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winformsautosize

No collapse if Control.Hide

I want to use AutoSize of TableLayoutPanel and FlowLayoutPanel to layout my Controls. After the parent Control has been layed out I want to freeze the layout, so if I hide a control, nothing should collapse. So I want to use Control.Visible but without collapsing it.

Background information: I have a Control that supports multiple languages. I want the design to adjust to the language automatically. If I click a CheckBox then sometimes some Controls are hiding or showing, which causes the whole design to change if I use AutoSize. I don't want the Controls to collapse, I just want the Controls to show the background of the parent Control and keep the size.

Example (vb.net)

Form1.vb

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub CheckBox1_CheckedChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CheckBox1.CheckedChanged
        Label1.Visible = CheckBox1.Checked
    End Sub
End Class

Form1.Designer.vb

<Global.Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DesignerGenerated()> _
Partial Class Form1
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

    'Das Formular überschreibt den Löschvorgang, um die Komponentenliste zu bereinigen.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCode()> _
    Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        Try
            If disposing AndAlso components IsNot Nothing Then
                components.Dispose()
            End If
        Finally
            MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
        End Try
    End Sub

    'Wird vom Windows Form-Designer benötigt.
    Private components As System.ComponentModel.IContainer

    'Hinweis: Die folgende Prozedur ist für den Windows Form-Designer erforderlich.
    'Das Bearbeiten ist mit dem Windows Form-Designer möglich.  
    'Das Bearbeiten mit dem Code-Editor ist nicht möglich.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> _
    Private Sub InitializeComponent()
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1 = New System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel()
        Me.Label1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label()
        Me.CheckBox1 = New System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox()
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.SuspendLayout()
        Me.SuspendLayout()
        '
        'TableLayoutPanel1
        '
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.AutoSize = True
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnCount = 1
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.Label1, 0, 0)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.CheckBox1, 0, 1)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(0, 0)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Name = "TableLayoutPanel1"
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowCount = 2
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(800, 450)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.TabIndex = 0
        '
        'Label1
        '
        Me.Label1.AutoSize = True
        Me.Label1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 0)
        Me.Label1.Name = "Label1"
        Me.Label1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(39, 13)
        Me.Label1.TabIndex = 0
        Me.Label1.Text = "Label1"
        '
        'CheckBox1
        '
        Me.CheckBox1.AutoSize = True
        Me.CheckBox1.Checked = True
        Me.CheckBox1.CheckState = System.Windows.Forms.CheckState.Checked
        Me.CheckBox1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 16)
        Me.CheckBox1.Name = "CheckBox1"
        Me.CheckBox1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(81, 17)
        Me.CheckBox1.TabIndex = 1
        Me.CheckBox1.Text = "CheckBox1"
        Me.CheckBox1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = True
        '
        'Form1
        '
        Me.AutoScaleDimensions = New System.Drawing.SizeF(6.0!, 13.0!)
        Me.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font
        Me.AutoSize = True
        Me.AutoSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoSizeMode.GrowAndShrink
        Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(800, 450)
        Me.Controls.Add(Me.TableLayoutPanel1)
        Me.Name = "Form1"
        Me.Text = "Form1"
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ResumeLayout(False)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.PerformLayout()
        Me.ResumeLayout(False)
        Me.PerformLayout()

    End Sub

    Friend WithEvents TableLayoutPanel1 As TableLayoutPanel
    Friend WithEvents Label1 As Label
    Friend WithEvents CheckBox1 As CheckBox
End Class

Result:

result checkedresult not checked

I want the controls to not move around. I want the controls to keep the size if the label is hidden. The label should not collapse but paint the background of the parent control instead.

Solution

  • The best solution that I am sort of happy with is to write my own custom Panel that implements the desired behavior and put the target control into that custom Panel. The trick is to add a normal Panel to my custom Panel that hides the target control if Visible is changed to false.

    Solution in VB.NET

    NoCollapsePanel.vb

    Public Class NoCollapsePanel
    Public Enum VisibleModeE
        Collapse
        KeepSize
    End Enum
    Public Property VisibleMode As VisibleModeE
        Get
            Return _VisibleMode
        End Get
        Set
            If Value = VisibleMode Then Return
            _VisibleMode = Value
            RefreshVisibility()
        End Set
    End Property

    Private Sub RefreshVisibility()
        If _Visible Then Controls.Remove(hidePanel)
        Select Case VisibleMode
            Case VisibleModeE.Collapse
                MyBase.Visible = _Visible
            Case VisibleModeE.KeepSize
                MyBase.Visible = True
                If Not Visible Then
                    ' this is doing the trick
                    hidePanel.Size = Size
                    Controls.Add(hidePanel)
                    hidePanel.BringToFront()
                End If
        End Select
    End Sub
    Public Shadows Event VisibleChanged As EventHandler

