) )
   {
      // Assign the file names to a string array, in 
      // case the user has selected multiple files.
      string[] files = (string[])e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop);
      try
      {
         // Assign the first image to the picture variable.
         this.picture = Image.FromFile(files[0]);
         // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         this.pictureLocation = this.PointToClient(new Point(e.X, e.Y) );
      }
      catch(Exception ex)
      {
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
         return;
      }
   }

   // Handle Bitmap data.
   if(e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) )
   {
      try
      {
         // Create an Image and assign it to the picture variable.
         this.picture = (Image)e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.Bitmap);
         // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
         this.pictureLocation = this.PointToClient(new Point(e.X, e.Y) );
      }
      catch(Exception ex)
      {
         MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
         return;
      }
   }
   // Force the form to be redrawn with the image.
   this.Invalidate();
}

private void Form1_DragEnter(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
{
   // If the data is a file or a bitmap, display the copy cursor.
   if (e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) || 
      e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) ) 
   {
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy;
   }
   else
   {
      e.Effect = DragDropEffects.None;
   }
}


private:
   Image^ picture;
   Point pictureLocation;

public:
   Form1()
   {

      // Enable drag-and-drop operations and
      // add handlers for DragEnter and DragDrop.
      this->AllowDrop = true;
      this->DragDrop += gcnew DragEventHandler( this, &Form1::Form1_DragDrop );
      this->DragEnter += gcnew DragEventHandler( this, &Form1::Form1_DragEnter );
   }

protected:
   virtual void OnPaint( PaintEventArgs^ e ) override
   {

      // If there is an image and it has a location,
      // paint it when the Form is repainted.
      Form::OnPaint( e );
      if ( this->picture != nullptr && this->pictureLocation != Point::Empty )
      {
         e->Graphics->DrawImage( this->picture, this->pictureLocation );
      }
   }

private:
   void Form1_DragDrop( Object^ /*sender*/, DragEventArgs^ e )
   {

      // Handle FileDrop data.
      if ( e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::FileDrop ) )
      {
         // Assign the file names to a String* array, in
         // case the user has selected multiple files.
         array<String^>^files = (array<String^>^)e->Data->GetData( DataFormats::FileDrop );
         try
         {
            // Assign the first image to the picture variable.
            this->picture = Image::FromFile( files[ 0 ] );

            // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
            this->pictureLocation = this->PointToClient( Point(e->X,e->Y) );
         }
         catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
         {
            MessageBox::Show( ex->Message );
            return;
         }

      }

      // Handle Bitmap data.
      if ( e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::Bitmap ) )
      {
         try
         {
            // Create an Image and assign it to the picture variable.
            this->picture = dynamic_cast<Image^>(e->Data->GetData( DataFormats::Bitmap ));

            // Set the picture location equal to the drop point.
            this->pictureLocation = this->PointToClient( Point(e->X,e->Y) );
         }
         catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
         {
            MessageBox::Show( ex->Message );
            return;
         }
      }

      // Force the form to be redrawn with the image.
      this->Invalidate();
   }

   void Form1_DragEnter( Object^ /*sender*/, DragEventArgs^ e )
   {
      // If the data is a file or a bitmap, display the copy cursor.
      if ( e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::Bitmap ) || e->Data->GetDataPresent( DataFormats::FileDrop ) )
      {
         e->Effect = DragDropEffects::Copy;
      }
      else
      {
         e->Effect = DragDropEffects::None;
      }
   }

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1
.NET Framework Security
Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

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