Toolbox, Components Tab

Note

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Displays components you can add to Visual Basic and Visual C# designers. In addition to the .NET Framework components that are included with Visual Studio, such as the MessageQueue and EventLog components, you can add your own or third-party components to this tab. For more information, see How to: Manipulate Toolbox Tabs.

To display this tab, from the View menu, select Toolbox. In the Toolbox, select the Components tab.

BackgroundWorker Creates a System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker component instance that can run an operation on a separate, dedicated thread.

DirectoryEntry Creates a DirectoryEntry component instance that encapsulates a node or object in the Active Directory hierarchy and can be used to interact with Active Directory service providers.

DirectorySearcher Creates a DirectorySearcher component instance that you can use to perform queries against the Active Directory.

ErrorProvider Creates a System.Windows.Forms.ErrorProvider component instance, which indicates to the end user that a control on a form has an error associated with it.

EventLog Creates an EventLog component instance you can use to interact with system and custom event logs, including writing events to a log and reading log data. For more information, see Introduction to the EventLog Component.

FileSystemWatcher Creates a FileSystemWatcher component instance that you can use to monitor for changes to any directory or file to which you have access. For more information, see How to: Configure FileSystemWatcher Component Instances.

HelpProvider Creates a System.Windows.Forms.HelpProvider component instance that provides pop-up or online Help for controls.

ImageList Creates a System.Windows.Forms.ImageList component instance that provides methods to manage a collection of System.Drawing.Image objects.

MessageQueue Creates a MessageQueue component instance that you can use to interact with message queues, including reading messages from and writing messages to queues, processing transactions, and performing queue administration tasks. For more information, see Using Messaging Components.

PerformanceCounter Creates a PerformanceCounter component instance that you can use to interact with Windows performance counters, including creating new categories and instances, reading values from counters, and performing calculations on counter data. For more information, see Monitoring Performance Thresholds.

Process Creates a Process component instance you can use to stop, start, and manipulate the data associated with processes on your system. For more information, see Monitoring and Managing Windows Processes.

SerialPort Creates a System.IO.Ports.SerialPort component instance that provides synchronous and event-driven I/O, access to pin and break states, and access to serial driver properties.

ServiceController Creates a ServiceController component instance you can use to manipulate existing services, including starting and stopping services and sending commands to them. For more information, see Monitoring Windows Services.

Timer Creates a Timer component instance you can use to add time-based functionality to your Windows-based applications. For more information, see Timer Component.

Note

There is also a system-based Timer that you can add to the Toolbox This Timer is optimized for server applications, and the Windows Forms Timer is best suited for use on Windows Forms.

See Also

Programming with Components Component Programming Walkthroughs Toolbox Choose Toolbox Items Dialog Box (Visual Studio)