User Controls in Windows Forms - Anything similar to ASP.NET User Controls?

Question

Hi all,

In ASP.NET you have something called "User Controls", which allow you to design a custom control which can be reused in the website.

I am now starting developing a Windows application in .NET 2.0 and (surprisingly) I cannot find a similar functionality.

What I would like to do is: - Create a new user control in the designer; - Drag & Drop a few controls on it (e.g. buttons, textboxes); - Save, and be able to resuse this user controls by dragging and dropping it on various dialogs.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Giammarco Schisani

Answer 1

UserControl

Step-by-step guide to create, add and use UserControls in WinForms applications: http://www.devcity.net/Articles/87/ssteps_customcontrol.aspx

Main steps are:

• Create a library project
• Add or customize the default UserControl
• Build the project
• Add a new windows application project
• Open the Form in the designer: your new control appears.

Answer 2

Ok, this is not an answer on you question, but sth. I wish someone said to me when I started winforms : if you have any choice : at least concider WPF.

I'm afraid you haven't though, or is there a reason you are using .NET 2.0?