.NET Windows® Forms Custom Controls

Control Anatomy 101

Controls all have the same basic anatomy. Just as human anatomy is mostly the same and differs only slightly based on function and form, so is a control's anatomy. Humans share basic properties, such as eye color, hair color, height, and weight. These properties can be used to describe an individual and help form a visual image of the individual. In the same way, various properties of a control define its outward appearance.

A control has one physical part and two logical parts. The physical part is the control window. The control window is the physical space the control occupies on the screen. Within the physical boundary of the control are two logical regions: client and non-client areas. Figure 1.1 shows a basic form showing ...