IToolboxService Interface

 

Provides methods and properties to manage and query the toolbox in the development environment.

Namespace:   System.Drawing.Design
Assembly:  System.Drawing (in System.Drawing.dll)

[GuidAttribute("4BACD258-DE64-4048-BC4E-FEDBEF9ACB76")]
[InterfaceTypeAttribute(ComInterfaceType::InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
public interface class IToolboxService

NameDescription
System_CAPS_pubpropertyCategoryNames

Gets the names of all the tool categories currently on the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubpropertySelectedCategory

Gets or sets the name of the currently selected tool category from the toolbox.

NameDescription
System_CAPS_pubmethodAddCreator(ToolboxItemCreatorCallback^, String^)

Adds a new toolbox item creator for a specified data format.

System_CAPS_pubmethodAddCreator(ToolboxItemCreatorCallback^, String^, IDesignerHost^)

Adds a new toolbox item creator for a specified data format and designer host.

System_CAPS_pubmethodAddLinkedToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^, IDesignerHost^)

Adds the specified project-linked toolbox item to the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubmethodAddLinkedToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^, String^, IDesignerHost^)

Adds the specified project-linked toolbox item to the toolbox in the specified category.

System_CAPS_pubmethodAddToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^)

Adds the specified toolbox item to the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubmethodAddToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^, String^)

Adds the specified toolbox item to the toolbox in the specified category.

System_CAPS_pubmethodDeserializeToolboxItem(Object^)

Gets a toolbox item from the specified object that represents a toolbox item in serialized form.

System_CAPS_pubmethodDeserializeToolboxItem(Object^, IDesignerHost^)

Gets a toolbox item from the specified object that represents a toolbox item in serialized form, using the specified designer host.

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetSelectedToolboxItem()

Gets the currently selected toolbox item.

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetSelectedToolboxItem(IDesignerHost^)

Gets the currently selected toolbox item if it is available to all designers, or if it supports the specified designer.

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetToolboxItems()

Gets the entire collection of toolbox items from the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetToolboxItems(IDesignerHost^)

Gets the collection of toolbox items that are associated with the specified designer host from the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetToolboxItems(String^)

Gets a collection of toolbox items from the toolbox that match the specified category.

System_CAPS_pubmethodGetToolboxItems(String^, IDesignerHost^)

Gets the collection of toolbox items that are associated with the specified designer host and category from the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubmethodIsSupported(Object^, ICollection^)

Gets a value indicating whether the specified object which represents a serialized toolbox item matches the specified attributes.

System_CAPS_pubmethodIsSupported(Object^, IDesignerHost^)

Gets a value indicating whether the specified object which represents a serialized toolbox item can be used by the specified designer host.

System_CAPS_pubmethodIsToolboxItem(Object^)

Gets a value indicating whether the specified object is a serialized toolbox item.

System_CAPS_pubmethodIsToolboxItem(Object^, IDesignerHost^)

Gets a value indicating whether the specified object is a serialized toolbox item, using the specified designer host.

System_CAPS_pubmethodRefresh()

Refreshes the state of the toolbox items.

System_CAPS_pubmethodRemoveCreator(String^)

Removes a previously added toolbox item creator of the specified data format.

System_CAPS_pubmethodRemoveCreator(String^, IDesignerHost^)

Removes a previously added toolbox creator that is associated with the specified data format and the specified designer host.

System_CAPS_pubmethodRemoveToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^)

Removes the specified toolbox item from the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubmethodRemoveToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^, String^)

Removes the specified toolbox item from the toolbox.

System_CAPS_pubmethodSelectedToolboxItemUsed()

Notifies the toolbox service that the selected tool has been used.

System_CAPS_pubmethodSerializeToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^)

Gets a serializable object that represents the specified toolbox item.

System_CAPS_pubmethodSetCursor()

Sets the current application's cursor to a cursor that represents the currently selected tool.

System_CAPS_pubmethodSetSelectedToolboxItem(ToolboxItem^)

Selects the specified toolbox item.

The IToolboxService interface provides properties and methods for adding and removing toolbox items and toolbox creator callback delegates, serializing and deserializing toolbox items, and retrieving toolbox state information and managing toolbox state.

You can retrieve information about the contents of the toolbox with the following methods:

You can add and remove toolbox items with the following methods:

You can refresh the toolbox, mark a toolbox item as used, or set the mouse cursor to a cursor that represents the current toolbox item using the following methods:

  • The Refresh method refreshes the toolbox display to reflect the current state of the toolbox items.

  • The SelectedToolboxItemUsed method signals the toolbox that the selected toolbox item has been used.

  • The SetCursor method sets the mouse cursor to a cursor that represents the current toolbox item.

