How to: Use Skins with Visual Studio (Devices)
Visual Studio, except Express editions, offers many user interface elements to help you manage skins in the designers. These features are typically found in the Form Factors Options and Form Factor Properties dialog boxes.
As a convenience, you can use the Visual Studio environment to access skin properties for the emulator and for the Visual Studio designers, without having to open the Device Emulator. For more information, see the section "To access skin properties for the Device Emulator."
Note
Your computer might show different names or locations for some of the Visual Studio user interface elements in the following instructions. The Visual Studio edition that you have and the settings that you use determine these elements. For more information, see Visual Studio Settings.
To open the Form Factors Options dialog box
On the Visual Studio Tools menu, click Options.
Expand Device Tools, and then click Form Factors.
To open the Form Factor Properties dialog box
- In the Form Factors Options dialog box, select a Form factor, and then click Properties.
To select a skin for the designer
In the Form Factor Properties dialog box, use the Skin box to select the XML file that represents the Skin Definition File you want to use in the designer.
A graphic representation of the skin appears in the panel to the left of the Skin box.
Click OK to return to the Form Factors Options dialog box.
Click Save As to store this new arrangement under a new name.
The newly named Form factor includes the customized skin.
Note
If you have a project open, you must close the form and reopen it for the change to take effect.
To set a particular skin as the default skin
In the Form Factors Options dialog box, use the Default form factor box to select the form factor you want to set as the default.
The default you select becomes the default form factor for new projects.
Note
You can set this default value only when you have a project open.
To enable rotation support
- In the Form Factor Properties dialog box, select Enable rotation support.
To set horizontal and vertical resolution
- In the Form Factor Properties dialog box, enter values for pixels per inch for both horizontal and vertical resolution.
To hide or show the skin
In the Form Factor Properties dialog box, clear or select Show skin.
If you select Show skin, the skin determines height, width, and color depth. Therefore, these properties are unavailable for change.
To set the height and width of the viewport
In the Form Factor Properties dialog box, use the Screen width and Screen height boxes to enter values for the number of pixels.
If you select Show skin, the skin sets these properties. Therefore, they are unavailable for change.
To set the color depth
In the Form Factor Properties dialog box, use the Color depth box to select the number of bits per pixel.
If you have selected Show skin, the skin sets this property. Therefore, it is unavailable for change.
To hide tooltips
Remove the ToolTip elements from the Skin Definition File.
Note
Visual Studio provides no user interface option for hiding tooltips in the designer if the Skin Definition File has already defined them. Distinguish this ToolTip behavior from that of skins applied to the Device Emulator, where ToolTips can be enabled or disabled. For more information, see How to: Use Skins with the Device Emulator.
To access skin properties for the Device Emulator
On the Visual Studio Tools menu, click Options.
Expand the Device Tools node, and then click Devices.
In the Devices box, select an emulator, and then click Properties.
In the <EmulatorName> Emulator Properties dialog box, click Emulator Options, and then select the Display tab.
This is the same dialog box that appears when you click Configure on the Device Emulator File menu. For more information, see How to: Use Skins with the Device Emulator.