ToolStripContainer adds user interface functionality. It serves as a way to allow ToolStrips (which contain buttons or other controls) to be dragged around the edges of a Form. With ToolStripContainer in Windows Forms, we gain a way to specify how ToolStrips can be located and arranged on a Form.
This article describes the ToolStripContainer control in Windows Forms.
To begin, open your Windows Forms project and drag the ToolStripContainer to the Form. Next, you can optionally Dock the ToolStripContainer in the Form; please see the next section.
When you first add the ToolStripContainer to your project, try clicking on the "Dock Fill in Form" link in Visual Studio 2010. This will expand the ToolStripContainer to reach the four sides of the enclosing form. Usually, the tool strips are best at the edges.
To enable the ToolStripContainer on a certain side, click the blue arrow on that side to expand it. If you add a ToolStrip to that side, try clicking the blue arrow again: the area will expand and more controls can be placed there. The top area is by default expanded for you.
Inside the ToolStripContainer, you can add ToolStrip instances. Make sure you use the blue arrows to expand the side you want to use. Then, drag a ToolStrip to the top, right, left or bottom area you expanded. The ToolStrip will be located in that area by default; a user will be able to drag it to another area.
With the ToolStripContainer, you can address the top, right, left and bottom panels through your C# code. If you have some ToolStrips located there, you can use these properties to get references to them. Also, there exist Visibility properties that adjust whether the panel is seen.
TopToolStripPanel
RightToolStripPanel
BottomToolStripPanel
LeftToolStripPanel
By assigning a Visibility property to false, you make it so a ToolStrip cannot be dragged to that side. By default, all sides have a Visibility of true.
TopToolStripPanelVisible
RightToolStripPanelVisible
BottomToolStripPanelVisible
LeftToolStripPanelVisible
With ToolStripContainer, we can arrange ToolStrips in an intuitive and easy to manage way. Even though the ToolStripContainer makes it possible to have many ToolStrips, this is likely to frustrate users rather than make the program more attractive. Because of this, ToolStripContainers should be used only when it is necessary to have many ToolStrips.
Windows Forms