Adding controls to toolbox

Question

Hi,

 

I am working on vb.net (framework 2.0). Based on some rule my AddIn is supposed to create a new tooltab in toolbox. After creating a tool tab, customized .net controls are required to be added in to the tooltab so that when I open the toolbox (from view->toolbox menu option) then I can see the newly added tooltaba and controls within it.

 

I have written following code in my AddIn. This is supposed to create a toolbox tab and add a user created .net button control. It only seems to be adding toolbox tab but control is not added to the tool box. Any idea why ?

 

Dim pTlBox As ToolBox

Dim pTbxTabs As ToolBoxTabs

Dim pTbxTab As ToolBoxTab

 

' Create an object reference to the IDE's ToolBox object and its tabs.

pTlBox = mDTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsWindowKindToolbox).Object

pTbxTabs = pTlBox.ToolBoxTabs

 

mDTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsWindowKindToolbox).Visible = True

mDTE.Windows.Item(Constants.vsWindowKindToolbox).Activate()

 

' Add a new tab to the Toolbox

pTbxTab = pTbxTabs.Add("My Tools")

pTbxTab.Activate()

 

pTbxTab.ToolBoxItems.Item(1).Select()

pTbxTab.ToolBoxItems.Add("My Button", "C:\MyButton.dll", vsToolBoxItemFormat.vsToolBoxItemFormatDotNETComponent)

 

 

Thanks,

Somesh

 

Answer 1

Hi Somesh,

 

Is this a WPF based button or WinForms?

 

Thanks,

Aaron

Answer 2

Hi Somesh,

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Thank you!

Answer 3

This is related to Winform and dot net framework 2.0.

 

Thanks,

Somesh

 

Answer 4

Thanks Feng,

 

I have mofdifed the question.

 

Thanks,

Somesh

 

Answer 5

Hi Somesh,

 

Can you confirm that the controls are successfully added when a winform based project is currently active in the IDE? I suspect this is due to a known problem with VS 2003, where adding controls via automation fails unless the winform designer is currently active.

 

Sincerely,

Answer 6

 

I have got the solution. There is nothing wrong with the code, which I had written. Only thing which needs to be made sure is that tools can be added if any of the form/usercontrol is open in design mode.

 

Thanks,

Somesh

Answer 7

 

Hi Ed,

 

After banging my head for long time I came to the same conclusion. This prb I am facing in VS 2005.

 

So Instead of AddIn-Connect, I need to execute this code when any form or user control is opened in design mode.

 

Thanks,

Somesh

Answer 8

Hi Somesh,

 

I thought that might be the case. Another option would be to use the ToolboxControlsInstaller package that ships with the Visual Studio SDK. See ToolboxControlsInstaller Sample for details. You would have to redistribute and run the ToolboxControlsInstaller.msi from your own setup, and then ensure that your controls were properly registered with the package (again see the above sample for details).

 

Sincerely,