Child Controls in Windows Forms DateTimePickerAdv(Classic)

26 Apr 20217 minutes to read

DateTimePickerAdv has child controls like DropDown, Updown arrows, checkbox. This section discusses the properties which controls the appearance and behavior of these controls.

DateTimePickerAdv child controls

UpDown and DropDown buttons

This section discusses the properties of DateTimePickerAdv control which customizes the UpDown and DropDown buttons.

UpDown buttons

The below properties controls the appearance and behavior of the UpDown buttons.

this.dateTimePickerAdv2.ShowUpDown = true;

this.dateTimePickerAdv2.ShowUpDownOnFocus = true;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv2.ShowUpDown = True

Me.dateTimePickerAdv2.ShowUpDownOnFocus = True

In the below image, when focus is on button control, the updown button is hidden. In the second image, DateTimePickerAdv is focused and the UpDown button is shown.

updown button is hidden

Updown button is visible when DateTimePickerAdv is focused

updown button is visible

DropDown button in the DateTimePickerAdv is visible by default. To hide the dropdown button set ShowDropButton property to false. The below are the properties available, to change the default appearance of the control.

Color settings

At run time, drop-down button can be in normal mode, pressed mode or in selected mode. Different colors can be set for different modes.

this.dateTimePickerAdv2.DropDownNormalColor = System.Drawing.Color.LightBlue;

this.dateTimePickerAdv2.DropDownPressedColor = System.Drawing.Color.Goldenrod;

this.dateTimePickerAdv2.DropDownSelectedColor = System.Drawing.Color.SteelBlue;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv2.DropDownNormalColor = System.Drawing.Color.LightBlue

Me.dateTimePickerAdv2.DropDownPressedColor = System.Drawing.Color.Goldenrod

Me.dateTimePickerAdv2.DropDownSelectedColor = System.Drawing.Color.SteelBlue

NOTE

These settings will be effective only when DateTimePickerAdv.Style is Office2003, OfficeXP and VS2005.

Drop down colors

Flat appearance

Dropdown can be given flat appearance using FlatDropDown property. By default it is false.

this.dateTimePickerAdv2.FlatDropButton = true;
this.dateTimePickerAdv2.FlatDropButton = true;

NOTE

These setting will be effective only when DateTimePickerAdv.Style is Default.

Flat appearance

Alignment of the DropDown

When the dropdown button is clicked, the calendar pops up, based on the alignment specified in DropDownAlign property. Default value is Left.

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.DropDownAlign = System.Windows.Forms.LeftRightAlignment.Right;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.DropDownAlign = System.Windows.Forms.LeftRightAlignment.Right

Alignment of the DropDown

Image for DropDown

The existing dropdown icon can be replaced with a custom image using the below properties.

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.DropDownImage = ((System.Drawing.Image)(resources.GetObject("dateTimePickerAdv1.DropDownImage")));

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.StretchDropDownImage = true;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.DropDownImage = DirectCast((resources.GetObject("dateTimePickerAdv1.DropDownImage")), System.Drawing.Image) 

Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.StretchDropDownImage = True

Drop down image

Drop down custom image

See Also

Checkbox, Text Field

CheckBox

By default the DateTimePicker control has a checkbox in checked state. This checkbox can be hidden using ShowCheckBox property and the state can be unchecked through designer, using Checked property.

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.ShowCheckBox = false;

this.dateTimePickerAdv5.Checked = false;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.ShowCheckBox = False

Me.dateTimePickerAdv5.Checked = False

check box

See Also

Text Field, UpDown and DropDown Buttons

Text field

This section discusses the properties related to Checkbox and text field in the DateTimePicker control.

Text field formatting

Format and CustomFormat properties are used to format the text field.

//Sets "Long" format for the text field

this.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Long;



//Sets "Short" format for the text field

this.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Short;



//Sets "Time" format for the text field

this.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Time;



//Sets custom format for the text field

this.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Custom;

this.dateTimePickerAdv5.CustomFormat = "dd - MM - yyyy";
'Sets "Long" format for the text field

Me.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Long



'Sets "Short" format for the text field

Me.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Short



'Sets "Time" format for the text field

Me.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Time



'Sets custom format for the text field

Me.dateTimePickerAdv5.Format = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePickerFormat.Custom

Me.dateTimePickerAdv5.CustomFormat = "dd - MM - yyyy"

DateTimePickerAdv formats

Spacing in TextField

We can specify spacing for the text field in the control, (ex: between month, year and date) using Spacing property. Default value is 0.

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.Spacing = 5;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.Spacing = 5

DateTimePickerAdv spacing

NOTE

The text field can be refreshed programmatically by calling DateTimePickerAdv.RefreshFields method.

See Also

Navigating between Fields, UpDown and DropDown Buttons

By default, we have to move the cursor manually, to next field while giving input value in Value field of DateTimePickerAdv. Using the property AutoForwarding of DatePickerAdv, the cursor will move automatically to next field without using navigation keys.

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.AutoForwarding = true;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.AutoForwarding = True

Null value settings

At run time, on clicking the None button of the popup calendar, “No date is selected” string will be displayed in the text field like the below image.

Null value settings

This default string can be changed using NullString property. Below table describes the properties which controls the Null value behavior.

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.EnableNullDate = true;

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.EnableNullKeys = true;

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.NullString = "Null Value"

this.dateTimePickerAdv1.NullModeKeyReset = Syncfusion.Windows.Forms.Tools.NullModeKeyReset.NumericKeys;
Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.EnableNullDate = True

Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.EnableNullKeys = True

Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.NullString = "Null Value"

Me.dateTimePickerAdv1.NullModeKeyReset = Syncfusion.Windows.Forms.Tools.NullModeKeyReset.NumericKeys

Null value settings