Highlight text in messagebox

Question

I need to display a message box but the user needs to be able to highlight and copy the text in the message box. How would I achieve this? FYI this in in C#.

Answer 1

I don't think it's easy to do with default text control but you can try icsharpcode texteditor or Alsing's text editor control

I've used icsharpcode for a similar stuff, it's pretty easy to work with.

Answer 2

Windows has a hidden functionality of copying MessageBox text when a user hits CTRL+C when the messagebox is active.

If you need to allow a user to highlight the text, then you will need to create a custom message box to do this.

Answer 3

Create a custom message box and use a disabled TextBox with the styles set appropriately to display the message.

As per Jhonny's comment: Create a new Form, and display it with ShowDialog

Answer 4

Add a new Form to your project. In Visual Studio you can do this by going to Project -> Add Windows Form.

Modify the form until you feel it looks close enough to the standard windows dialog boxes. Some properties you'll want to change:

• FormBorderStyle
• StartPosition
• MaximizeBox
• MinimizeBox
• ShowIcon
• ShowInTaskbar

Use a ReadOnly Textbox for the form's label. And set the textbox's BorderStyle to None.

Finally, use the form's ShowDialog() method to display it as a modal dialog box.

PS. You should also test it with large amounts of text. You may have to set the form's autosize mode and set the textbox to multiline and wrap.

I hope that helps.

Answer 5

Here is some code that I used to create a custom MessageBox. The following is the MessageBox Class:

'  A custom MessageBox class
'  Written to allow custom button text, specifically to allow for bilingual messageboxes
'
Public Class CustomMessageBox

  'Variables
  Private _btn1Return As DialogResult
  Private _btn2Return As DialogResult
  Private _btn3Return As DialogResult

  'Enumerate system icons
  Enum SystemIcons
    ErrorIcon = 1
    WarningIcon = 2
    QuestionIcon = 3
    InformationIcon = 4
  End Enum

  'Enumerate possible button combinations
  Enum ButtonTypes
    YesNo = 1
    YesNoCancel = 2
    Ok = 3
    OkCancel = 4
  End Enum

  'Enumerate possible default buttons
  Enum DefaultButton
    Button1 = 1
    Button2 = 2
    Button3 = 3
  End Enum


#Region "Constructor"
  'Constructor
  Public Sub New(ByVal text As String, ByVal caption As String, ByVal buttons As ButtonTypes, ByVal icon As SystemIcons, ByVal defaultButton As DefaultButton)
    InitializeComponent()
    Me.Text = caption
    Me.msgBoxText.Text = text
    SetupIcon(icon)
    SetupButtons(buttons, defaultButton)
  End Sub
#End Region

#Region "Functions"
  'Set text and return values of all buttons.  Also set focus to default button.
  Private Sub SetupButtons(ByVal buttons As Integer, ByVal defaultButton As Integer)
    Select Case buttons
      Case 1
        msgBoxButton1.Text = My.Resources.Caption_Yes
        _btn1Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Yes
        msgBoxButton2.Text = My.Resources.Caption_No
        _btn2Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.No
        msgBoxButton3.Visible = False
      Case 2
        msgBoxButton1.Text = My.Resources.Caption_Yes
        _btn1Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Yes
        msgBoxButton2.Text = My.Resources.Caption_No
        _btn2Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.No
        msgBoxButton3.Text = My.Resources.Caption_Cancel
        _btn3Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel
      Case 3
        msgBoxButton1.Text = My.Resources.Caption_OK
        _btn1Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK
        msgBoxButton2.Visible = False
        msgBoxButton3.Visible = False
      Case 4
        msgBoxButton1.Text = My.Resources.Caption_OK
        _btn1Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK
        msgBoxButton2.Text = My.Resources.Caption_Cancel
        _btn2Return = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel
        msgBoxButton3.Visible = False
    End Select

    'Set focus to specified default button
    Select Case defaultButton
      Case 1
        msgBoxButton1.Focus()
      Case 2
        msgBoxButton2.Focus()
      Case 3
        msgBoxButton3.Focus()
    End Select

  End Sub

  'Display specified icon
  Private Sub SetupIcon(ByVal iconValue As Integer)
    Dim icon As Icon = Nothing
    Select Case iconValue
      Case 1
        icon = System.Drawing.SystemIcons.Error
      Case 2
        icon = System.Drawing.SystemIcons.Warning
      Case 3
        icon = System.Drawing.SystemIcons.Question
      Case 4
        icon = System.Drawing.SystemIcons.Information
    End Select

    Me.msgBoxIcon.Image = icon.ToBitmap
  End Sub
#End Region

#Region "Events"
  'Set return value when button is clicked.
  Private Sub msgBoxButton1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles msgBoxButton1.Click
    Me.DialogResult = _btn1Return
    Me.Close()
  End Sub

  'Set return value when button is clicked.
  Private Sub msgBoxButton2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles msgBoxButton2.Click
    Me.DialogResult = _btn2Return
    Me.Close()
  End Sub

  'Set return value when button is clicked.
  Private Sub msgBoxButton3_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles msgBoxButton3.Click
    Me.DialogResult = _btn3Return
    Me.Close()
  End Sub
#End Region

End Class

And here is the designer code associated with it:

<Global.Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DesignerGenerated()> _
Partial Class CustomMessageBox
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

