Controls and Dialog Boxes

Microsoft Silverlight will reach end of support after October 2021. Learn more.

Silverlight provides a rich library of controls and dialog boxes that support user interface (UI) development. Some of these controls have a visual representation; others function as the container for other controls or content, such as images and media.

The following is an alphabetical list of the common Silverlight controls and dialog boxes that are made available with the Silverlight runtime and SDK. Click the control link to see the class library documentation for the control. The documentation typically includes code examples, a running sample, an illustration, and links to additional topics. If you are using the Silverlight SDK and the Silverlight Tools for Visual Studio 2010, most of these controls will appear in the Visual Studio Toolbox.

Most of these controls are available as part of the Silverlight runtime, but some of the controls are part of the Silverlight libraries in the Silverlight SDK. The last column of the following tables specifies whether the control is available as a part of the runtime or the Silverlight SDK. For more information about the Silverlight SDK, see Silverlight Tools.

For a list of controls by feature area, see Controls by Function.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O,

P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

A

AutoCompleteBox

Provides a text box for user input and a drop-down that contains possible matches based on the input in the text box.

Silverlight SDK

B

Border

Provides a border, background, or both to another control. A border can contain only one child element.

Runtime

Button

Provides a click event to respond to user input from a mouse, keyboard, stylus, or other input device.

Runtime

C

Calendar

Provides a graphical UI for the user to select a date. It displays dates one month at a time, and provides the ability to scroll from month to month or switch to a yearly view.

Silverlight SDK

Canvas

Provides a surface to display child elements at specific coordinates in the canvas. A canvas can contain one or more UIElement objects. For more information, see Silverlight Layout System.

Runtime

CheckBox

Enables the user to select (check) or clear (uncheck) an option. The CheckBox can have three states: checked, unchecked, and indeterminate. Use a CheckBox to give the user an option, such as true/false or yes/no, or to select from a list of options. The CheckBox is a ContentControl.

Runtime

ChildWindow

Provides a window that can be displayed over a parent window and blocks interaction with the parent window.

Silverlight SDK

ComboBox

Represents a selection control that combines a non-editable text box and a popup. The popup contains a list box that enables users to select an item from a list.

Runtime

ContentControl

Represents a control with a single piece of content of any type. Many controls derive from ContentControl and can contain objects, such as a Button or a Panel.

Runtime

D

DataGrid

Provides a flexible way to display a collection of data in rows and columns. The built-in column types include a text box column, a check box column, and a template column for hosting custom content. The built-in row type includes a drop-down details section that you can use to display additional content under the cell values.

Silverlight SDK

DataPager

Provides a user interface for paging through a collection of data that implements IPagedCollectionView.

Silverlight SDK

DatePicker

Enables a user to select a date by either typing it into a TextBox or by using a drop-down Calendar.

Silverlight SDK

DescriptionViewer

Displays a description and tracks error state for an associated control.

Silverlight SDK

DrawingSurface

(Silverlight 5)

Defines an area where 3-D content can be composed and rendered.

Runtime

F

Frame

Supports navigation to Page controls.

Silverlight SDK

G

Grid

Provides a surface composed of rows and columns to display child elements. You define the rows and columns for a Grid, then assign objects to a specific row or column in the grid. You can optionally display gridlines. For more information, see Silverlight Layout System.

Runtime

GridSplitter

Enables the user to redistribute space between the rows or columns of a Grid control. It represents a graphical element that the user can "grab" and drag. The direction and manner in which a GridSplitter distributes space is determined by the attached properties governing its alignment and the row or column properties of the Grid.

Silverlight SDK

H

HeaderedItemsControl

Represents a control that contains a collection of items and a header.

Silverlight SDK

HyperlinkButton

Represents a button control that displays a hyperlink. When clicked, the HyperlinkButton enables users to visit a Web page in the same Web application or a Web page that is external to the current application.

Runtime

I

Image

Displays an image in PNG or JPEG format. The Image control displays indexed images with 1, 4 or 8 bit color-depth or true color images with 24 or 32 bit color-depth.

Runtime

InkPresenter

Provides a drawing surface to support Tablet PC features. InkPresenter derives from canvas and can display one or more UIElement objects and strokes.

Runtime

L

Label

Displays a caption, required field indicator, and validation error indicator for an associated control.

