IT 3334: Integrative Programming
and Techniques
C#
&
Windows
GUI Applications
Lecture Contents
• Introduction to Integrative Programming.
• Contrast between the functions of Windows
applications and console applications.
• GUI - graphical user interfaces.
• Windows forms and form properties.
• Control objects such as buttons, labels, and text
boxes to a form.
Windows Based Applications
• Windows Forms
• Events
• Controls
INTEGRATIVE
PROGRAMMING
&
TECHNIQUES
4
Chapter 9
Introduction to Windows Programming
C# Programming:
From Problem Analysis to Program Design
4th Edition
Contrasting Windows and Console
Applications
• Windows applications function differently
from console applications.
• Windows applications look differently from
console applications.
6
Contrasting Windows and Console
Applications by Functionality
• Console applications
– Each line in Main( ) executed sequentially –
then the program halts
• Windows applications
– Once launched, sits and waits for an event
– Sits in a process loop
• Event: notification from operating system
that an action, such as the user clicking the
mouse or pressing a key, has occurred
– Write event-handler methods for Windows apps7
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Graphical User Interfaces
• Windows applications also look different
from console applications
• Interface: front end of a program
– Visual image you see when you run a program
• Graphical user interface (GUI) includes:
– Menus
– Text in many different colors and sizes
– Other controls (pictures, buttons, etc.)
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 8
Windows Applications
• Reference and import
System.Windows.Forms namespace
• Class heading definition
– Includes not only the class name, but a colon
followed by another class name
• Derived class (first class), Base class (second class)
• public class Form1 : Form
• Derived classes inherit from base class
•C# Programming:
No multiple inheritance within .NET
From Problem Analysis to Program Design 9
languages
Windows Applications (continued)
• Text - property of the Form class
– A property for setting/getting title bar caption
– Can be used in constructor
• Windows forms/controls offer many properties
including Text, Color, Font, and Location
• Execution begins in Main( ) method
– Main( ) is located in Program.cs file for the application
– Call to Run( ) method places application in process loop
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 10
using System.Windows.Forms; // Line 1
namespace Windows0 New
{ namespace
public class Form1 : Form
Base class referenced // Line 2
{
public Form1( ) // Line 3
Constructor
{
Text = "Simple Windows Application"; // Line 4
Sets }
title bar static void Main( )
caption {
Form1 winForm = new Form1( ); // Line 5
Application.Run(winForm); // Line 6
}
} Starts
} process
loop
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 11
Windows Application (continued)
Output
generated
from
Windows0
application
Figure 9-1 Windows-based form
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 12
Elements of Good Design
• Appearance matters
– Human-computer interaction (HCI) research
• Design considerations
– Consistency
– Alignment
– Avoid clutter
– Color
– Target audience
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 13
Using the IDE Editor
C# support categories
Code Snippets. They are named with short
alias like for, forr, class etc
How to activate?
Type alias and press the Tab key twice
Or
Use IntelliSense menu to insert the code snippet
Press Ctrl+K+X to activate the code snippet list
Select Visual C#
14
Use Visual Studio to Create
Windows-Based Applications
Select
File
New Windows
Project Forms Browse
Application to
template location
to store
your
Name
work
Figure 9-2 Visual Studio New Windows application
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 15
Windows-Based Applications
Properties
Window
Toolbox Design View
Figure 9-3 Initial design screen
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 16
Windows-Based Applications (continued)
Figure 9-4 Dockable windows
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 17
Windows Based Applications
• Windows Forms
–Properties
–Events
Windows Forms
• Extensive collection of Control classes
• Top-level window for an application is called a
Form
• Each control has collection of properties and
methods
– Select property from an alphabetized list (Properties
window)
– Change property by clicking in the box and selecting
or typing the new entry at design time.