    Private ReadOnly hidePanel As New Panel() With {.Margin = New Padding(0)}
    Private _Visible As Boolean = True
    Private _VisibleMode As VisibleModeE = VisibleModeE.KeepSize

    Public Overloads Property Visible As Boolean
        Get
            Return _Visible
        End Get
        Set
            If _Visible = Value Then Return
            _Visible = Value
            RefreshVisibility()
            RaiseEvent VisibleChanged(Me, New EventArgs())
        End Set
    End Property

    Protected Overrides Sub OnResize(eventargs As EventArgs)
        MyBase.OnResize(eventargs)
        hidePanel.Size = Size
    End Sub
End Class

    NoCollapsePanel.Designer.vb

    <Global.Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DesignerGenerated()> _
Partial Class NoCollapsePanel
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Panel

    'Das Steuerelement überschreibt den Löschvorgang zum Bereinigen der Komponentenliste.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCode()> _
    Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        Try
            If disposing AndAlso components IsNot Nothing Then
                components.Dispose()
            End If
        Finally
            MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
        End Try
    End Sub

    'Wird vom Steuerelement-Designer benötigt.
    Private components As System.ComponentModel.IContainer

    ' Hinweis: Die folgende Prozedur ist für den Komponenten-Designer erforderlich.
    ' Sie kann mit dem Komponenten-Designer geändert werden.  Das Bearbeiten mit
    ' dem Code-Editor ist nicht möglich.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> _
    Private Sub InitializeComponent()
        components = New System.ComponentModel.Container()
    End Sub

End Class

    Testing the Panel

    Form1.vb

    Public Class Form1
    Public Sub New()
        ' Dieser Aufruf ist für den Designer erforderlich.
        InitializeComponent()

        ' Fügen Sie Initialisierungen nach dem InitializeComponent()-Aufruf hinzu.
        ComboBox1.DataSource = System.Enum.GetValues(GetType(NoCollapsePanel.VisibleModeE))
    End Sub
    Private Sub CheckBox1_CheckedChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CheckBox1.CheckedChanged
        NoCollapsePanel1.Visible = CheckBox1.Checked
    End Sub

    Private rnd As New Random
    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        BackColor = Color.FromArgb(255, rnd.Next(255), rnd.Next(255), rnd.Next(255))
    End Sub

    Private Sub CheckBox2_CheckedChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CheckBox2.CheckedChanged
        Label1.Text = If(CheckBox2.Checked, "some text", "some very very very very long text")
    End Sub

    Private Sub NoCollapsePanel1_VisibleChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles NoCollapsePanel1.VisibleChanged
        TestVisibleChanged_Label.Text = DateTime.Now
    End Sub

    Private Sub ComboBox1_SelectedIndexChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ComboBox1.SelectedIndexChanged
        NoCollapsePanel1.VisibleMode = ComboBox1.SelectedValue
    End Sub
End Class

    Form1.Designer.vb

    <Global.Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.DesignerGenerated()> _
Partial Class Form1
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

    'Das Formular überschreibt den Löschvorgang, um die Komponentenliste zu bereinigen.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCode()> _
    Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        Try
            If disposing AndAlso components IsNot Nothing Then
                components.Dispose()
            End If
        Finally
            MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
        End Try
    End Sub

    'Wird vom Windows Form-Designer benötigt.
    Private components As System.ComponentModel.IContainer