Silverlight SDK

ListBox

Contains a collection of items. You can populate the control by binding it to a data source or displaying unbound items. The list box is an items control, which means that you can populate it with items that contain text or other controls.

Runtime

M

MediaElement

Hosts audio or video content. A MediaElement control provides a rectangular region that can display video on its surface, or plays audio if no video is present.

Runtime

MultiScaleImage

Enables users to open a multi-resolution image that can be scaled and repositioned for detailed viewing. The MultiScaleImage is for use with the Deep Zoom technology.

Runtime

O

OpenFileDialog

Represents an open file dialog box that enables a user to select one or more files.

Runtime

P

Page

Encapsulates content that can be navigated to by a Frame.

Silverlight SDK

PasswordBox

Used to input sensitive or private information in a single line and non-wrapping text area. You cannot view the actual text and can only view the characters that represent the content.

Runtime

PivotViewer

(Silverlight 5)

Displays lots of data at the same time in a way that is easily consumable by the user. Users can browse the data in such a way that helps them see the trends and quickly find information that they need.

Silverlight SDK

Popup

Overlays content on top of existing content. A Popup control is useful for temporarily displaying information that accomplishes a particular task. A popup control will always appear on top of existing content, unless another popup is opened on top of it.

Runtime

ProgressBar

Indicates the progress of an operation. You can use this control to show generic progress or progress that changes according to a value.

Runtime

R

RadioButton

Enables a user to select a single option from a group of options. You group RadioButton controls by putting them inside a parent or by setting the GroupName property on each RadioButton to a particular group. When grouped, each RadioButton control is mutually exclusive.

Runtime

RepeatButton

Represents a button that raises its click event repeatedly from when the button is pressed until it is released. A RepeatButton control contains properties that specify the delay before clicks repeat and the interval between clicks.

Runtime

RichTextBlock

(Silverlight 5)

Provides a control for displaying rich text. Supports formatted text, hyperlinks, images, and other rich content.

Runtime

RichTextBox

(Silverlight 4 or later)

Represents a rich text editing control that supports formatted text, hyperlinks, inline images, and other rich content.

Runtime

S

SaveFileDialog

Provides a dialog box that enables the user to specify options for saving a file.

Runtime

ScrollBar

Provides a scroll bar that has a sliding Thumb whose position corresponds to a value. The ScrollBar control can be oriented horizontally or vertically.

Runtime

ScrollViewer

Encapsulates a piece of content, providing up to two ScrollBar controls to scroll a viewport over the content.

The ScrollViewer control enables you to set the size of the viewport relative to the content and to set whether the horizontal and vertical ScrollBar controls appear.

Runtime

Slider

Lets the user select from a range of values by moving a Thumb control along a track.

Runtime

StackPanel

Provides a surface to display child elements in a line; either horizontally or vertically. For more information, see Silverlight Layout System.

Runtime

T

TabControl

Provides a tabbed interface for displaying elements. Child elements are hosted in a TabItem.

Silverlight SDK

TextBlock

Displays small amounts of text content. You can set the content of a TextBlock by using the Text property. Alternatively, you can set the Inlines property to a collection of Inline objects, such as Run or LineBreak objects.

Runtime

TextBox

Used to obtain input from the user or to display text. The text box control is generally used for editable text, although it can also be set to read-only. Text boxes can display multiple lines and wrap text to the size of the control.

Runtime

System.Windows.Controls.Primitives.ToggleButton

Provides a control that can switch states. Typically used as a base class for other controls such as the CheckBox control.

Runtime

ToolTip

Provides the user with information about an element in the UI using a popup window.

Runtime

TreeView

Represents a control that displays hierarchical data.

Silverlight SDK

V

ValidationSummary

Displays a summary of the validation errors on a form.

Silverlight SDK

Viewbox

(Silverlight 4 or later)

Provides a control that can stretch or scale its content to fill the available space.

Runtime

VirtualizingStackPanel

Provides a stack panel control that arranges content that is visible on the screen, creating additional UI items as needed.

Runtime

W

WebBrowser

(Silverlight 4 or later)

Provides a surface for displaying HTML content when the application is hosted outside the browser or in a Silverlight 5 trusted in-browser application.

Runtime