Creating Custom Windows Forms in C# using Panels

• Download CustomWindowsForm.zip - 418.2 KB
• Download Office_Word_PP_Excel.zip

Introduction

I wanted to create Custom windows forms in C#. Before working on this code, I started to find any code that could help me to create custom windows forms in C# on the internet. But unfortunately, I couldn't find any simple and useful code. I found some code but they all are complicated. When I started working on solving this problem, I thought to:

• Use Custom Panel/Panel as a border of a Frame for change the size of Form such as Width, Height etc and use Custom Buttons as a Control Box of a Frame.
• Use Custom Panel as a Top layered Title border of a frame and use label to display text of a frame.
• To display icon on a frame we will set background image to added panel.
• Applying Mouse Events to panels and change properties of Form.

And it works perfectly.

You require Visual Studio Professional 2013 or higher version and .NET framework 4.5 or higher to open the project.

Perform following all Steps correctly to create custom windows forms.

We can also create extended advanced forms using only panels.(see above images,image 1 & 2)

Download the source code to view code for those forms.

See above image for better understanding of resizing our customized form and BlackForm.cs in file.

In this article we will create Blue colored resizable custom windows form, change colors of panels and buttons as you wish. You can use Custom Controls to design a form. Dont have Custom Controls?

• http://customcontrolsincs.blogspot.in/

Using following procedure you can also design Microsoft Office 2013 UI for any of your winform application such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel etc. Like following word screenshots.

Download the Download Office_Word_PP_Excel.zip file to view the UI code for Word, PowerPoint, Excel, DarkWord.

Start

Step 1

• Start Visual Studio and Create new Windows Forms Application project in C#. I have created CustomWindowsForm project.
• Download the source code and view the code for BlueForm.cs.
• Now set following Properties to created Form (Form1).

To Add icon you can add again a panel/picturebox/toolstrip and set background image to it used as a window icon.

Step 2

• Now, Go to Project -> Add Class
• Enter Name ButtonZ and click Add.
• Now Copy and Paste following ButtonZ code into your created class ButtonZ code. This button code is our Close & Minimize buttons of the form.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Data;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace CustomWindowsForm
{
    public class ButtonZ : System.Windows.Forms.Button
    {
        Color clr1;
        private Color color = Color.Teal;
        private Color m_hovercolor = Color.FromArgb(0, 0, 140);
        private Color clickcolor = Color.FromArgb(160, 180, 200);
        private int textX = 6;
        private int textY = -20;
        private String text = "_";

        public String DisplayText
        {
            get { return text; }
            set { text = value; Invalidate(); }
        }
        public Color BZBackColor
        {
            get { return color; }
            set { color = value; Invalidate(); }
        }

        public Color MouseHoverColor
        {
            get { return m_hovercolor; }
            set { m_hovercolor = value; Invalidate(); }
        }

        public Color MouseClickColor1
        {
            get { return clickcolor; }
            set { clickcolor = 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 ButtonZ()
        {
            this.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(31, 24);
            this.ForeColor = Color.White;
            this.FlatStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FlatStyle.Flat;
            this.Font = new System.Drawing.Font("Microsoft YaHei UI", 20.25F, System.Drawing.FontStyle.Bold, System.Drawing.GraphicsUnit.Point, ((byte)(0)));
            this.Text = "_";
            text = this.Text;
        }
        //method mouse enter
        protected override void OnMouseEnter(EventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnMouseEnter(e);
            clr1 = color;
            color = m_hovercolor;
        }
        //method mouse leave
        protected override void OnMouseLeave(EventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnMouseLeave(e);
            color = clr1;
        }

        protected override void OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs mevent)
        {
            base.OnMouseDown(mevent);
            color = clickcolor;
        }

        protected override void OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
        {
            base.OnMouseUp(mevent);
            color = clr1;
        }

        protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs pe)
        {
            base.OnPaint(pe);
            text = this.Text;
            if (textX == 100 && textY == 25)
            {
                textX = ((this.Width) / 3) + 10;
                textY = (this.Height / 2) - 1;
            }

            Point p = new Point(textX, textY);
            pe.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(color), ClientRectangle);
            pe.Graphics.DrawString(text, this.Font, new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor), p);
        }

    }
}

Step 3

• Now, Go to Project -> Add Class
• Enter Name MinMaxButton and click Add.
• Now Copy and Paste following MinMaxButton code into your created class MinMaxButton code.

