How do I make custom controls in C#? [closed]

Question

So I'm working on a C# program that functions something like an IDE. The thing is, I'm doing it through a rich text box the custom syntax highlighting is SUPER inefficient.

I was wondering if there was a way to make a custom control similar to a rich text box (even based off of one) and then build in the syntax highlighting in an easier way...

So, how do I make custom controls? And if you were super nice, you'd point me in the direction of a good tutorial on it!

Answer 1

Nope, there is no control in your toolbox that tries to pretend to be a good editor control. TextBox and RichTextBox had very different design goals. That's been solved a number of times, the ScintillaNET project is ahead as far as I can tell.

Answer 2

Simple but functional examples:

Windows Forms:

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/miscctrl/cutebutton.aspx

WPF:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc295235.aspx

Answer 3

easily just derive from base control

public class CustomRichTextBox:RichTextBox
{
    public CustomRichTextBox()
    {
        this.Multiline = true;
        this.WordWrap = false;
        this.AcceptsTab = true;
        //...
    }
}

Answer 4

I found this tutorial very helpful. Hopefully this will help you the most.

It is simple, just call graphics method and draw shapes correspond to the controls.

Consider you want to create a custom button, you know button is a rectangle in system,so just fill rectangle using that buttons co-ordinates (x,y,width,height) with LinearGradientBrush or SolidBrush in Paint() method in C#. C# provides ClientRectangle method to get all co-ordinates of the controls in which rectangle is used. There are many components in which rectangle is used like Button, Panel, CheckBox, TabControl, etc.

creating custom controls in C#

I think these links are also useful.

Customizing Windows Form in C#

Creating Custom Controls in Visual Studio using C# (Video)

Here is the complete source code if the link form C# Corner found broken

    using System;  
using System.Collections.Generic;  
using System.Text;  
using System.Drawing;  
using System.Data;  
using System.Windows.Forms;  
using System.Drawing.Drawing2D;  


namespace Custom_Controls_in_CS  
{  
    public class ButtonZ : System.Windows.Forms.Button  
    {  
        Color clr1, clr2;  
        private Color color1 = Color.DodgerBlue;  
        private Color color2 = Color.MidnightBlue;  
        private Color m_hovercolor1 = Color.Turquoise;  
        private Color m_hovercolor2 = Color.DarkSlateGray;  
        private int color1Transparent = 250;  
        private int color2Transparent = 250;  
        private Color clickcolor1 = Color.Yellow;  
        private Color clickcolor2 = Color.Red;  
        private int angle = 90;  
        private int textX = 100;  
        private int textY = 25;  
        private String text = "";  
        public Color buttonborder_1 = Color.FromArgb(220, 220, 220);  
        public Color buttonborder_2 = Color.FromArgb(150, 150, 150);  
        public Boolean showButtonText = true;  
        public int borderWidth = 2;  
        public Color borderColor = Color.Transparent;  

        public enum ButtonsShapes  
        {  
            Rect,  
            RoundRect,  
            Circle  
        }  

        ButtonsShapes buttonShape;  

        public ButtonsShapes ButtonShape  
        {  
            get { return buttonShape; }  
            set  
            {  
                buttonShape = value; Invalidate();  
            }  
        }  

        public String ButtonText  
        {  
            get { return text; }  
            set { text = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  

        public int BorderWidth  
        {  
            get { return borderWidth; }  
            set { borderWidth = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  


        void SetBorderColor(Color bdrColor)  
        {  
            int red = bdrColor.R - 40;  
            int green = bdrColor.G - 40;  
            int blue = bdrColor.B - 40;  
            if (red < 0)  
                red = 0;  
            if (green < 0)  
                green = 0;  
            if (blue < 0)  
                blue = 0;  

            buttonborder_1 = Color.FromArgb(red, green, blue);  
            buttonborder_2 = bdrColor;  
        }  


        public Color BorderColor  
        {  
            get { return borderColor; }  
            set  
            {  
                borderColor = value;  
                if (borderColor == Color.Transparent)  
                {  
                    buttonborder_1 = Color.FromArgb(220, 220, 220);  
                    buttonborder_2 = Color.FromArgb(150, 150, 150);  
                }  
                else  
                {  
                    SetBorderColor(borderColor);  
                }  

