Windows Forms Controls in the .NET Framework by Function

The following table shows the Windows Forms controls listed according to general function.

Function	Control	Description
Text edit	TextBox	Allows editable, multiline input from the user.
	ToolStripTextBox	Allows editable, multiline input from the user.
	RichTextBox	Allows users to enter, display, and manipulate text with formatting.
Text display (read-only)	Label	Displays text that cannot be edited by the user.
	ToolStripLabel	Displays text that cannot be edited by the user.
	LinkLabel	Allows you to add Web-style links to Windows Forms applications.
	StatusBar	Displays status information related to the control that has focus.
	ToolStripStatusLabel	Displays status information related to the control that has focus.
Selection from a list	CheckedListBox	Displays a list of items with a check box next to each item.
	ComboBox	Displays data in a drop-down combo box.
	ToolStripComboBox	Displays data in a drop-down combo box.
	DomainUpDown	Displays text strings that a user can browse through and select from.
	ListBox	Displays a list of text and graphical items (icons).
	ListView	Displays a list of items with icons, in the manner of Windows Explorer.
	NumericUpDown	Displays numerals that a user can browse through and select from.
	TreeView	Displays a hierarchy of nodes that can be expanded or collapsed.
Graphics display	PictureBox	Displays graphics in bitmap, GIF, JPEG, metafile, or icon format.
Graphics storage	ImageList	Displays images on other controls.
Value setting	CheckBox	Indicates whether a condition is on or off.
	CheckedListBox	Displays a list of items with a check box next to each item.
	RadioButton	Presents a set of two or more mutually exclusive options to the user.
	TrackBar	Allows navigation through a large amount of information or visually adjusting a numeric setting.
Date setting	DateTimePicker	Allows the user to select a single item from a list of dates or times.
	MonthCalendar	Presents an intuitive graphical interface for users to view and set date information.
Dialog boxes	ColorDialog	Allows the user to select a color from a palette in a pre-configured dialog box and to add custom colors to that palette.
	FolderBrowserDialog	Displays an interface with which users can browse and select a directory or create a new one.
	FontDialog	Exposes the fonts that are currently installed on the system.
	OpenFileDialog	Allows users to open files via a pre-configured dialog box.
	PageSetupDialog	Sets page details for printing via a pre-configured dialog box.
	PrintDialog	Selects a printer, chooses the pages to print, and determines other print-related settings.
	PrintDocument	Sets the properties that describe what to print, and prints the document in Windows-based applications.
	PrintPreviewControl	Allows you to create your own PrintPreview component or dialog box instead of using the pre-configured version.
	PrintPreviewDialog	Displays a document as it will appear when it is printed.
	SaveFileDialog	Selects files to save and where to save them.
Menu controls	MainMenu	Displays a menu at run time.
	MenuStrip	Displays a menu at run time.
	ContextMenu	Provides users with an easily accessible menu of frequently used commands that are associated with the selected object.
	ContextMenuStrip	Provides users with an easily accessible menu of frequently used commands that are associated with the selected object.
Commands	Button	Presents a standard button that the user can click to perform actions.
	LinkLabel	Allows you to add Web-style links to Windows Forms applications.
	NotifyIcon	Displays icons for processes that run in the background and would not otherwise have user interfaces.
	ToolBar	Displays menus and bitmapped buttons that activate commands.
	ToolStrip	Lets you create custom toolbars and menus in your Windows Forms applications.
Grouping other controls	Panel	Provides an identifiable grouping for other controls, and allows for scrolling.
	GroupBox	Provides an identifiable grouping for other controls.
	TabControl	Displays multiple tabs that can contain pictures or other controls.
Data	DataGrid	Displays tabular data from a dataset and allows for updates to the data source.
	DataGridView	Provides a user interface to ADO.NET datasets, displaying tabular data and allowing for updates to the data source.
Navigation	HScrollBar	Provides navigation through a list of items or a large amount of information by scrolling horizontally within an application or control.
	VScrollBar	Provides navigation through a list of items or a large amount of information by scrolling vertically within an application or control.
User information	ErrorProvider	Displays error information to the user in a non-intrusive way.
	HelpProvider	Associates an HTML Help file with a Windows-based application.
Web	WebBrowser	Hosts Web pages and provides Internet Web browsing capabilities to your application.
Multitasking	BackgroundWorker	Allows you to run time-consuming operations in the background, on a thread different from your application's main UI thread.
User interface aids	ProgressBar	Graphically indicates the progress of an action towards completion.
	ToolStripProgressBar	Graphically indicates the progress of an action towards completion.
	SplitContainer	Allows the user to resize a docked control.
	Timer	Raises an event at regular intervals.
	ToolTip	Displays text when the user points at other controls.

See Also

Other Resources

Controls to Use on Windows Forms
Developing Custom Windows Forms Controls with the .NET Framework