This code is for to create our maximize & restore down button when form is maximized.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Data;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace CustomWindowsForm
{
    public class MinMaxButton : System.Windows.Forms.Button
    {
        Color clr1;
        private Color color = Color.Gray;
        private Color m_hovercolor = Color.FromArgb(180, 200, 240);
        private Color clickcolor = Color.FromArgb(160, 180, 200);
        private int textX = 6;
        private int textY = -20;
        private String text = "_";

        public enum CustomFormState
        {
            Normal,
            Maximize
        }

        CustomFormState _customFormState;

        public CustomFormState CFormState
        {
            get { return _customFormState; }
            set { _customFormState = value; Invalidate(); }
        }


        public String DisplayText
        {
            get { return text; }
            set { text = value; Invalidate(); }
        }
        public Color BZBackColor
        {
            get { return color; }
            set { color = value; Invalidate(); }
        }

        public Color MouseHoverColor
        {
            get { return m_hovercolor; }
            set { m_hovercolor = value; Invalidate(); }
        }

        public Color MouseClickColor1
        {
            get { return clickcolor; }
            set { clickcolor = 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 MinMaxButton()
        {
            this.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(31, 24);
            this.ForeColor = Color.White;
            this.FlatStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FlatStyle.Flat;
            this.Text = "_";
            text = this.Text;
        }

        //method mouse enter
        protected override void OnMouseEnter(EventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnMouseEnter(e);
            clr1 = color;
            color = m_hovercolor;
        }
        //method mouse leave
        protected override void OnMouseLeave(EventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnMouseLeave(e);
            color = clr1;
        }

        protected override void OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs mevent)
        {
            base.OnMouseDown(mevent);
            color = clickcolor;
        }

        protected override void OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
        {
            base.OnMouseUp(mevent);
            color = clr1;
        }


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

            switch (_customFormState)
            {
                case CustomFormState.Normal:
                    pe.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(color), ClientRectangle);

                    //draw and fill thw rectangles of maximized window     
                    for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
                    {
                        pe.Graphics.DrawRectangle(new Pen(this.ForeColor), textX + i + 1, textY, 10, 10);
                        pe.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor), textX + 1, textY - 1, 12, 4);
                    }
                    break;

                case CustomFormState.Maximize:
                    pe.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(color), ClientRectangle);

                    //draw and fill thw rectangles of maximized window     
                    for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
                    {
                        pe.Graphics.DrawRectangle(new Pen(this.ForeColor), textX + 5, textY, 8, 8);
                        pe.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor), textX + 5, textY - 1, 9, 4);

                        pe.Graphics.DrawRectangle(new Pen(this.ForeColor), textX + 2, textY + 5, 8, 8);
                        pe.Graphics.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor), textX + 2, textY + 4, 9, 4);

                    }
                    break;
            }

        }


    }
}

Step 4

Run your Form and exit it. For to create controls of above code for drag & drop components.

Step 5

• Drag & Drop Panel onto your Form (TopBorderPanel)
• Set following Properties to dropped panel.

Step 6

• Drag & Drop Panel onto your Form (TopPanel)
• Set following Properties to dropped panel.

Step 7

• Drag & Drop Panel onto your Form (LeftPanel)
• Set following Properties to dropped panel.

Step 8

• Drag & Drop Panel onto your Form (RightPanel)
• Set following Properties to dropped panel.

Step 9

• Drag & Drop Panel onto your Form (BottomPanel)
• Set following Properties to dropped panel.

Step 10

• Drag & Drop ToolTip onto your form

Step 11

• Drag & Drop ButtonZ onto TopPanel (_CloseButton)
• Set following Properties to dropped button.

Adjust button location as you wish.

Step 12

• Drag & Drop ButtonZ onto TopPanel (_MinButton)
• Set following Properties to dropped button.

