Design time problems

[Chris Capel]

Is there any boolean flag set during design time that a UserControl can test
to see whether to run code that only works during runtime (because of
complicated initialization) ?

Like this:

public class MyControl : UserControl {
public MyControl() {
InitializeCompo nent();
if (!System.Compon entModel.Design .MagicClass.IsD esignTime)
DoSomethingUnsa feAtDesignTime( );
}
}

Otherwise, I can't put my control on my form with the designer, which is
mighty annoyin'.

Chris

[Rob Windsor]

Re: Design time problems

Hi Chris,

The UserControl has a Boolean property called DesignMode you can check.

--
Rob Windsor
G6 Consulting
Toronto, Canada


"Chris Capel" <chris@ibanktec h.net> wrote in message
news:uDLsajHeDH A.892@TK2MSFTNG P12.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Is there any boolean flag set during design time that a UserControl can[/color]
test[color=blue]
> to see whether to run code that only works during runtime (because of
> complicated initialization) ?
>
> Like this:
>
> public class MyControl : UserControl {
> public MyControl() {
> InitializeCompo nent();
> if (!System.Compon entModel.Design .MagicClass.IsD esignTime)
> DoSomethingUnsa feAtDesignTime( );
> }
> }
>
> Otherwise, I can't put my control on my form with the designer, which is
> mighty annoyin'.
>
> Chris
>
>[/color]

[Chris Capel]

Re: Design time problems

Well, DUH, Chris. How did you miss that?

Hehe.

Chris

"Rob Windsor" <rwindsor@NO.MO RE.SPAM.bigfoot .com> wrote in message
news:uzmkv6HeDH A.2080@TK2MSFTN GP12.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Hi Chris,
>
> The UserControl has a Boolean property called DesignMode you can check.
>
> --
> Rob Windsor
> G6 Consulting
> Toronto, Canada
>
>[/color]

[Chris Capel]

Re: Design time problems

> The UserControl has a Boolean property called DesignMode you can check.

Strangely enough, this doesn't work at all. Example:

using System;
using System.Windows. Forms;

namespace Something {
public class MyUserControl : System.Windows. Forms.UserContr ol {
public MyUserControl() {
if (DesignMode)
MessageBox.Show ("Hi, I'm in design mode.");
else
MessageBox.Show ("Sorry, but no design mode :-(");
}
}
}

If you place this in a code file in a project, load the designer for it (to
register it with the design-time environment) and then try to drag it on a
form, it shows a message box saying "Sorry, but not design mode :-(".
Strange.

Chris

[Rob Windsor]

Re: Design time problems

Hi Chris,

It appears that the property dosen't get set until after the constructor
completes. The container (in this case the form) has to interact with the
control's ISite interface and I'm not sure at what point of the control
construction phase that happens. Anyway, if you put your if statement in the
contol's Load event it will work properly.

--
Rob Windsor
G6 Consulting
Toronto, Canada


"Chris Capel" < > wrote in message
news:eIoODVIeDH A.1752@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue][color=green]
> > The UserControl has a Boolean property called DesignMode you can check.[/color]
>
> Strangely enough, this doesn't work at all. Example:
>
> using System;
> using System.Windows. Forms;
>
> namespace Something {
> public class MyUserControl : System.Windows. Forms.UserContr ol {
> public MyUserControl() {
> if (DesignMode)
> MessageBox.Show ("Hi, I'm in design mode.");
> else
> MessageBox.Show ("Sorry, but no design mode :-(");
> }
> }
> }
>
> If you place this in a code file in a project, load the designer for it[/color]
(to[color=blue]
> register it with the design-time environment) and then try to drag it on a
> form, it shows a message box saying "Sorry, but not design mode :-(".
> Strange.
>
> Chris
>
>[/color]