adding properties at design time

[Miky]

Hi,

I'm looking resources or tutorial where I can learn how to add
properties to other objects at design time for VB.NEt or C#.

I want to reproduce the same effect as when your drop the tooltip object
on a form. Once it's done, every object has a new property added to the
property box so we can write the tooltip text.

Syncfusion object does something like that when we drop a docking
manager tool. It adds 3 new properties to every object that can use this
resources.

I tried to find information but maybe because I don't know how to call
that effect, I was not succesfull to find information.

Thank you very much.

Miky
*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***

[Bob Powell [MVP]]

The thing you need is an object that implements IExtenderProvid er.

An extender-provider can "extend" other object by appearing to add
properties to them at design time. Note that at runtime the process is
handled differently.

The object being extended has no knowlege of the new properties either.

After my signature you'll find a simple extender-provider that adds "status"
properties to menu items. These properties can be displayed in a status bar
chosen at design time.

--
Bob Powell [MVP]
Visual C#, System.Drawing

Find great Windows Forms articles in Windows Forms Tips and Tricks
http://www.bobpowell.net/tipstricks.htm

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http://www.bobpowell.net/faqmain.htm

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Imports System

Imports System.Componen tModel

Imports System.Collecti ons

Imports System.Drawing

Imports System.Windows. Forms

<ToolboxItem(Tr ue), _

ToolboxBitmap(G etType(MenuStat usExtender), "MenuStatusExte nder.bmp"), _

ProvideProperty ("StatusText ", "System.Windows .Forms.MenuItem ") _

_
Public Class MenuStatusExten der

Inherits Component

Implements IExtenderProvid er

Private _extendees As New Hashtable

Public Sub New()

End Sub

Protected Overloads Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)

Dim mi As MenuItem

If Not Me.DesignMode Then

For Each mi In _extendees.Keys

RemoveHandler mi.Select, AddressOf Me.MenuStatusEx tender_Select

Next

End If

_extendees.Clea r()

MyBase.Dispose( disposing)

End Sub

Public Overridable Function CanExtend(ByVal extendee As [Object]) As Boolean
Implements IExtenderProvid er.CanExtend

Return TypeOf extendee Is MenuItem

End Function

Public Function GetStatusText(B yVal item As MenuItem) As String

If _extendees.Cont ainsKey(item) Then

Return CType(_extendee s(item), String)

Else

Return ""

End If

End Function

Public Sub SetStatusText(B yVal item As MenuItem, ByVal s As String)

If _extendees.Cont ainsKey(item) Then

_extendees(item ) = s

Else

If Not Me.DesignMode Then

AddHandler item.Select, AddressOf Me.MenuStatusEx tender_Select

End If

_extendees.Add( item, s)

End If

End Sub

Private Sub MenuStatusExten der_Select(ByVa l sender As Object, ByVal e As
EventArgs)

OnItemSelected( New ItemSelectEvent Args(_extendees (sender)))

End Sub

Private Sub OnItemSelected( ByVal e As ItemSelectEvent Args)

RaiseEvent ItemSelected(Me , e)

End Sub

Public Event ItemSelected As ItemSelectEvent Handler

End Class

Public Class ItemSelectEvent Args

Inherits EventArgs

Private _statusMessage As String

Protected Sub New()

End Sub

Public Sub New(ByVal message As String)

_statusMessage = message

End Sub

Public ReadOnly Property StatusMessage() As String

Get

Return _statusMessage

End Get

End Property

End Class

Public Delegate Sub ItemSelectEvent Handler(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e
As ItemSelectEvent Args)

"Miky" <no****@virtuel com.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP14.phx.gbl. .. Hi,

I'm looking resources or tutorial where I can learn how to add
properties to other objects at design time for VB.NEt or C#.

I want to reproduce the same effect as when your drop the tooltip object
on a form. Once it's done, every object has a new property added to the
property box so we can write the tooltip text.

Syncfusion object does something like that when we drop a docking
manager tool. It adds 3 new properties to every object that can use this
resources.

I tried to find information but maybe because I don't know how to call
that effect, I was not succesfull to find information.

Thank you very much.

Miky
*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***

[Beth Massi [Architect MVP]]

Miky,

Take a look at the Extender Provider:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...erprovider.asp

HTH,
-B
"Miky" <no****@virtuel com.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP14.phx.gbl. ..

Hi,

I'm looking resources or tutorial where I can learn how to add
properties to other objects at design time for VB.NEt or C#.

I want to reproduce the same effect as when your drop the tooltip object
on a form. Once it's done, every object has a new property added to the
property box so we can write the tooltip text.

Syncfusion object does something like that when we drop a docking
manager tool. It adds 3 new properties to every object that can use this
resources.

I tried to find information but maybe because I don't know how to call
that effect, I was not succesfull to find information.

Thank you very much.

Miky
*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***