Implementing the UI Automation Dock Control Pattern

Note

This documentation is intended for .NET Framework developers who want to use the managed UI Automation classes defined in the System.Windows.Automation namespace. For the latest information about UI Automation, see Windows Automation API: UI Automation.

This topic introduces guidelines and conventions for implementing IDockProvider, including information about properties. Links to additional references are listed at the end of the topic.

The DockPattern control pattern is used to expose the dock properties of a control within a docking container. A docking container is a control that allows you to arrange child elements horizontally and vertically, relative to each other. For examples of controls that implement this control pattern, see Control Pattern Mapping for UI Automation Clients.

Docking Example from Visual Studio Where "Class View" Window Is DockPosition.Right and "Error List" Window Is DockPosition.Bottom

This topic contains the following sections.

• Implementation Guidelines and Conventions
• Required Members for IDockProvider
• Exceptions
• Related Topics

Implementation Guidelines and Conventions

When implementing the Dock control pattern, note the following guidelines and conventions:

• IDockProvider does not expose any properties of the docking container or any properties of controls that are docked adjacent to the current control within the docking container.

• Controls are docked relative to each other based on their current z-order; the higher their z-order placement, the farther they are placed from the specified edge of the docking container.

• If the docking container is resized, any docked controls within the container will be repositioned flush to the same edge to which they were originally docked. The docked controls will also resize to fill any space within the container according to the docking behavior of their DockPosition. For example, if Top is specified, the left and right sides of the control will expand to fill any available space. If Fill is specified, all four sides of the control will expand to fill any available space.

• On a multi-monitor system, controls should dock to the left or right side of the current monitor. If that is not possible, they should dock to the left side of the leftmost monitor or the right side of the rightmost monitor.

Required Members for IDockProvider

The following properties and methods are required for implementing the IDockProvider interface.

Required members	Member type	Notes
DockPosition	Property	None
SetDockPosition	Method	None

This control pattern has no associated events.

Exceptions

Providers must throw the following exceptions.

Exception type	Condition
InvalidOperationException	SetDockPosition When a control is not able to execute the requested dock style.

See Also

Tasks

Support Control Patterns in a UI Automation Provider

Use Caching in UI Automation

Concepts

UI Automation Control Patterns Overview

UI Automation Control Patterns for Clients

UI Automation Tree Overview