            }  
        }  

        public Color StartColor  
        {  
            get { return color1; }  
            set { color1 = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  
        public Color EndColor  
        {  
            get { return color2; }  
            set { color2 = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  
        public Color MouseHoverColor1  
        {  
            get { return m_hovercolor1; }  
            set { m_hovercolor1 = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  
        public Color MouseHoverColor2  
        {  
            get { return m_hovercolor2; }  
            set { m_hovercolor2 = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  
        public Color MouseClickColor1  
        {  
            get { return clickcolor1; }  
            set { clickcolor1 = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  
        public Color MouseClickColor2  
        {  
            get { return clickcolor2; }  
            set { clickcolor2 = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  

        public int Transparent1  
        {  
            get { return color1Transparent; }  
            set  
            {  
                color1Transparent = value;  
                if (color1Transparent > 255)  
                {  
                    color1Transparent = 255;  
                    Invalidate();  
                }  
                else  
                    Invalidate();  
            }  
        }  

        public int Transparent2  
        {  
            get { return color2Transparent; }  
            set  
            {  
                color2Transparent = value;  
                if (color2Transparent > 255)  
                {  
                    color2Transparent = 255;  
                    Invalidate();  
                }  
                else  
                    Invalidate();  
            }  
        }  

        public int GradientAngle  
        {  
            get { return angle; }  
            set { angle = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  

        public int TextLocation_X  
        {  
            get { return textX; }  
            set { textX = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  
        public int TextLocation_Y  
        {  
            get { return textY; }  
            set { textY = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  

        public Boolean ShowButtontext  
        {  
            get { return showButtonText; }  
            set { showButtonText = value; Invalidate(); }  
        }  


        public ButtonZ()  
        {  
            this.Size = new Size(100, 40);  
            this.BackColor = Color.Transparent;  
            this.FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat;  
            this.FlatAppearance.BorderSize = 0;  
            this.FlatAppearance.MouseOverBackColor = Color.Transparent;  
            this.FlatAppearance.MouseDownBackColor = Color.Transparent;  
            text = this.Text;  
        }  


        //method mouse enter  
        protected override void OnMouseEnter(EventArgs e)  
        {  
            base.OnMouseEnter(e);  
            clr1 = color1;  
            clr2 = color2;  
            color1 = m_hovercolor1;  
            color2 = m_hovercolor2;  
        }  
        //method mouse leave  
        protected override void OnMouseLeave(EventArgs e)  
        {  
            base.OnMouseLeave(e);  
            color1 = clr1;  
            color2 = clr2;  
            SetBorderColor(borderColor);  
        }  

        protected override void OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs mevent)  
        {  
            base.OnMouseDown(mevent);  
            color1 = clickcolor1;  
            color2 = clickcolor2;  

            int red = borderColor.R - 40;  
            int green = borderColor.G - 40;  
            int blue = borderColor.B - 40;  
            if (red < 0)  
                red = 0;  
            if (green < 0)  
                green = 0;  
            if (blue < 0)  
                blue = 0;  

            buttonborder_2 = Color.FromArgb(red, green, blue);  
            buttonborder_1 = borderColor;  
            this.Invalidate();  
        }  

        protected override void OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)  
        {  
            base.OnMouseUp(mevent);  
            OnMouseLeave(mevent);  
            color1 = clr1;  
            color2 = clr2;  
            SetBorderColor(borderColor);  
            this.Invalidate();  
        }  

        protected override void OnLostFocus(EventArgs e)  
        {  
            base.OnLostFocus(e);  
            color1 = clr1;  
            color2 = clr2;  
            this.Invalidate();  
        }  

        protected override void OnResize(EventArgs e)  
        {  
            base.OnResize(e);  
            textX = (int)((this.Width / 3) - 1);  
            textY = (int)((this.Height / 3) + 5);  
        }  


        //draw circular button function  
        void DrawCircularButton(Graphics g)  
        {  
            Color c1 = Color.FromArgb(color1Transparent, color1);  
            Color c2 = Color.FromArgb(color2Transparent, color2);  


            Brush b = new System.Drawing.Drawing2D.LinearGradientBrush(ClientRectangle, c1, c2, angle);  
            g.FillEllipse(b, 5, 5, this.Width - 10, this.Height - 10);  


            for (int i = 0; i < borderWidth; i++)  
            {  
                g.DrawArc(new Pen(new SolidBrush(buttonborder_1)), 5 + i, 5, this.Width - 10, this.Height - 10, 120, 180);  
                g.DrawArc(new Pen(new SolidBrush(buttonborder_2)), 5, 5, this.Width - (10 + i), this.Height - 10, 300, 180);  
            }  




            if (showButtonText)  
            {  
                Point p = new Point(textX, textY);  
                SolidBrush frcolor = new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor);  
                g.DrawString(text, this.Font, frcolor, p);  
            }  

            b.Dispose();  
        }  

        //draw rectangular button function  
        void DrawRectangularButton(Graphics g)  
        {  
            Color c1 = Color.FromArgb(color1Transparent, color1);  
            Color c2 = Color.FromArgb(color2Transparent, color2);  


