Getting Started with Windows Forms ComboBoxAdv(Classic)

18 Nov 201810 minutes to read

This section explains how to add the ComboBoxAdv control to a Windows Forms application and configure its commonly used settings.

Assembly Deployment

Refer to the Control Dependencies section for the list of assemblies and NuGet packages required to use the ComboBoxAdv control.

Refer to NuGet Packages to learn how to install NuGet packages in a Windows Forms application.

To install the required NuGet package using the NuGet Package Manager Console, run the following command:

Install-Package Syncfusion.Tools.Windows

Adding ComboBoxAdv via Designer

  1. Create a new Windows Forms application project in Visual Studio.

  2. Add the following required assembly references to the project:

    • Syncfusion.Tools.Windows.dll
    • Syncfusion.Shared.Base.dll
  3. Open the Toolbox and locate the ComboBoxAdv control under the Syncfusion Windows Forms tab.
  4. Drag the ComboBoxAdv control from the Toolbox and drop it onto the Windows Form.

Overview of Windows Forms ComboBoxAdv control

Configuring the ComboBoxAdv Control

The most commonly used settings of the ComboBox control can be configured using the Smart Tag, the Properties window, or code.

Configuring ComboBoxAdv control in Windows Forms

Typical settings include:

Setting Property Where to Configure
Visual style Style Properties window or code
Drop-down behavior DropDownStyle Properties window or code
Data source DataSource, DisplayMember, ValueMember Properties window or code
Item height ItemHeight Properties window or code
Watermark text Watermark Properties window or code

For a complete list of available options, refer to ComboBoxAdv Options and ComboBoxAdv Appearance.

Adding ComboBoxAdv via Code

To add the ComboBoxAdv control programmatically, follow these steps:

  1. Add the following assembly references to the project:

    • Syncfusion.Tools.Windows.dll
    • Syncfusion.Shared.Base.dll

  2. To initialize the control in code, perform the following in order:

    2.1. Add the required namespaces at the top of the file.

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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="227l8jydvtfo680x6574k9pvmu4tgstt-csharp" data-original-lang = "csharp" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-csharp" data-lang="csharp"><span></span><span class="k">using</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms</span><span class="p">;</span>
        <span class="k">using</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms.Tools</span><span class="p">;</span></code></pre></div>
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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="k6p74gb8lkcq4fmb6vlvyjkzvo3gavv5-vbnet" data-original-lang = "vb" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-vbnet" data-lang="vbnet"><span></span><span class="k">Imports</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms</span>
        <span class="k">Imports</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms.Tools</span></code></pre></div>
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    2.2. Declare the comboBoxAdv1 field in the form class and create an instance of it in the constructor after InitializeComponent().

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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="1147quqvy7dpib0t46f19xwwojxvmxhe-csharp" data-original-lang = "csharp" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-csharp" data-lang="csharp"><span></span><span class="k">public</span> <span class="nf">Form1</span><span class="p">()</span>
        <span class="p">{</span>
            <span class="n">InitializeComponent</span><span class="p">();</span>
            <span class="c1">// Inside the Form class</span>
            <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span> <span class="p">=</span> <span class="k">new</span> <span class="n">Syncfusion</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Windows</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Forms</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Tools</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">ComboBoxAdv</span><span class="p">();</span>
        <span class="p">}</span></code></pre></div>
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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="md1nn9kh3e992byp6pc5cch4yrvee3bm-vbnet" data-original-lang = "vb" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-vbnet" data-lang="vbnet"><span></span><span class="k">Public</span> <span class="k">Sub</span> <span class="nf">New</span><span class="p">()</span>
            <span class="n">InitializeComponent</span><span class="p">()</span>
            <span class="c">&#39; Inside the Form class</span>
            <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="k">New</span> <span class="n">Syncfusion</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Windows</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Forms</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Tools</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">ComboBoxAdv</span><span class="p">()</span>
        <span class="k">End</span> <span class="k">Sub</span></code></pre></div>
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    2.3. Add items to the control using the Items.Add method.

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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="v1r1yormvijn25zg0hsq2y0e6tvtisgi-csharp" data-original-lang = "csharp" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-csharp" data-lang="csharp"><span></span><span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item1&quot;</span><span class="p">);</span>
        <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item2&quot;</span><span class="p">);</span>
        <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item3&quot;</span><span class="p">);</span></code></pre></div>
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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="j06vy45ywsn5fycw5m3q5o357971pnlx-vbnet" data-original-lang = "vb" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-vbnet" data-lang="vbnet"><span></span><span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item1&quot;</span><span class="p">)</span>
        <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item2&quot;</span><span class="p">)</span>
        <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item3&quot;</span><span class="p">)</span></code></pre></div>
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    2.4. Add the control to the form by adding it to the Controls collection.

