Designer problem

[Engine252]

I want to create a control that has a panel in it (like the tabpage control)

or in some cases a wizardpage where the page itself isn't selectable, but the internal panel is. When you select the page or the control in designer you can see the internal panel selected (locked) well i want to do the same

my guesse is i got to do something with a parentcontroldesigner but i can't seem to select the internal panel.

 

please look at the image i added in the attachment to see what i mean

[betrl8thanever]

There are a couple of designer functions that can do that. I would suggest checking out

this site . He has quite a bit of good information on his site regarding custom control design. I believe he's also a Moderator here on this site.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Overriding SelectionRules in your control designer is one way. I believe your can also use the PaintAdornments method. I think there is also a function in ControlPaint that handles what you're looing for.

[Engine252]

i am aware of divil his site and his articles and no there's is nothing in his samples / tutorials that do sutch a thing.

 

the problem is that in disigner i can't seem the set the inner panel as the selected component

[betrl8thanever]

i am aware of divil his site and his articles and no there's is nothing in his samples / tutorials that do sutch a thing.

 

the problem is that in disigner i can't seem the set the inner panel as the selected component

 

In the parent container form you should use the ISelectionService to make the change (which is in the example Tim provides on his site). You just need to download the example, which has C# and VB.NET examples

 

<Designer(GetType(MyControlDesigner))> _
Public Class YourParentControl
  Inherits System.Windows.Forms.UserControl

  +[Windows Generated Code]

  Friend Sub OnSelectionChanged()
     Dim s as ISelectionService = DirectCast(GetService(GetType(ISelectionService)), ISelectionService)
    Dim ct as TheControlYouWantToSelect
    Dim ctr as Control

    For each ctr in YourControlCollection
       If TypeOf ctr is TheControlYouWantToSelect Then
           ct = DirectCast(ctr, TheControlYouWantToSelect)
           If s.PrimarySelection = ct Then
              'Draw your graphics or call your drawing sub
           End If
       End If
    Next
  End Sub

  Protected Overrides OnMouseDown(ByVal e as MouseEventArgs)
    MyBase.OnMouseDown(e)
    Dim s as ISelectionService
    Dim aList as ArrayList
    Dim rect as Rectangle
    Dim ct as TheControlYouWantToSelect
    Dim ctr as Control

    For each Control in YourControlCollection
        If TypeOf ctr is TheControlYouWantToSelect
          ct = DirectCast(ctr, TheControlYouWantToSelect)
          rect = ct.Bounds
          If(rect.Contains(e.x, e.y)) Then
              s = DirectCast(GetService(GetType(ISelectionService)), ISelectionService)
              aList = new ArrayList()
              aList.Add(ct)
              s.SetSelectedComponents(aList)
              Exit For
          End If
       Next
End Sub
End Class
Public Class MyControlDesigner
  Inherits ControlDesigner

  Private MyControl as YourParentControl
  Public Overrides Sub Initialize(ByVal component as IComponent)
      MyBase.Initialize(component)
      MyControl = DirectCast(component, YourParentControl)

      Dim s as ISelectionService = DirectCast(GetService(GetType(ISelectionService)), ISelectionService)
      Dim c as IComponentChangeService = DirectCast(GetService(GetType(IComponentChangeService)), IComponentChangeService)

     AddHandler s.SelectionChanged, Addressof OnSelectionChanged
     AddHandler c.OnComponentRemoving, Addressof OnComponentRemoving
 End Sub

 Private Sub OnSelectionChanged(ByVal sender as Object, ByVal e as EventArgs)

   MyControl.OnSelectionChanged()
 End Sub

 'the rest of the designer code
End Class

[Engine252]

no that didn't do the trick see i have a control (parent) in this parentControl

there is a panel hosted now if the designer of this control you can just see 1 control the parent and i would like the user to be able to add controls in this internal panel in order to do this i have to make it visible or select it wenever the parent control is selected well this is wath's not working i can see the designer flickering but it won't select the inner panel.