• C#Each control
Programming: has
From Problem collection
Analysis to Program Designof events. 19
Windows Form Properties
Property value
Properties
Figure 9-5 Properties window
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 20
Windows Form Properties
(change values at run time)
• Can set properties
using program
statements
– Table 9-1 shows
properties set
using Properties
window
• Selecting Code on
View menu shows Table 9-1 Form1 property changes
associated code
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 21
Windows Form Events
Figure 9-6 Form events
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 22
Inspecting the Code Generated
by Visual Studio
• Three source code
files ending with a .cs
extension are part of
the application
Expand Form1.cs
node to reveal the
Form1.Designer.cs
file
Figure 9-7 Solution Explorer window
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 23
Simple Windows Application
• IDE separates the source code into three
separate files
– Form1.cs: normally this is the only one you edit
– Form1.Designer.cs: holds the auto generated code
– Program.cs: contains the Main( ) method, where
execution always begins
• Form1.cs and Form1.Designer.cs both
include partial class definitions for the
Form1 class
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 24
Inspecting the Code - Form1.cs
• Number of namespaces automatically
added, including System.Windows.Forms
• Constructor calls InitializeComponent( )
method
public Form1( )
{
// Required for Windows Form Designer support.
InitializeComponent( );
}
•C# Programming:
This isFrom the file where event handler methods25
Problem Analysis to Program Design
will be placed
Inspecting the Code -
Form1.Designer.cs
• InitializeComponent( ) method included here
• #region Windows Form Designer generated
code preprocessor directive
– // do not modify the contents of this method with
the Code Editor
– Keyword “this.” precedes property name
• Refers to current instance of the class
– #endregion // Ends the preprocessor directive
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 26
InitializeComponent( ) Method
BackColor = Color.FromArgb (((Byte)(255)),
• Some of the ((Byte)(224)), ((Byte)(192)));
auto generated ClientSize = new Size(392, 373);
code in the Font = new Font("Arial", 12F, FontStyle.Bold,
GraphicsUnit.Point, ((Byte)(0)));
method ForeColor = Color.Blue;
– Added as Location = new Point(30, 30);
default values Margin = new Padding(4);
for properties MaximizeBox = false;
Name = "Form1";
or from
StartPosition = FormStartPosition.CenterScreen;
changing Text = "First Windows Application";
property values
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 27
Windows Based Applications
• Events
Windows Form Events
• Add code to respond to events, like button clicks
– Code goes into Form1.cs file
• From the Properties window, select the lightning
bolt (Events)
– Double-click on the event name to generate code
• Registers the event as being of interest
• Adds a heading for event-handler method
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 29
Windows Form Properties (continued)
Events
button
selected
Figure 9-6 Form1 events
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 30
Windows Form – Load Event
• Code automatically added to register event
• Code automatically added for method
heading
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
}
• You add statement to event-handler method
body
this.BackColor
C# Programming: = Color.Azure;
From Problem Analysis to Program Design 31
Windows Form – FormClosing Event
• Code automatically added to register event
• Code automatically added for method
heading
private void Form1_FormClosing(object sender,
FormClosingEventArgs e)
{
}
• You add statement to event-handler method
body
MessageBox.Show("Hope
C# Programming: you are
From Problem Analysis to Program having
Design fun!"); 32
Running the Windows Application
• No changes Figure 9-8
needed in Output
the file that produced
has Main( ) when the
Close button
• Run like causes the
you do event-handler
console method to
applications fire
(F5 or
Ctrl+F5)
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 33
Windows Based Applications
• Controls
Controls
• Controls are all classes
– Button, Label, TextBox, ComboBox, MainMenu,
ListBox, CheckBox, RadioButton, and
MonthCalendar
• Each comes with its own predefined
properties and methods
• Each fires events
• Each is derived from the
System.Windows.Forms.Control class
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 35
Controls (continued)
Figure 9-9 Control class hierarchy
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 36
Standard Controls
Figure 9-10 Windows Forms controls
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 37
Controls (continued)
• Two procedures to place controls
– From Toolbox, double-click on control or drag and
drop
• Move, resize, and delete controls
• Format controls
– Align controls
– Make same size
– Horizontal and vertical spacing
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 38
Properties of the Control class
Table 9-2 Systems.Windows.Forms.Control class properties
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 39
Properties of the Control class
(continued)
Table 9-2 Systems.Windows.Forms.Control properties (continued)
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 40
Methods of the Control class
• Control class has over 75 properties and
over 100 methods
– Not all are useful for every class that derives
from it Table 9-3 includes
a short list of some
of the many
methods.