You can use the toolbox to serialize or deserialize a toolbox item using the following methods:

The following code example demonstrates the use of the IToolboxService in design mode to list and select toolbox categories and items, and to create components or controls from toolbox items and add them to a Form. To use the example, compile the code to an assembly, and add a reference to the assembly in a Windows Forms application. If you are using Visual Studio, the IToolboxServiceControl is automatically added to the Toolbox. Create an instance of the IToolboxServiceControl on a form to test its behavior.

#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Design.dll>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>
#using <System.Data.dll>
#using <System.Drawing.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections;
using namespace System::ComponentModel;
using namespace System::ComponentModel::Design;
using namespace System::Drawing;
using namespace System::Drawing::Design;
using namespace System::Data;
using namespace System::Diagnostics;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
using namespace System::Security::Permissions;

namespace IToolboxServiceExample
{

   // This designer passes window messages to the controls at design time.
   public ref class WindowMessageDesigner: public System::Windows::Forms::Design::ControlDesigner
   {
   public:
      WindowMessageDesigner(){}

   protected:

      // Window procedure  passes events to control.

      [SecurityPermission(SecurityAction::Demand, Flags=SecurityPermissionFlag::UnmanagedCode)]
      virtual void WndProc( System::Windows::Forms::Message% m ) override
      {
         if ( m.HWnd == this->Control->Handle )
                  ControlDesigner::WndProc( m );
         else
                  ControlDesigner::DefWndProc( m );
      }
   };

   // Provides an example control that functions in design mode to
   // demonstrate use of the IToolboxService to list and select toolbox
   // categories and items, and to add components or controls
   // to the parent form using code.

   [DesignerAttribute(IToolboxServiceExample::WindowMessageDesigner::typeid,IDesigner::typeid)]
   public ref class IToolboxServiceControl: public System::Windows::Forms::UserControl
   {
   private:
      System::Windows::Forms::ListBox^ listBox1;
      System::Windows::Forms::ListBox^ listBox2;
      IToolboxService^ toolboxService;
      ToolboxItemCollection^ tools;
      int controlSpacingMultiplier;

   public:
      IToolboxServiceControl()
      {
         InitializeComponent();
         listBox2->DoubleClick += gcnew EventHandler( this, &IToolboxServiceControl::CreateComponent );
         controlSpacingMultiplier = 0;
      }

      property System::ComponentModel::ISite^ Site 
      {
         // Obtain or reset IToolboxService reference on each siting of control.
         virtual System::ComponentModel::ISite^ get() override
         {
            return __super::Site;
         }

         virtual void set( System::ComponentModel::ISite^ value ) override
         {
            __super::Site = value;

            // If the component was sited, attempt to obtain
            // an IToolboxService instance.
            if ( __super::Site != nullptr )
            {
               toolboxService = dynamic_cast<IToolboxService^>(this->GetService( IToolboxService::typeid ));

               // If an IToolboxService was located, update the
               // category list.
               if ( toolboxService != nullptr )
                              UpdateLists();
            }
            else
                        toolboxService = nullptr;
         }
      }

   private:

      // Updates the list of categories and the list of items in the
      // selected category.
      [SecurityPermission(SecurityAction::Demand, Flags=SecurityPermissionFlag::UnmanagedCode)]
      void UpdateLists()
      {
         if ( toolboxService != nullptr )
         {
            this->listBox1->SelectedIndexChanged -= gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &IToolboxServiceControl::UpdateSelectedCategory );
            this->listBox2->SelectedIndexChanged -= gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &IToolboxServiceControl::UpdateSelectedItem );
            listBox1->Items->Clear();
            for ( int i = 0; i < toolboxService->CategoryNames->Count; i++ )
            {
               listBox1->Items->Add( toolboxService->CategoryNames[ i ] );
               if ( toolboxService->CategoryNames[ i ] == toolboxService->SelectedCategory )
               {
                  listBox1->SelectedIndex = i;
                  tools = toolboxService->GetToolboxItems( toolboxService->SelectedCategory );
                  listBox2->Items->Clear();
                  for ( int j = 0; j < tools->Count; j++ )
                     listBox2->Items->Add( tools[ j ]->DisplayName );
               }
            }
            this->listBox1->SelectedIndexChanged += gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &IToolboxServiceControl::UpdateSelectedCategory );
            this->listBox2->SelectedIndexChanged += gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &IToolboxServiceControl::UpdateSelectedItem );
         }
      }


      // Sets the selected category when a category is clicked in the
      // category list.
      void UpdateSelectedCategory( Object^ /*sender*/, System::EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
      {
         if ( toolboxService != nullptr )
         {
            toolboxService->SelectedCategory = dynamic_cast<String^>(listBox1->SelectedItem);
            UpdateLists();
         }
      }

