CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#.netwinformsuser-controls
user850010
user850010

Reputation: 6359

What is the proper way to access Controls properties of User Controls in Winform?

I created this User Control:

enter image description here

I added that User Control to the main Form and now I want to customize it. So I will have to add text to those 3 Buttons, text in Label, populate ListBox and setting Click Events for the buttons.

What is the proper way to do that?

I looked around on the web and apparently the way to do it is to add public properties in user control that would expose individual property of control that I need.

Something like:

    public string Button1Text
    {
        get
        {
            return btn1.Text;
        }
        set
        {
            btn1.Text = value;
        }
    }

If I go this route, I would have to add quite a few public properties to this simple user control.

But isnt it easier just to expose whole control in user control like this?

    public Button MyButton1
    {
        get { return this.btn1; }
        set { this.btn1 = value; }
    }

That way the Main Form can simply access control and its properties as they are needed.

Upvotes: 3

Views: 2494

Answers (3)

Aaron Deming
Aaron Deming

Reputation: 1045

The first one is much better where you only create properties for each individual property of the button you wish to be able to access from the Parent control.

If you use the second way, then anyone who wishes to use your control will be able to move and resize individual controls inside your control. Then it really isn't a custom control anymore, but more of a panel that is harder to use than a panel. I can't think of any reason why to be able to allow the Parent to move around individual elements in a subcontrol.

Upvotes: 1

tech-man
tech-man

Reputation: 3246

First method is better from the perspective of encapsulation. Second method causes users (forms) of your control to depend on the view of your control, and this prevents changes to the view in the future.

Upvotes: 3

matthewr
matthewr

Reputation: 4739

The first bit of code is the correct way to do it. You will have to create a lot of them but it is the proper way to do it.

Upvotes: 2

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