    'Form overrides dispose to clean up the component list.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCode()> _
    Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        Try
            If disposing AndAlso components IsNot Nothing Then
                components.Dispose()
            End If
        Finally
            MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
        End Try
    End Sub

    'Required by the Windows Form Designer
    Private components As System.ComponentModel.IContainer

    'NOTE: The following procedure is required by the Windows Form Designer
    'It can be modified using the Windows Form Designer.  
    'Do not modify it using the code editor.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> _
    Private Sub InitializeComponent()
    Me.msgBoxText = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
    Me.msgBoxIcon = New System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1 = New System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel
    Me.msgBoxButton1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
    Me.msgBoxButton3 = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
    Me.msgBoxButton2 = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
    CType(Me.msgBoxIcon, System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize).BeginInit()
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.SuspendLayout()
    Me.SuspendLayout()
    '
    'msgBoxText
    '
    Me.msgBoxText.AutoSize = True
    Me.msgBoxText.Cursor = System.Windows.Forms.Cursors.Cross
    Me.msgBoxText.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill
    Me.msgBoxText.FlatStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FlatStyle.Flat
    Me.msgBoxText.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(59, 0)
    Me.msgBoxText.MaximumSize = New System.Drawing.Size(245, 0)
    Me.msgBoxText.Name = "msgBoxText"
    Me.msgBoxText.Padding = New System.Windows.Forms.Padding(0, 10, 0, 10)
    Me.msgBoxText.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(39, 33)
    Me.msgBoxText.TabIndex = 6
    Me.msgBoxText.Text = "Label1"
    '
    'msgBoxIcon
    '
    Me.msgBoxIcon.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Left
    Me.msgBoxIcon.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(0, 0)
    Me.msgBoxIcon.Name = "msgBoxIcon"
    Me.msgBoxIcon.Padding = New System.Windows.Forms.Padding(15, 10, 0, 0)
    Me.msgBoxIcon.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(59, 53)
    Me.msgBoxIcon.TabIndex = 4
    Me.msgBoxIcon.TabStop = False
    '
    'TableLayoutPanel1
    '
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.AutoSize = True
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnCount = 5
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle(System.Windows.Forms.SizeType.Percent, 50.0!))
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle(System.Windows.Forms.SizeType.Percent, 50.0!))
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.msgBoxButton1, 1, 0)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.msgBoxButton3, 3, 0)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.msgBoxButton2, 2, 0)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Bottom
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.GrowStyle = System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanelGrowStyle.FixedSize
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(0, 53)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Name = "TableLayoutPanel1"
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Padding = New System.Windows.Forms.Padding(0, 0, 0, 10)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowCount = 1
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(305, 39)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.TabIndex = 5
    '
    'msgBoxButton1
    '
    Me.msgBoxButton1.AutoSize = True
    Me.msgBoxButton1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(34, 3)
    Me.msgBoxButton1.Name = "msgBoxButton1"
    Me.msgBoxButton1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(75, 23)
    Me.msgBoxButton1.TabIndex = 0
    Me.msgBoxButton1.Text = "Button1"
    Me.msgBoxButton1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = True
    '
    'msgBoxButton3
    '
    Me.msgBoxButton3.AutoSize = True
    Me.msgBoxButton3.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(196, 3)
    Me.msgBoxButton3.Name = "msgBoxButton3"
    Me.msgBoxButton3.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(75, 23)
    Me.msgBoxButton3.TabIndex = 2
    Me.msgBoxButton3.Text = "Button3"
    Me.msgBoxButton3.UseVisualStyleBackColor = True
    '
    'msgBoxButton2
    '
    Me.msgBoxButton2.AutoSize = True
    Me.msgBoxButton2.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(115, 3)
    Me.msgBoxButton2.Name = "msgBoxButton2"
    Me.msgBoxButton2.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(75, 23)
    Me.msgBoxButton2.TabIndex = 1
    Me.msgBoxButton2.Text = "Button2"
    Me.msgBoxButton2.UseVisualStyleBackColor = True
    '
    'CustomMessageBox
    '
    Me.AutoScaleDimensions = New System.Drawing.SizeF(6.0!, 13.0!)
    Me.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font
    Me.AutoSize = True
    Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(305, 92)
    Me.Controls.Add(Me.msgBoxText)
    Me.Controls.Add(Me.msgBoxIcon)
    Me.Controls.Add(Me.TableLayoutPanel1)
    Me.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog
    Me.MaximizeBox = False
    Me.MinimizeBox = False
    Me.Name = "CustomMessageBox"
    Me.SizeGripStyle = System.Windows.Forms.SizeGripStyle.Hide
    Me.StartPosition = System.Windows.Forms.FormStartPosition.CenterScreen
    Me.Text = "MessageBox"
    Me.TopMost = True
    CType(Me.msgBoxIcon, System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize).EndInit()
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ResumeLayout(False)
    Me.TableLayoutPanel1.PerformLayout()
    Me.ResumeLayout(False)
    Me.PerformLayout()

  End Sub
  Friend WithEvents msgBoxText As System.Windows.Forms.Label
  Friend WithEvents msgBoxIcon As System.Windows.Forms.PictureBox
  Friend WithEvents TableLayoutPanel1 As System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel
  Friend WithEvents msgBoxButton1 As System.Windows.Forms.Button
  Friend WithEvents msgBoxButton3 As System.Windows.Forms.Button
  Friend WithEvents msgBoxButton2 As System.Windows.Forms.Button
End Class