      // Sets the selected item when an item is clicked in the item list.
      void UpdateSelectedItem( Object^ /*sender*/, System::EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
      {
         if ( toolboxService != nullptr )
         {
            if ( listBox1->SelectedIndex != -1 )
            {
               if ( dynamic_cast<String^>(listBox1->SelectedItem) == toolboxService->SelectedCategory )
                              toolboxService->SetSelectedToolboxItem( tools[ listBox2->SelectedIndex ] );
               else
                              UpdateLists();
            }
         }
      }

      // Creates a control from a double-clicked toolbox item and adds
      // it to the parent form.
      void CreateComponent( Object^ /*sender*/, EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
      {
         // Obtains an IDesignerHost service from design environment.
         IDesignerHost^ host = dynamic_cast<IDesignerHost^>(this->GetService( IDesignerHost::typeid ));

         // Get the project components container (Windows Forms control
         // containment depends on controls collections).
         IContainer^ container = host->Container;

         // Identifies the parent Form.
         System::Windows::Forms::Form^ parentForm = this->FindForm();

         // Retrieves the parent Form's designer host.
         IDesignerHost^ parentHost = dynamic_cast<IDesignerHost^>(parentForm->Site->GetService( IDesignerHost::typeid ));

         // Create the components.
         array<IComponent^>^comps = nullptr;
         try
         {
            comps = toolboxService->GetSelectedToolboxItem()->CreateComponents( parentHost );
         }
         catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
         {
            // Catch and show any exceptions to prevent disabling
            // the control's UI.
            MessageBox::Show( ex->ToString(), "Exception message" );
         }

         if ( comps == nullptr )
                  return;

         // Add any created controls to the parent form's controls
         // collection. Note: components are added from the
         // ToolboxItem::CreateComponents(IDesignerHost*) method.
         for ( int i = 0; i < comps->Length; i++ )
         {
            if ( parentForm != nullptr && comps[ i ]->GetType()->IsSubclassOf( System::Windows::Forms::Control::typeid ) )
            {
               (dynamic_cast<System::Windows::Forms::Control^>(comps[ i ]))->Location = Point(20 * controlSpacingMultiplier,20 * controlSpacingMultiplier);
               if ( controlSpacingMultiplier > 10 )
                              controlSpacingMultiplier = 0;
               else
                              controlSpacingMultiplier++;
               parentForm->Controls->Add( dynamic_cast<System::Windows::Forms::Control^>(comps[ i ]) );
            }
         }
      }

   protected:

      // Displays labels.
      virtual void OnPaint( System::Windows::Forms::PaintEventArgs^ e ) override
      {
         e->Graphics->DrawString( "IToolboxService Control", gcnew System::Drawing::Font( "Arial",14 ), gcnew SolidBrush( Color::Black ), 6, 4 );
         e->Graphics->DrawString( "Category List", gcnew System::Drawing::Font( "Arial",8 ), gcnew SolidBrush( Color::Black ), 8, 26 );
         e->Graphics->DrawString( "Items in Category", gcnew System::Drawing::Font( "Arial",8 ), gcnew SolidBrush( Color::Black ), 208, 26 );
         e->Graphics->DrawString( "(Double-click item to add to parent form)", gcnew System::Drawing::Font( "Arial",7 ), gcnew SolidBrush( Color::Black ), 232, 12 );
      }

   private:
      void InitializeComponent()
      {
         this->listBox1 = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::ListBox;
         this->listBox2 = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::ListBox;
         this->SuspendLayout();
         this->listBox1->Anchor = static_cast<AnchorStyles>(System::Windows::Forms::AnchorStyles::Top | System::Windows::Forms::AnchorStyles::Bottom | System::Windows::Forms::AnchorStyles::Left);
         this->listBox1->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 8, 41 );
         this->listBox1->Name = "listBox1";
         this->listBox1->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 192, 368 );
         this->listBox1->TabIndex = 0;
         this->listBox1->SelectedIndexChanged += gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &IToolboxServiceControl::UpdateSelectedCategory );
         this->listBox2->Anchor = static_cast<AnchorStyles>(System::Windows::Forms::AnchorStyles::Top | System::Windows::Forms::AnchorStyles::Bottom | System::Windows::Forms::AnchorStyles::Left | System::Windows::Forms::AnchorStyles::Right);
         this->listBox2->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 208, 41 );
         this->listBox2->Name = "listBox2";
         this->listBox2->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 228, 368 );
         this->listBox2->TabIndex = 3;
         this->BackColor = System::Drawing::Color::Beige;
         array<System::Windows::Forms::Control^>^temp0 = {this->listBox2,this->listBox1};
         this->Controls->AddRange( temp0 );
         this->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 500, 400 );
         this->Name = "IToolboxServiceControl*";
         this->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 442, 422 );
         this->ResumeLayout( false );
      }
   };
}

The following code example provides a component that uses the IToolboxService to add a "Text" data format handler, or ToolboxItemCreatorCallback, to the toolbox. The data creator callback delegate passes any text data pasted to the toolbox and dragged onto a form to a custom ToolboxItem that creates a TextBox containing the text.

