CoolLayout.NET Documentation

VisualLayout.NET Documentation
Table of Contents
Description
Features
System Requirements
Installation and Testing
Layout concept
Layout properties description
Sample Layout
Links and References

Description

CoolLayout.NET a native pure C# written .NET component designer to use with any winforms control container (System.Windows.Forms.Form for example). CoolLayout.NET alters the sizes and positions of controls on forms as they are sized. This gives your applications resolution independence. Design applications at one resolution and run them at a different resolution. Controls remain proportional in size to the forms on to the other controls and located relatively as you have specified it at design time. CoolLayout.NET does this without requiring you to write any code, just place CoolLayout.NET component on your form (any control container can be not exactly the form) point the designer which controls should be relatively positioned or sized and relatively to what.

Features

All possible sizing and positioning options for every form control or container
Any option can be specified absolutely or relatively to any other form element
Works with any controls or containers no matter if it is standard or custom
Smooth integration with Microsoft Visual Studio.NET for best WYSIWYG design results
Supplied with C# source code that can be used as example of good .NET component development techniques.

System Requirements

Runtime: Microsoft .NET Framework runtime
Development: Microsoft .NET Framework SDK
Design-time support: Microsoft Visual Studio.NET

Installation and Testing

Please follow steps below to install CoolLayout.NET component

Read Terms and Conditions and proceed to next steps only if you agree to them
Check if your system meets requirements
Download the component and unzip *.msi file
Launch the CoolLayout.NET.msi from within the Windows Explorer or execute msiexec.exe /I CoolLayout.NET.msi manually from the console
Follow instructions of the installer
Launch your Microsoft Visual Studio .NET IDE
Position your mouse over the toolbox*. Click your right mouse button and select "Add Tab" option from activated popup menu. Give the newly created tab some meaningful name. We would recommend "CoolLayout.NET" as this is the name we will be referring to in our further documentation
Make the "CoolLayout.NET" pane active by clicking on its caption. Click your right mouse button and select "Customize Toolbox" option from activated popup menu. On the appeared dialog box switch to the ".NET Framework Components" page. Find and check the components from the CoolLayout.Windows.Forms.dll then click "Ok"
Enjoy comfortable form design!

*_{Please refer to the Visual Studio.NET Help system to find out what the toolbox is and what it is used for}

Layout concept

When you place CoolLayout.NET on you form it extends all controls with the following properties:

With these properties you have the full control over the size and layout of the form’s controls.

Layout properties description

Property	Description	Valid values
HorizontalPositioning	Specifies how control is positioned horizontally	Center – control is center positioned relatively to its container
HorizontalPositioning	Specifies how control is positioned horizontally	Relative – control positioned relatively to some other control (set with properties: LeftOrigin, RightOrigin)
VerticalPositioning	Specifies how control is positioned vertically	Center – control is center positioned relatively to its container
VerticalPositioning	Specifies how control is positioned vertically	Relative – control positioned relatively to some other control (set with properties: TopOrigin, BottomOrigin
WidthMode	Specifies how the width of the control is calculated	Fixed – the width of the control is fixed as to the value specified in control’s property box unless both LeftOriginMode and RightOriginMode are specified
WidthMode	Specifies how the width of the control is calculated	Relative – the width of the control is calculated relatively as the width of the origin control is changed
WidthOrigin	Specifies control that is used as origin when WidthMode is specified as Relative (see item above)	Any valid control from the selection box
HeightMode	Specifies how the height of the control is calculated	Fixed – the height of the control is fixed to the value specified in control’s property box unless both TopOriginMode and BottomOriginMode are specified
HeightMode	Specifies how the height of the control is calculated	Relative – the height of the control is calculated relatively as the height of the origin control is changed
HeightOrigin	Specifies control that is used for origin when HeightMode is specified as Relative (see item above)	Any valid control from the selection box
LeftOriginMode	Specified how left edge of the control is aligned when HorizontalPositioning is set as Relative	Left – left edge of the control is aligned to the left edge of the origin control
		Center – left edge of the control is aligned to the center of the origin control
		Right – left edge of the control is aligned to the right edge of the origin control
		None – No alignment for the left edge of the control
LeftOrigin	Specifies control that is used as origin for the LeftOriginMode setting (see item above)	Any valid control from the selection box
RightOriginMode	Specified how right edge of the control is aligned when HorizontalPositioning is set as Relative	Left – right edge of the control is aligned to the left edge of the origin control
		Center – right edge of the control is aligned to the center of the origin control
		Right – right edge of the control is aligned to the right edge of the origin control
		None – No alignment for the right edge of the control
RightOrigin	Specifies control that is used as origin for the RightOriginMode setting (see item above)	Any valid control from the selection box
TopOriginMode	Specified how top edge of the control is aligned when VerticalPositioning is set as Relative	Top – top edge of the control is aligned to the top edge of the origin control
		Center – top edge of the control is aligned to the vertical center of the origin control
		Bottom – top edge of the control is aligned to the bottom of the origin control
		None – No alignment for the top edge of the control
TopOrigin	Specified how top edge of the control is aligned when VerticalPositioning is set as Relative	Any valid control from the selection box
BottomOriginMode	Specified how bottom edge of the control is aligned when VerticalPositioning is set as Relative	Top – bottom edge of the control is aligned to the top edge of the origin control
		Center – bottom edge of the control is aligned to the vertical center of the origin control
		Bottom – bottom edge of the control is aligned to the bottom of the origin control
		None – No alignment for the bottom edge of the control
BottomOrigin	Specified how bottom edge of the control is aligned when VerticalPositioning is set as Relative	Any valid control from the selection box

Sample Layout

Property	Value
ListView1
TopOrigin	Form1
TopOriginMode	Top
BottomOrigin	Form1
BottomOriginMode	Bottom

ListView2
LeftOrigin	ListView1
LeftOriginMode	Right
RightOrigin	Form1
RightOriginMode	Right

Button1, Button2, Button3
RightOrigin	Form1
RightOriginMode	Right

Combobox1
WidthOrigin	TabControl1
WidthMode	Relative
LeftOrigin	ListView1
LeftOriginMode	Right
TopOrigin	ListView2
TopOriginMode	Bottom

Combobox2
LeftOrigin	Combobox1
LeftOriginMode	Right
RightOrigin	Form1
RightOriginMode	Right
TopOrigin	ListView2
TopOriginMode	Bottom

TabCnotrol1
LeftOrigin	ListView1
LeftOriginMode	Right
TopOrigin	ListView2
TopOriginMode	Bottom
RightOrigin	Form1
RightOriginMode	Right
BottomOrigin	Form1
BottomOriginMode	Bottom

TextBox1
LeftOrigin	TabPage1
LeftOriginMode	Left
RightOrigin	Cobbox3
RightOriginMode	Left

Combobox3
LeftOrigin	TabPage1
LeftOriginMode	Right