Custom Categories and Sub Categories for UserControl's Custom Properties

I have create a UserControl and some custom properties for it but I want to group them into a custom category with "sub categories". Something like that.

Code:

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|+| Custom Category Name
    |+| Custom Sub Category
          |+| My Property
                    My Value1 Header: Value1
                    My Value2 Header: Value2
    OR

|+| Custom Category Name
    |+| Custom Sub Category
              My Property: Value

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I know how to make custom properties and add them into custom categories, but how can I make sub categories and add my custom properties in?

You're asking about Expandable Properties. I have a few examples in the MSDN code samples linked to in my signature...

Edit: It's not a 2 minute process, but the examples are complete

Are you talking about this code example?

This is a better example...

https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/coun...ntrol-2da92ac3

Okay my friend, thank you very much for your time. I'll have to study this code example carefully, it contains small "treasures"!!! :)

If you literally are using Size or Point they would automatically be expandable properties, but it takes a little more work to create custom expandable properties

Quote:

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Originally Posted by .paul.

If you literally are using Size or Point they would automatically be expandable properties, but it takes a little more work to create custom expandable properties

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Yes I know that, I have already noticed!!! I am talking about custom properties which I have create, like CustomBackColor, CustomFont and much more and I just want to group them so Properties Window not look so messy. For example, for CustomBackColor custom property, I would like to add a sub category under Appearece, by the name Extra Properties and add CustomBackColor custom property inside!!!

Code:

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|+| Appearece
    |+| Extra Properties
            CustomBackColor: Value

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You can't add sub-categories, in the end that's just as cluttered as not having categories at all. You get one layer of categories, so use it wisely.

Generally, you don't add a new BackColor property with a different name to a control. Users are used to using BackColor, and expect to use that. If what that color does is more specific, give it a name that says what it does.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sitten Spynne

You can't add sub-categories, in the end that's just as cluttered as not having categories at all. You get one layer of categories, so use it wisely.

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Oh... So in that case I can't do what I want. Except if I create a Form with a PropertyGrid control inside, which will popup in Design Time, when user click on specific Property on Properties Window? Is than an option? Can I do something like that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sitten Spynne

Generally, you don't add a new BackColor property with a different name to a control. Users are used to using BackColor, and expect to use that. If what that color does is more specific, give it a name that says what it does.

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I agree!!! CustomBackColor and CustomFont was fake property names, just for example!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simonetos The Greek

Oh... So in that case I can't do what I want. Except if I create a Form with a PropertyGrid control inside, which will popup in Design Time, when user click on specific Property on Properties Window? Is than an option? Can I do something like that?

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Once you commit to creating a custom property editor, you can basically do whatever you want.

That process involves implementing some interfaces and applying some attributes I don't quite remember. (I did this for 6 years, but that was 5 years ago.) At a high level, a "UI Editor" for a control is a UserControl that gets a property value and has to publish changes to that value in a particular way. So whatever thing you can imagine is possible.

But I re-iterate: overcategorization is worse than no categorization. I haven't used the "category" view for years to edit properties, I like them alphabetized so I can get to the ones I want. If your control takes 4 extra clicks to edit some property, I'd much rather use someone else's that takes fewer clicks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sitten Spynne

Once you commit to creating a custom property editor, you can basically do whatever you want.

That process involves implementing some interfaces and applying some attributes I don't quite remember. (I did this for 6 years, but that was 5 years ago.) At a high level, a "UI Editor" for a control is a UserControl that gets a property value and has to publish changes to that value in a particular way. So whatever thing you can imagine is possible.

But I re-iterate: overcategorization is worse than no categorization. I haven't used the "category" view for years to edit properties, I like them alphabetized so I can get to the ones I want. If your control takes 4 extra clicks to edit some property, I'd much rather use someone else's that takes fewer clicks.

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Thank you very much for your help and your advices!!! I'll keep them in mind...

What S and S is recommending is what i showed you in that example...