Appearance Customization in Windows Forms Command Bar (CommandBars)

3 Oct 20236 minutes to read

In this topic the customization and enhancing the appearance of the command bar control is discussed

Close button

The close button of command bar gets displayed when it is in the float state. This appearance can be customized done via the HideCloseButton property. By default the property is set to false and always be visible whenever the command bar is in float state. The below code snippet shows the close button is being hidden.

commandBar1.HideCloseButton = true;
commandBar1.HideCloseButton = True

The below image shows the disabled close button in float state.

Close button hidden

The close button state can also be retrieved from the GetCloseButtonState method.

Chevron button

The term “chevron” is used for a menu that contains the toolbar icons that do not fit in the space available on the toolbar. The chevron button can be customized via the HideChevron property.

The below image shows the default visibility of chevron button.

Chevron button button default visibility

To hide the chevron visibility, the HideChevron property is set to true. The below code snippet shows the chevron button is being hidden.

commandBar1.HideChevron = true;
commandBar1.HideChevron = True

The below image shows the hidden chevron button in the docked state.

Chevron button hidden

NOTE

Chevron button is visible by default only in docked state of the command bar.

The chevron button state can be retrieved via the IsChevronVisible property or the command bar instance.

The color value applied for chevron can be customized with the ChevronColor property. The below code snippet shows a new chevron color is being applied to the chevron button.

Chevron color modified

The drop down button of command bar gets displayed either it is in the float state or docked state. This appearance can be customized done via the HideDropDownButton property. By default the property is set to false and always be visible. The below code snippet shows the drop down button is being hidden.

commandBar1.HideDropDownButton = true;
commandBar1.HideDropDownButton = True

The below image shows the disabled close button in float state.

Drop down button hidden in float state

Drop down button hidden in docked state

The drop down button state also can be retrieved from the GetDropDownState method.

Cursor

The mouse cursor settings of the command bar can be customized using the Cursor property. The below code snippet shows the command bar is set with Hand value whenever the command bar bounds is reached.

this.commandBar1.Cursor = System.Windows.Forms.Cursors.Hand;
Me.commandBar1.Cursor = System.Windows.Forms.Cursors.Hand

Mouse cursor of command bar had been modified to Hand.

Also, the ResetCursor method can be used to, reset the cursor state to default state.

Gripper

The gripper allows the user to dock / float the command bar dynamically. In order to hide the gripper the HideGripper property is used. By default it is set to false. The below code snippet shows the gripper is being hidden.

this.commandBar1.HideGripper = true;
Me.commandBar1.HideGripper = True

Command bar gripper hidden

Background

The back color of the command bar can be customized in either of the following scenarios.

  • Customizing the back color of docked bar
  • Customizing the command bar back color.

Docked bar background

The docked bar background color can be customized via the BackColor property of CommandBarController instance that manages the command bars. The below code snippet shows the back color of the docked bar is being customized.

this.commandBarController1.BackColor = Color.Green;
Me.commandBarController1.BackColor = Color.Green

Dock bar back color customized

The default back color of the docked bar can be applied via the ResetBackColor method of the command bar controller instance.

Command bar background

The command bar back color can be customized by specifying the required color via the BackColor property of the command bar instance. The below code snippet shows the back color of the command bar is being customized.

this.commandBar1.BackColor = Color.Green;
Me.commandBar1.BackColor = Color.Green

Dock bar back color customized

The default back color of the command bar can be applied by reseting the command bar back color via the ResetBackColor. Once the default back color gets modified the BackColorChanged event occurs.

Command bar text

The command bar text can be customized either it is in dock / float state. The dock state text can be disabled using the ShowDockStateText property. By default this is set to true and it applies for the caption text in float mode. The below code snippet shows the command bar dock text is being disabled.

this.commandBar1.ShowDockModeText = false;
Me.commandBar1.ShowDockModeText = False

The below image shows the command bar with dock state text being disabled whereas for the float state the text is being displayed in the caption region.

Docked text disabled

Float text displayed

Font style

The font of the text displayed in the command bar can be customized using the Font property. The below code snippet sets a specified font family to the command bar.

this.commandBar1.Font = new Font("AgencyFB", 15.0F);
this.commandBar1.Font = new Font("AgencyFB", 15.0F);

Font modified in command bar