Explore MSDN
documentation
for more
Table 9-3 Systems.Windows.Forms.Control methods
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 41
Controls (continued)
Figure 9-11 GUI controls
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 42
Practical Tasks
• Write a Windows based application – pure
empty form with no any user added forms,
controls or events
Practical Tasks
• Write a Windows based application – pure
empty form with modified Text property at
design time using Properties window
Practical Tasks
• Write a Windows based application – pure
empty form with two event handlers:
• Event Load – when the form gets loaded
– To modify Text property and BackColor
property at run time
• Event FormClosing – when the form gets
closed – prior to app termination
– Call MessageBox.Show() method
Label Objects
• Provide descriptive text or labels for other
controls
• Instantiate object
Label labelName = new Label( );
• Add control to Form
this.Controls.Add(labelName);
• Set property values (some from Control
class)
– Text; TextAlign; Font; Location
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 46
Creating a TaxApp
Table 9-4 TaxApp Form1 properties
Properties set for the Form
container
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 47
Creating a TaxApp Form
Add Label
objects to
Form
object…
Use
options on
FORMAT
menu
Figure 9-12 Formatting Label objects
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 48
Adding Labels to TaxApp Form
Add Label objects, then set
their properties using the
Properties window
(View Properties window)
Table 9-5 TaxApp label5 object properties
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 49
TextBox Objects
• Used to enter data or display text during run
time
– Used for both input and output
• Instantiate object
TextBox textBoxName = new TextBox( );
• Add control to Form
this.Controls.Add(TextBoxName);
• Interesting properties
– MultiLine, ScollBars, MaxLength, PasswordChar,
CharacterCasing
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 50
TextBox Objects (continued)
Table 9-6 TextBox properties
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 51
TextBox Objects (continued)
Table 9-6 TextBox properties (continued)
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 52
Adding TextBox Objects to
TaxApp Form
Add TextBox objects,
then set their property
values
Table 9-7 TaxApp TextBox objects property changes
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 53
Button
• Enables user to click button to perform task
– If button has event-handler method and is registered as
an event to which your program is planning to respond,
event-handler method is called automatically when
button clicked
• Button object’s properties, methods, and events
– Inherits from Control (Table 9-2 & 9-3, slides 38-40)
• Text, Enabled, Focused, TabIndex
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 54
Adding Button Objects to
TaxApp Form
Add
Button
objects,
then set
their
property
values
Table 9-7 TaxApp button1 properties
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 55
Adding Button
Objects to
TaxApp Form
(continued)
Figure 9-14 Events
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 56
Adding Button Objects to
TaxApp Form (continued)
• When you double-click on event, an event-handler
method is created:
private void btnCompute_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
}
• AND registers click event:
this.btnCompute.Click +=
new System.EventHandler(this.btnCompute_Click);
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 57
Adding Button Objects to
TaxApp Form (continued)
private void btnCompute_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
string inValue;
double purchaseAmt, percent, ans;
inValue = txtPurchase.Text;
while (double.TryParse(txtPurchase.Text,out purchaseAmt)==false)
{
MessageBox.Show("Value entered must be numeric");
txtPurchase.Text = "0.0";
txtPurchase.Focus();
}
// end of source code for this method – see next slide
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 58
Adding Button Objects to
TaxApp Form (continued)
btnCompute_Click( ) ( … continued)
inValue = label5.Text; //inValue previously declared as string
Parse( ) used
inValue = inValue.Remove(inValue.Length-1, 1); here as opposed
to TryParse( )
…since value is
percent = double.Parse(inValue) / 100; being retrieve
ans = (purchaseAmt * percent) + purchaseAmt; from TextBox
txtTotalDue.Text = String.Format("{0:C}", ans).ToString();
}
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 59
TaxApp Form
AcceptButton
property on the
form
was set to
btnCompute
Figure 9-15 Tax calculator output
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 60
Practical Tasks
• Write a Windows based application –
elementary calculator
– Result = operand1 operator operand2
• Form Design:
– Labels, text boxes, buttons;
– Two text boxes for input values as operands
– Text box for calculated result
– Buttons for arithmetic operators +, -, *, /, %
Coding Standards
• Guidelines for Naming Controls
– Consistency
– Use appropriate prefix for controls
C# Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design 62
Thank You
For
Your Attention!
