Explorer Bar XP

[Volte]

Windows XP's "My Computer" features a bar with collapsible panels called the "Explorer Bar"; each panel usually has tasks you can perform, quick shortcut links, or information about the selected file. I've now designed a control which emulates this Explorer Bar.

 

The code is fully commented and the properties are all documented.

 

• Shows how to use designers to enhance design-time support for controls
  
• Shows how to implement custom TypeConverters and UITypeEditors for the property window (as shown with the GradientCreator class).
  
• Shows how to make two different controls interact with each other both at run-time and design-time.

 

Features:

• Colors are fully customizable (gradients may also be used in place of solid colors in all cases).
  
• Panels are collapsible and expandable (with option "folding" animation).
  
• Panel caption bars can be rounded or square, and have optional pictures (32x32 fits best, but any size will work).

 

Possible additions for the future:

• Support for scrollbars (it did initially have this, but the AutoScroll property didn't work properly, so I removed it).
  
• Support for tiled images as well as solid colors and gradients.
  
• More customizable animation (speed, maybe other stuff [fading?])

 

 

Foward all bugs and comments to me via PM.

xpebarcontrol.zip

Edited July 28, 2003 by Volte

[Volte]

Screenshot.