Step 13

• Drag & Drop MinMaxButton onto TopPanel (_MaxButton)
• Set following Properties to dropped button.

For text of our custom for, you can add Label and use it as a text of a form.

Step 14

Add following variables to code of Form1 globally:

bool isTopPanelDragged = false;
bool isLeftPanelDragged = false;
bool isRightPanelDragged = false;
bool isBottomPanelDragged = false;
bool isTopBorderPanelDragged = false;
bool isWindowMaximized = false;
Point offset;
Size _normalWindowSize;
Point _normalWindowLocation = Point.Empty;

• isTopPanelDragged is to check that mouse down event triggered by top panel or not. Same for Left, Right, Bottom, TopBorder panels.
• isWindowMaximized is to check whether _MaxButton click event occured or not.
• offset is temporary variable to store location of our form.
• _normalWindowSize is to hold normal window size after clicking on _MaxButton for go to normal window size Same as for _normalWindowLocation only just to store form location.

Step 15

Now add Events to Panels and Buttons in Events Box. MouseDown, MouseMove & MouseUp events to Panels.

TopBorderPanel

• TopBorderPanel_MouseDown
• TopBorderPanel_MouseMove
• TopBorderPanel_MouseUp

TopPanel

• TopPanel_MouseDown
• TopPanel_MouseMove
• TopPanel_MouseUp

LeftPanel

• LeftPanel_MouseDown
• LeftPanel_MouseMove
• LeftPanel_MouseUp

RightPanel

• RightPanel_MouseDown
• RightPanel_MouseMove
• RightPanel_MouseUp

BottomPanel

• BottomPanel_MouseDown
• BottomPanel_MouseMove
• BottomPanel_MouseUp

_MinButton

• _MinButton_Click

_MaxButton

• _MaxButton_Click

_CloseButton

• _CloseButton_Click

Step 16

Once you added all above events to all components then replace your Form1.cs code with following code. Just make changes in classes, namespaces etc. Download the source code for view simple blue colored custom form.

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

namespace CustomWindowsForm
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        bool isTopPanelDragged = false;
        bool isLeftPanelDragged = false;
        bool isRightPanelDragged = false;
        bool isBottomPanelDragged = false;
        bool isTopBorderPanelDragged = false;
        bool isWindowMaximized = false;
        Point offset;
        Size _normalWindowSize;
        Point _normalWindowLocation = Point.Empty;

        //**********************************************************************
        //top border panel
        private void TopBorderPanel_MouseDown(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
            {
                isTopBorderPanelDragged = true;
            }
            else
            {
                isTopBorderPanelDragged = false;
            }
        }

        private void TopBorderPanel_MouseMove(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.Y < this.Location.Y)
            {
                if (isTopBorderPanelDragged)
                {
                    if (this.Height < 50)
                    {
                        this.Height = 50;
                        isTopBorderPanelDragged = false;
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        this.Location = new Point(this.Location.X, this.Location.Y + e.Y);
                        this.Height = this.Height - e.Y;
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        private void TopBorderPanel_MouseUp(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            isTopBorderPanelDragged = false;
        }

        //**********************************************************************
        //top panel
        private void TopPanel_MouseDown(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
            {
                isTopPanelDragged = true;
                Point pointStartPosition = this.PointToScreen(new Point(e.X, e.Y));
                offset = new Point();
                offset.X = this.Location.X - pointStartPosition.X;
                offset.Y = this.Location.Y - pointStartPosition.Y;
            }
            else
            {
                isTopPanelDragged = false;
            }
            if (e.Clicks == 2)
            {
                isTopPanelDragged = false;
                _MaxButton_Click(sender, e);
            }
        }

        private void TopPanel_MouseMove(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (isTopPanelDragged)
            {
                Point newPoint = TopPanel.PointToScreen(new Point(e.X, e.Y));
                newPoint.Offset(offset);
                this.Location = newPoint;

                if (this.Location.X > 2 || this.Location.Y > 2)
                {
                    if (this.WindowState == FormWindowState.Maximized)
                    {
                        this.Location = _normalWindowLocation;
                        this.Size = _normalWindowSize;
                        toolTip1.SetToolTip(_MaxButton, "Maximize");
                        _MaxButton.CFormState = MinMaxButton.CustomFormState.Normal;
                        isWindowMaximized = false;
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        private void TopPanel_MouseUp(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            isTopPanelDragged = false;
            if (this.Location.Y <= 5)
            {
                if (!isWindowMaximized)
                {
                    _normalWindowSize = this.Size;
                    _normalWindowLocation = this.Location;