            Brush b = new System.Drawing.Drawing2D.LinearGradientBrush(ClientRectangle, c1, c2, angle);  
            g.FillRectangle(b, 0, 0, this.Width, this.Height);  


            for (int i = 0; i < borderWidth; i++)  
            {  
                g.DrawLine(new Pen(new SolidBrush(buttonborder_1)), this.Width - i, 0, this.Width - i, this.Height);  
                g.DrawLine(new Pen(new SolidBrush(buttonborder_1)), 0, this.Height - i, this.Width, this.Height - i);  

                g.DrawLine(new Pen(new SolidBrush(buttonborder_2)), 0 + i, 0, 0 + i, this.Height);  
                g.DrawLine(new Pen(new SolidBrush(buttonborder_2)), 0, 0 + i, this.Width, i);  
            }  



            if (showButtonText)  
            {  
                Point p = new Point(textX, textY);  
                SolidBrush frcolor = new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor);  
                g.DrawString(text, this.Font, frcolor, p);  
            }  

            b.Dispose();  
        }  


        //draw round rectangular button function  
        void DrawRoundRectangularButton(Graphics g)  
        {  
            Color c1 = Color.FromArgb(color1Transparent, color1);  
            Color c2 = Color.FromArgb(color2Transparent, color2);  


            Brush b = new System.Drawing.Drawing2D.LinearGradientBrush(ClientRectangle, c1, c2, angle);  

            Region region = new System.Drawing.Region(new Rectangle(5, 5, this.Width, this.Height));  

            GraphicsPath grp = new GraphicsPath();  
            grp.AddArc(5, 5, 40, 40, 180, 90);  
            grp.AddLine(25, 5, this.Width - 25, 5);  
            grp.AddArc(this.Width - 45, 5, 40, 40, 270, 90);  
            grp.AddLine(this.Width - 5, 25, this.Width - 5, this.Height - 25);  
            grp.AddArc(this.Width - 45, this.Height - 45, 40, 40, 0, 90);  
            grp.AddLine(25, this.Height - 5, this.Width - 25, this.Height - 5);  
            grp.AddArc(5, this.Height - 45, 40, 40, 90, 90);  
            grp.AddLine(5, 25, 5, this.Height - 25);  

            region.Intersect(grp);  

            g.FillRegion(b, region);  

            for (int i = 0; i < borderWidth; i++)  
            {  
                g.DrawArc(new Pen(buttonborder_1), 5 + i, 5 + i, 40, 40, 180, 90);  
                g.DrawLine(new Pen(buttonborder_1), 25, 5 + i, this.Width - 25, 5 + i);  
                g.DrawArc(new Pen(buttonborder_1), this.Width - 45 - i, 5 + i, 40, 40, 270, 90);  
                g.DrawLine(new Pen(buttonborder_1), 5 + i, 25, 5 + i, this.Height - 25);  


                g.DrawLine(new Pen(buttonborder_2), this.Width - 5 - i, 25, this.Width - 5 - i, this.Height - 25);  
                g.DrawArc(new Pen(buttonborder_2), this.Width - 45 - i, this.Height - 45 - i, 40, 40, 0, 90);  
                g.DrawLine(new Pen(buttonborder_2), 25, this.Height - 5 - i, this.Width - 25, this.Height - 5 - i);  
                g.DrawArc(new Pen(buttonborder_2), 5 + i, this.Height - 45 - i, 40, 40, 90, 90);  

            }  



            if (showButtonText)  
            {  
                Point p = new Point(textX, textY);  
                SolidBrush frcolor = new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor);  
                g.DrawString(text, this.Font, frcolor, p);  
            }  

            b.Dispose();  
        }  


        protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)  
        {  
            base.OnPaint(e);  

            switch (buttonShape)  
            {  
                case ButtonsShapes.Circle:  
                    this.DrawCircularButton(e.Graphics);  
                    break;  

                case ButtonsShapes.Rect:  
                    this.DrawRectangularButton(e.Graphics);  
                    break;  

                case ButtonsShapes.RoundRect:  
                    this.DrawRoundRectangularButton(e.Graphics);  
                    break;  
            }  
        }  


    }  
}   

Thank you.

Answer 5

I would suggest looking at some tutorials such as

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/miscctrl/cutebutton.aspx

As NavidRahmani said just above, you dont have to start from scratch you can extend existing control or use controls that are already made from different libraries.

Such as telerik controls.