Visual studio designer and controls

Rhino Developer
1

HI
So far I’ve been able to build and install the rhinocommons plugin example but I don’t seem to be able to find the visual designer. I wan’t to add a form with the usual controls like listbox and buttons and textboxes. So far I’ve only been able to add these things programatically but it is very tedious. Can anybody show how to add these things using visual studios built in resources.

Thanks
me.

2

Hi @crouchorama,

Can I assume you are creating your user interface with Eto? If so, then no, there is no visual designer available for Eto.

– Dale

3

HI Dale,
No I don’t know about ETO yet. I am trying to use forms and controls by bringing them at design time. included here is a complete listing of the basic rhino plugin example with my attempts to add a form and a button.
This code works except for it not being able to run again after the first time.
I hope you and others could look it over and give opinions.
thanks
code follows( using vb.net 2013/17 rino5):

Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports Rhino
Imports Rhino.Commands
Imports Rhino.Geometry
Imports Rhino.Input
Imports Rhino.Input.Custom
Imports System.Windows.Forms '**********************

Namespace rp2

    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.Guid("7fd2cb16-5f16-4df0-bfbf-ddec24eb93bf")>
    Public Class rp2Command
        Inherits Command
        Dim WithEvents form2 As New Form ' ***************************
        Dim WithEvents btnExit As New Button()
        Shared _instance As rp2Command

        Public Sub New()
            ' Rhino only creates one instance of each command class defined in a
            ' plug-in, so it is safe to store a refence in a static field.
            _instance = Me
        End Sub

        '''<summary>The only instance of this command.</summary>
        Public Shared ReadOnly Property Instance() As rp2Command
            Get
                Return _instance
            End Get
        End Property

        '''<returns>The command name as it appears on the Rhino command line.</returns>
        Public Overrides ReadOnly Property EnglishName() As String
            Get
                Return "rp2Command"
            End Get
        End Property

        Protected Overrides Function RunCommand(ByVal doc As RhinoDoc, ByVal mode As RunMode) As Result
            ' TODO: start here modifying the behaviour of your command.
            ' ---

            '********* FORM STUFF *******************************************************
            ' SET UP A NEW FORM
            ' Dav create a new form ' from: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10791898/how-can-i-add-a-new-windows-form-and-then-add-a-picturebox-programmatically
            '   Dim form2 As New Form  ' <--------- error here: type form is not defined.
            form2.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(250, 300)
            form2.BackColor = Drawing.Color.CadetBlue
            form2.Text = "Hello from form 2"
            form2.Show()
            form2.TopMost = True
            ' SET UP A EXIT BUTTON
            btnExit.Name = "btnExit"
            btnExit.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(100, 200)
            btnExit.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(100, 25)
            btnExit.Text = "EXIT"
            btnExit.TabIndex = 1
            form2.Controls.Add(btnExit)
            ' ********* end of form stuff ***********************************************

            RhinoApp.WriteLine("The {0} command will add a line right now.", EnglishName)

            Dim pt0 As Point3d
            Using getPointAction As New GetPoint()
                getPointAction.SetCommandPrompt("Please select the start point")
                If getPointAction.[Get]() <> GetResult.Point Then
                    RhinoApp.WriteLine("No start point was selected.")
                    Return getPointAction.CommandResult()
                End If
                pt0 = getPointAction.Point()
            End Using

            Dim pt1 As Point3d
            Using getPointAction As New GetPoint()
                getPointAction.SetCommandPrompt("Please select the end point")
                getPointAction.SetBasePoint(pt0, True)
                AddHandler getPointAction.DynamicDraw,
                    Sub(sender, e) e.Display.DrawLine(pt0, e.CurrentPoint, System.Drawing.Color.DarkRed)
                If getPointAction.[Get]() <> GetResult.Point Then
                    RhinoApp.WriteLine("No end point was selected.")
                    Return getPointAction.CommandResult()
                End If
                pt1 = getPointAction.Point()
            End Using

            doc.Objects.AddLine(pt0, pt1)
            doc.Views.Redraw()
            RhinoApp.WriteLine("The {0} command added one line to the document.", EnglishName)
            '' ---

            Return Result.Success
        End Function
        Private Sub Button_btnExit_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnExit.Click
            ' This is the E X I T   B U T T O N
            '  form2.Dispose()
            '  form2 = Nothing
            form2.Close()
            ' PROBLEM - after closing the form I cant run the plugin again.
            ' Here is the error information:
            ' An exception of type 'System.ObjectDisposedException' occurred in System.Windows.Forms.dll but was not handled in user code
            ' Additional information: Cannot access a disposed object.
            ' If there is a handler for this exception, the program may be safely continued.
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace
4

Hi @crouchorama,

You might want to google WinForms tutorials. You’ll find a wealth of training info.

– Dale