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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="xqe41m0n372pz2bajq8d04ctoqviipfr-csharp" data-original-lang = "csharp" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-csharp" data-lang="csharp"><span></span><span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Controls</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">);</span></code></pre></div>
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<div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="cjbu41u8y7ybx22xuhogtfb6avt52rf6-vbnet" data-original-lang = "vb" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-vbnet" data-lang="vbnet"><span></span><span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Controls</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">)</span></code></pre></div>
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Complete code example

The following sample combines all the preceding steps into a single runnable example.

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   <div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="w93aimqhrarrttc7zmy8q4fjsiwu4w84-csharp" data-original-lang = "csharp" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-csharp" data-lang="csharp"><span></span><span class="k">using</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms</span><span class="p">;</span>
   <span class="k">using</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms.Tools</span><span class="p">;</span>
   
   <span class="c1">// Inside the Form class</span>
   <span class="k">public</span> <span class="k">partial</span> <span class="k">class</span> <span class="nc">Form1</span> <span class="p">:</span> <span class="n">Form</span>
   <span class="p">{</span>
       <span class="k">private</span> <span class="n">Syncfusion</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Windows</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Forms</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Tools</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">ComboBoxAdv</span> <span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">;</span>
   
       <span class="k">public</span> <span class="nf">Form1</span><span class="p">()</span>
       <span class="p">{</span>
           <span class="n">InitializeComponent</span><span class="p">();</span>
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span> <span class="p">=</span> <span class="k">new</span> <span class="n">ComboBoxAdv</span><span class="p">();</span>
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Name</span> <span class="p">=</span> <span class="s">&quot;comboBoxAdv1&quot;</span><span class="p">;</span>
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Location</span> <span class="p">=</span> <span class="k">new</span> <span class="n">System</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Drawing</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Point</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="m">20</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="m">20</span><span class="p">);</span>
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Size</span> <span class="p">=</span> <span class="k">new</span> <span class="n">System</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Drawing</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Size</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="m">200</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="m">25</span><span class="p">);</span>
   
           <span class="c1">// Add items to ComboBoxAdv (any object can be added; ToString() is used for display)</span>
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item1&quot;</span><span class="p">);</span>
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item2&quot;</span><span class="p">);</span>
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item3&quot;</span><span class="p">);</span>
   
           <span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Controls</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="k">this</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">);</span>
       <span class="p">}</span>
   <span class="p">}</span></code></pre></div>
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   <div role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane" id="ametrgp4js17tfqydh8clmqbep7c7l0s-vbnet" data-original-lang = "vb" ><div class="highlight"><pre><code class="prettyprint language-vbnet" data-lang="vbnet"><span></span><span class="k">Imports</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms</span>
   <span class="k">Imports</span> <span class="nn">Syncfusion.Windows.Forms.Tools</span>
   
   <span class="k">Public</span> <span class="k">Partial</span> <span class="k">Class</span> <span class="nc">Form1</span>
       <span class="k">Inherits</span> <span class="n">System</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Windows</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Forms</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Form</span>
   
       <span class="k">Private</span> <span class="k">WithEvents</span> <span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span> <span class="ow">As</span> <span class="n">Syncfusion</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Windows</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Forms</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Tools</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">ComboBoxAdv</span>
   
       <span class="k">Public</span> <span class="k">Sub</span> <span class="nf">New</span><span class="p">()</span>
           <span class="n">InitializeComponent</span><span class="p">()</span>
   
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="k">New</span> <span class="n">ComboBoxAdv</span><span class="p">()</span>
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Name</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="s">&quot;comboBoxAdv1&quot;</span>
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Location</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="k">New</span> <span class="n">System</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Drawing</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Point</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="mi">20</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="mi">20</span><span class="p">)</span>
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Size</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="k">New</span> <span class="n">System</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Drawing</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Size</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="mi">200</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="mi">25</span><span class="p">)</span>
   
           <span class="c">&#39; Add items to ComboBoxAdv (any object can be added; ToString() is used for display)</span>
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item1&quot;</span><span class="p">)</span>
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item2&quot;</span><span class="p">)</span>
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Items</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="s">&quot;Item3&quot;</span><span class="p">)</span>
   
           <span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Controls</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">Add</span><span class="p">(</span><span class="k">Me</span><span class="p">.</span><span class="n">comboBoxAdv1</span><span class="p">)</span>
       <span class="k">End</span> <span class="k">Sub</span>
   <span class="k">End</span> <span class="k">Class</span></code></pre></div>
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Adding the WinForms ComboBoxAdv control to a Form