Special Edition Using Microsoft® Visual Basic® .NET

Windows Control Basics

You are already familiar with controls such as the TextBox and Label controls. To use these controls, you draw them on a form and direct their behavior through properties, methods, and events. When you create your own Windows control you are creating a similar object, except you are determining the properties, methods, and events. After you create your own control, you and others can use it in other Visual Basic projects, just like a TextBox control. You can use your controls in any application or development tool that can use Windows controls, including other .NET projects or Microsoft Internet Explorer. In fact, using custom controls is an ideal way to create a reusable component that can be used both inside a traditional ...