How to: Define Z-Ordering of Docked ToolStrip Controls

To position a ToolStrip control correctly with docking, you must position the control correctly in the form's z-order.

Example

The following code example demonstrates how to arrange a ToolStrip control and a docked MenuStrip control by specifying the z-order.

public Form2()
{
 // Create a new ToolStrip control.
 ToolStrip ts = new ToolStrip();

 // Populate the ToolStrip control.
 ts.Items.Add("Apples");
 ts.Items.Add("Oranges");
 ts.Items.Add("Pears");
 ts.Items.Add(
 "Change Colors",
 null,
 new EventHandler(ChangeColors_Click));

 // Create a new MenuStrip.
 MenuStrip ms = new MenuStrip();

 // Dock the MenuStrip control to the top of the form.
 ms.Dock = DockStyle.Top;

 // Add the top-level menu items.
 ms.Items.Add("File");
 ms.Items.Add("Edit");
 ms.Items.Add("View");
 ms.Items.Add("Window");

 // Add the ToolStrip to Controls collection.
 this.Controls.Add(ts);

 // Add the MenuStrip control last.
 // This is important for correct placement in the z-order.
 this.Controls.Add(ms);
}

Class Form2
 Inherits Form
 
 Public Sub New()
 ' Create a new ToolStrip control.
 Dim ts As New ToolStrip()
 
 ' Populate the ToolStrip control.
 ts.Items.Add("Apples")
 ts.Items.Add("Oranges")
 ts.Items.Add("Pears")
 ts.Items.Add("Change Colors", Nothing, New EventHandler(AddressOf ChangeColors_Click))
 
 ' Create a new MenuStrip.
 Dim ms As New MenuStrip()

 ' Dock the MenuStrip control to the top of the form.
 ms.Dock = DockStyle.Top
 
 ' Add the top-level menu items.
 ms.Items.Add("File")
 ms.Items.Add("Edit")
 ms.Items.Add("View")
 ms.Items.Add("Window")
 
 ' Add the ToolStrip to Controls collection.
 Me.Controls.Add(ts)
 
 ' Add the MenuStrip control last.
 ' This is important for correct placement in the z-order.
 Me.Controls.Add(ms)
 End Sub
 
 ' This event handler is invoked when the "Change colors"
 ' ToolStripItem is clicked. It assigns the Renderer
 ' property for the ToolStrip control.
 Sub ChangeColors_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
 ToolStripManager.Renderer = New ToolStripProfessionalRenderer(New CustomProfessionalColors())
 End Sub
End Class

The z-order is determined by the order in which the ToolStrip and MenuStrip

controls are added to the form's Controls collection.

// Add the ToolStrip to Controls collection.
this.Controls.Add(ts);

// Add the MenuStrip control last.
// This is important for correct placement in the z-order.
this.Controls.Add(ms);

' Add the ToolStrip to Controls collection.
Me.Controls.Add(ts)

' Add the MenuStrip control last.
' This is important for correct placement in the z-order.
Me.Controls.Add(ms)

Reverse the order of these calls to the Add method and view the effect on the layout.

Compiling the Code

This example requires:

• References to the System.Design, System.Drawing, and System.Windows.Forms assemblies.

See also

• MenuStrip
• ToolStrip
• Add
• Controls
• Dock
• ToolStrip Control