How to: Add a ToolStripContainer to a Form

You can programmatically add a ToolStripContainer to a Windows Form and populate it with controls.

Example

The following code example demonstrates how to add a ToolStripContainer and a ToolStrip to a Windows Forms, how to add items to the ToolStrip, and how to add the ToolStrip to the TopToolStripPanel of the ToolStripContainer.

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

public class Form1 : Form
{
    private ToolStripContainer toolStripContainer1;
    private ToolStrip toolStrip1;

    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }
    [STAThread]
    static void Main()
    {
        Application.EnableVisualStyles();
        Application.Run(new Form1());
    }

    private void InitializeComponent()
    {
        toolStripContainer1 = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer();
        toolStrip1 = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip();
        // Add items to the ToolStrip.
        toolStrip1.Items.Add("One");
        toolStrip1.Items.Add("Two");
        toolStrip1.Items.Add("Three");
        // Add the ToolStrip to the top panel of the ToolStripContainer.
        toolStripContainer1.TopToolStripPanel.Controls.Add(toolStrip1);
        // Add the ToolStripContainer to the form.
        Controls.Add(toolStripContainer1);
    }
}
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Windows.Forms




Public Class Form1
   Inherits Form
   Private toolStripContainer1 As ToolStripContainer
   Private toolStrip1 As ToolStrip
   
   
   Public Sub New()
      InitializeComponent()
   End Sub
   
   <STAThread()>  _
   Shared Sub Main()
      Application.EnableVisualStyles()
      Application.Run(New Form1())
   End Sub
   
   
   Private Sub InitializeComponent()
      toolStripContainer1 = New System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer()
      toolStrip1 = New System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip()
      ' Add items to the ToolStrip.
      toolStrip1.Items.Add("One")
      toolStrip1.Items.Add("Two")
      toolStrip1.Items.Add("Three")
      ' Add the ToolStrip to the top panel of the ToolStripContainer.
      toolStripContainer1.TopToolStripPanel.Controls.Add(toolStrip1)
      ' Add the ToolStripContainer to the form.
      Controls.Add(toolStripContainer1)
   End Sub
End Class

Compiling the Code

This code example requires:

  • References to the System.Drawing, System.Text, and System.Windows.Forms assemblies.

See also