Windows Forms

Abstract

In this chapter, we took a whistle-stop tour of Windows Forms, the oldest and most mature of the .NET user interface technologies. You have seen how the properties and events model are used to configure and wire up controls to create traditional Windows clients and how easy it is to integrate external data into such a program. We also looked at using the Windows API Code Pack, which provides support for accessing Windows 7/Vista-specific features such as jump lists and windows transparency.

Windows Forms has fallen out of favor since WPF arrived on the scene. This is a shame, because Windows Forms is rich in features and incredibly widely used. It lacks some of the flashy features that WPF supports, since these are rarely used in business programs. I recommend you don’t dismiss Windows Forms and consider it seriously for your interface projects.