#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>
#using <System.Drawing.dll>
#using <System.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::ComponentModel;
using namespace System::ComponentModel::Design;
using namespace System::Drawing;
using namespace System::Drawing::Design;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
using namespace System::Security::Permissions;

namespace TextDataTextBoxComponent
{
   // Custom toolbox item creates a TextBox and sets its Text property
   // to the constructor-specified text.
   [PermissionSetAttribute(SecurityAction::Demand, Name="FullTrust")]
   public ref class TextToolboxItem: public ToolboxItem
   {
   private:
      String^ text;
      delegate void SetTextMethodHandler( Control^ c, String^ text );

   public:
      TextToolboxItem( String^ text )
         : ToolboxItem()
      {
         this->text = text;
      }

   protected:

      // ToolboxItem::CreateComponentsCore  to create the TextBox
      // and link a method to set its Text property.

      virtual array<IComponent^>^ CreateComponentsCore( IDesignerHost^ host ) override
      {
         TextBox^ textbox = dynamic_cast<TextBox^>(host->CreateComponent( TextBox::typeid ));

         // Because the designer resets the text of the textbox, use
         // a SetTextMethodHandler to set the text to the value of
         // the text data.
         Control^ c = dynamic_cast<Control^>(host->RootComponent);
         array<Object^>^temp0 = {textbox,text};
         c->BeginInvoke( gcnew SetTextMethodHandler( this, &TextToolboxItem::OnSetText ), temp0 );
         array<IComponent^>^temp1 = {textbox};
         return temp1;
      }

   private:

      // Method to set the text property of a TextBox after it is initialized.
      void OnSetText( Control^ c, String^ text )
      {
         c->Text = text;
      }

   };


   // Component that adds a "Text" data format ToolboxItemCreatorCallback 
    // to the Toolbox. This component uses a custom ToolboxItem that 
    // creates a TextBox containing the text data.
   public ref class TextDataTextBoxComponent: public Component
   {
   private:
      bool creatorAdded;
      IToolboxService^ ts;

   public:
      TextDataTextBoxComponent()
      {
         creatorAdded = false;
      }


      property System::ComponentModel::ISite^ Site 
      {
         // ISite to register TextBox creator
         virtual System::ComponentModel::ISite^ get() override
         {
            return __super::Site;
         }

         virtual void set( System::ComponentModel::ISite^ value ) override
         {
            if ( value != nullptr )
            {
               __super::Site = value;
               if (  !creatorAdded )
                              AddTextTextBoxCreator();
            }
            else
            {
               if ( creatorAdded )
                              RemoveTextTextBoxCreator();
               __super::Site = value;
            }
         }
      }

   private:

      // Adds a "Text" data format creator to the toolbox that creates
      // a textbox from a text fragment pasted to the toolbox.
      void AddTextTextBoxCreator()
      {
         ts = dynamic_cast<IToolboxService^>(GetService( IToolboxService::typeid ));
         if ( ts != nullptr )
         {
            ToolboxItemCreatorCallback^ textCreator = 
				gcnew ToolboxItemCreatorCallback( 
				this, 
				&TextDataTextBoxComponent::CreateTextBoxForText );
            try
            {
               ts->AddCreator( 
				   textCreator, 
				   "Text", 
				   dynamic_cast<IDesignerHost^>(GetService( IDesignerHost::typeid )) );
               creatorAdded = true;
            }
            catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
            {
               MessageBox::Show( ex->ToString(), "Exception Information" );
            }
         }
      }


      // Removes any "Text" data format creator from the toolbox.
      void RemoveTextTextBoxCreator()
      {
         if ( ts != nullptr )
         {
            ts->RemoveCreator( 
				"Text", 
				dynamic_cast<IDesignerHost^>(GetService( IDesignerHost::typeid )) );
            creatorAdded = false;
         }
      }


      // ToolboxItemCreatorCallback delegate format method to create
      // the toolbox item.
      ToolboxItem^ CreateTextBoxForText( Object^ serializedObject, String^ format )
      {
		IDataObject^ o = gcnew DataObject(dynamic_cast<IDataObject^>(serializedObject));

		if( o->GetDataPresent("System::String", true) )
		{
			String^ toolboxText = dynamic_cast<String^>(o->GetData( "System::String", true ));
		   return( gcnew TextToolboxItem( toolboxText ));
		}

		return nullptr;
	  }

   public:
      ~TextDataTextBoxComponent()
      {
         if ( creatorAdded )
                  RemoveTextTextBoxCreator();
      }
   };
}

.NET Framework
Available since 1.1
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