    'Hinweis: Die folgende Prozedur ist für den Windows Form-Designer erforderlich.
    'Das Bearbeiten ist mit dem Windows Form-Designer möglich.  
    'Das Bearbeiten mit dem Code-Editor ist nicht möglich.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> _
    Private Sub InitializeComponent()
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1 = New System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel()
        Me.CheckBox1 = New System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox()
        Me.Button1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Button()
        Me.CheckBox2 = New System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox()
        Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label = New System.Windows.Forms.Label()
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2 = New System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel()
        Me.ComboBox1 = New System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox()
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1 = New WindowsApp4.NoCollapsePanel()
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1 = New System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel()
        Me.Label1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label()
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.SuspendLayout()
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.SuspendLayout()
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.SuspendLayout()
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.SuspendLayout()
        Me.SuspendLayout()
        '
        'TableLayoutPanel1
        '
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.AutoSize = True
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.AutoSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoSizeMode.GrowAndShrink
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnCount = 1
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ColumnStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.NoCollapsePanel1, 0, 0)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.CheckBox1, 0, 1)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.Button1, 0, 2)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.CheckBox2, 0, 3)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label, 0, 4)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.ComboBox1, 0, 5)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 3)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Name = "TableLayoutPanel1"
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowCount = 6
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.RowStyles.Add(New System.Windows.Forms.RowStyle())
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(127, 134)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.TabIndex = 1
        '
        'CheckBox1
        '
        Me.CheckBox1.AutoSize = True
        Me.CheckBox1.Checked = True
        Me.CheckBox1.CheckState = System.Windows.Forms.CheckState.Checked
        Me.CheckBox1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 22)
        Me.CheckBox1.Name = "CheckBox1"
        Me.CheckBox1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(83, 17)
        Me.CheckBox1.TabIndex = 1
        Me.CheckBox1.Text = "Show Panel"
        Me.CheckBox1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = True
        '
        'Button1
        '
        Me.Button1.AutoSize = True
        Me.Button1.AutoSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoSizeMode.GrowAndShrink
        Me.Button1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 45)
        Me.Button1.Name = "Button1"
        Me.Button1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(106, 23)
        Me.Button1.TabIndex = 2
        Me.Button1.Text = "Change BackColor"
        Me.Button1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = True
        '
        'CheckBox2
        '
        Me.CheckBox2.AutoSize = True
        Me.CheckBox2.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 74)
        Me.CheckBox2.Name = "CheckBox2"
        Me.CheckBox2.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(92, 17)
        Me.CheckBox2.TabIndex = 3
        Me.CheckBox2.Text = "Change Label"
        Me.CheckBox2.UseVisualStyleBackColor = True
        '
        'TestVisibleChanged_Label
        '
        Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label.AutoSize = True
        Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 94)
        Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label.Name = "TestVisibleChanged_Label"
        Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(88, 13)
        Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label.TabIndex = 4
        Me.TestVisibleChanged_Label.Text = "Visibility changed"
        '
        'FlowLayoutPanel2
        '
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.AutoSize = True
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.AutoSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoSizeMode.GrowAndShrink
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.Controls.Add(Me.TableLayoutPanel1)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(0, 0)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.Name = "FlowLayoutPanel2"
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(800, 450)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.TabIndex = 2
        '
        'ComboBox1
        '
        Me.ComboBox1.DropDownStyle = System.Windows.Forms.ComboBoxStyle.DropDownList
        Me.ComboBox1.FormattingEnabled = True
        Me.ComboBox1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 110)
        Me.ComboBox1.Name = "ComboBox1"
        Me.ComboBox1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(121, 21)
        Me.ComboBox1.TabIndex = 5
        '
        'NoCollapsePanel1
        '
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.AutoSize = True
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.AutoSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoSizeMode.GrowAndShrink
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.Controls.Add(Me.FlowLayoutPanel1)
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 3)
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.Name = "NoCollapsePanel1"
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(45, 13)
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.TabIndex = 0
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.VisibleMode = WindowsApp4.NoCollapsePanel.VisibleModeE.KeepSize
        '
        'FlowLayoutPanel1
        '
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.AutoSize = True
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.AutoSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoSizeMode.GrowAndShrink
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.Controls.Add(Me.Label1)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(0, 0)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.Name = "FlowLayoutPanel1"
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(45, 13)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.TabIndex = 1
        '
        'Label1
        '
        Me.Label1.AutoSize = True
        Me.Label1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(3, 0)
        Me.Label1.Name = "Label1"
        Me.Label1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(39, 13)
        Me.Label1.TabIndex = 0
        Me.Label1.Text = "Label1"
        '
        'Form1
        '
        Me.AutoScaleDimensions = New System.Drawing.SizeF(6.0!, 13.0!)
        Me.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font
        Me.AutoSize = True
        Me.AutoSizeMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoSizeMode.GrowAndShrink
        Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(800, 450)
        Me.Controls.Add(Me.FlowLayoutPanel2)
        Me.Name = "Form1"
        Me.Text = "Form1"
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.ResumeLayout(False)
        Me.TableLayoutPanel1.PerformLayout()
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.ResumeLayout(False)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel2.PerformLayout()
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.ResumeLayout(False)
        Me.NoCollapsePanel1.PerformLayout()
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.ResumeLayout(False)
        Me.FlowLayoutPanel1.PerformLayout()
        Me.ResumeLayout(False)
        Me.PerformLayout()

    End Sub

    Friend WithEvents NoCollapsePanel1 As NoCollapsePanel
    Friend WithEvents Label1 As Label
    Friend WithEvents FlowLayoutPanel1 As FlowLayoutPanel
    Friend WithEvents TableLayoutPanel1 As TableLayoutPanel
    Friend WithEvents CheckBox1 As CheckBox
    Friend WithEvents FlowLayoutPanel2 As FlowLayoutPanel
    Friend WithEvents Button1 As Button
    Friend WithEvents CheckBox2 As CheckBox
    Friend WithEvents TestVisibleChanged_Label As Label
    Friend WithEvents ComboBox1 As ComboBox
End Class

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