III: Windows Form Controls

When working with Windows Forms, you have 46 default Toolbox controls available for use. The following, alphabetically sorted list provides a simple description of each to help you choose which is best for the task at hand.

All items noted as components have no form-visible interface, and their actions must be manipulated in code. Here goes <breathe in> :

Button: Standard button the user can click to perform actions.
CheckBox: Allows the user to check an On or Off option.
CheckedListBox: Displays a list of items with a checkbox next to each.
ColorDialog: Component, allows the user to select a color from a dialog box.
ComboBox: Displays a list of options in a drop-down box.
ContextMenu: Component, allows you to create a pop-up menu.
CrystalReportViewer : Executes and displays a Crystal Report document.
DataGrid: Displays tabular data from a DataSet, plus allows for updates.
DateTimePicker: Allows the user to select a single date from a list of dates or times.
DomainUpDown: Displays strings that a user can browse through and select from.
ErrorProvider: Component, highlights errors in a user-friendly manner.
FontDialog: Component, allows the user to select a font via a dialog box.
GroupBox: Acts as a visible container for other controls.
HelpProvider : Component, associates an HTML help file with a Windows application.
HScrollBar and VScrollBar : Horizontal and vertical scroll bars, to allow for programmatic scrolling through a list of items.
ImageList : Component, stores images for use on other controls, such as the ToolBar and TreeView.
Label: Displays read-only text.
LinkLabel: Displays a Web-style link with a click event.
ListBox: Allows the user to select one or more items from a list.
ListView: Displays a list of items with icons, Windows Explorer-style.
MainMenu: Displays application menus .
MonthCalendar: Allows the user to select a date or range of dates from a month-by-month calendar.
NotifyIcon: Allows you to add icons to the system taskbar.
NumericUpDown : Displays a predetermined set of numbers that the user can browse through and select from.
OpenFileDialog: Component, allows users to select files to open via a standard dialog box.
PageSetupDialog : Component, displays a dialog box allowing the user to change page setup details for printing.
Panel: Provides grouping of controls, such as RadioButton controls.
PictureBox: Displays graphics in BMP, GIF, JPEG, WMF, and ICO format.
PrintDialog: Component, allows user to select a printer, the number of pages to print, and other settings via a standard dialog box.
PrintDocument : Component, allows user to set properties that describe what to print and then to actually print it.
PrintPreviewControl : Allows you to display a PrintDocument as it will appear when printed, without any user interface extras.
PrintPreviewDialog : Component, displays a PrintDocument in a dialog box, as it will appear when printed, alongside options to print, zoom, and move between pages.
ProgressBar: Indicates the progress of an operation graphically.
RadioButton : Allows the user to select an option from two or more exclusive buttons .
RichTextBox : Allows users to enter, display, and manipulate text with formatting.
SaveFileDialog : Component, allows the user to specify a save filename via a standard dialog box.
Splitter : Allows the user to resize a docked control, typically used for splitting forms into two components.
StatusBar : Displays status information, typically at the bottom of a form.
TabControl : Displays multiple tabbed pages, each containing their own controls.
TextBox : Allows editable, multiline input from the user.
Timer : Component, raises an event to run your code at specified intervals.
ToolBar : Displays menus and picture buttons that activate commands.
ToolTip : Component, displays text when the user hovers the mouse over controls.
TrackBar : Displays a bar for the user to position, perhaps for setting a numeric value or navigating through a large amount of information.
TreeView : Displays a hierarchy of items that can be expanded and collapsed , Windows Explorer-style.

<breathe out>

You can add extra controls by right-clicking on the Toolbox, selecting Customize Toolbox , and using the popup dialog to choose the COM and .NET controls you wish to add.