                    Rectangle rect = Screen.PrimaryScreen.WorkingArea;
                    this.Location = new Point(0, 0);
                    this.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(rect.Width, rect.Height);
                    toolTip1.SetToolTip(_MaxButton, "Restore Down");
                    _MaxButton.CFormState = MinMaxButton.CustomFormState.Maximize;
                    isWindowMaximized = true;
                }
            }
        }

        //**********************************************************************
        //left panel
        private void LeftPanel_MouseDown(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (this.Location.X <= 0 || e.X < 0)
            {
                isLeftPanelDragged = false;
                this.Location = new Point(10, this.Location.Y);
            }
            else
            {
                if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
                {
                    isLeftPanelDragged = true;
                }
                else
                {
                    isLeftPanelDragged = false;
                }
            }
        }

        private void LeftPanel_MouseMove(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.X < this.Location.X)
            {
                if (isLeftPanelDragged)
                {
                    if (this.Width < 100)
                    {
                        this.Width = 100;
                        isLeftPanelDragged = false;
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        this.Location = new Point(this.Location.X + e.X, this.Location.Y);
                        this.Width = this.Width - e.X;
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        private void LeftPanel_MouseUp(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            isLeftPanelDragged = false;
        }

        //**********************************************************************
        //right panel
        private void RightPanel_MouseDown(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
            {
                isRightPanelDragged = true;
            }
            else
            {
                isRightPanelDragged = false;
            }
        }

        private void RightPanel_MouseMove(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (isRightPanelDragged)
            {
                if (this.Width < 100)
                {
                    this.Width = 100;
                    isRightPanelDragged = false;
                }
                else
                {
                    this.Width = this.Width + e.X;
                }
            }
        }

        private void RightPanel_MouseUp(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            isRightPanelDragged = false;
        }
        
        //**********************************************************************
        //bottom panel
        private void BottomPanel_MouseDown(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
            {
                isBottomPanelDragged = true;
            }
            else
            {
                isBottomPanelDragged = false;
            }
        }

        private void BottomPanel_MouseMove(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            if (isBottomPanelDragged)
            {
                if (this.Height < 50)
                {
                    this.Height = 50;
                    isBottomPanelDragged = false;
                }
                else
                {
                    this.Height = this.Height + e.Y;
                }
            }
        }

        private void BottomPanel_MouseUp(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
        {
            isBottomPanelDragged = false;
        }
        
        //**********************************************************************
        //actions for close,min,max buttons
        private void _CloseButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.Close();
        }

        private void _MaxButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (isWindowMaximized)
            {
                this.Location = _normalWindowLocation;
                this.Size = _normalWindowSize;
                toolTip1.SetToolTip(_MaxButton, "Maximize");
                _MaxButton.CFormState = MinMaxButton.CustomFormState.Normal;
                isWindowMaximized = false;
            }
            else
            {
                _normalWindowSize = this.Size;
                _normalWindowLocation = this.Location;

                Rectangle rect = Screen.PrimaryScreen.WorkingArea;
                this.Location = new Point(0, 0);
                this.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(rect.Width, rect.Height);
                toolTip1.SetToolTip(_MaxButton, "Restore Down");
                _MaxButton.CFormState = MinMaxButton.CustomFormState.Maximize;
                isWindowMaximized = true;
            }
        }

        private void _MinButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.WindowState = FormWindowState.Minimized;
        }
    }
}

Here is the output of above all procedures:

Well we have created a custom forms, so you directly cannot add some controls to a form like MenuStrip, SplitContainer etc. To add these controls first you need to add panels and add them onto that panel so that our customize form will not be changed.