Customizing the Way Custom Properties Show in the Properties Window

Use the System.ComponentModel.Browsable attribute to specify whether the property shows in the Properties Window. The Properties Window shows properties that have no Browsable attribute or have the attribute set to True. If a property is not appropriate for design time editing, set the Browsable attribute to False.

Example

    ' VB

    <System.ComponentModel.Browsable(False)> _
        Public Property Steps() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_MySteps
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            m_MySteps = Value
            Me.Invalidate()
        End Set
    End Property

    // C#
    [System.ComponentModel.Browsable(false)]
    public int Steps
    {
          get
          {
                return m_Steps;
          }
          set
          {
                m_Steps = value;
                this.Invalidate();
          }
    }

Use the System.ComponentModel.Description attribute to specify the descriptive text that shows at the bottom of the Properties Window. This text should be concise yet descriptive enough to explain the purpose of the property.

For instance, the Button control’s BackColor property’s description is: “The background color used to display text and graphics in the control.”

Example

    ' VB
    <System.ComponentModel.Description("Number of steps between the start and end values.")> _
        Public Property Steps() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_MySteps
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            m_MySteps = Value
            Me.Invalidate()
        End Set
    End Property 

      // C#
      [System.ComponentModel.Description("Number of steps between the start and end values.")]
      public int Steps
      {
            get
            {
                  return m_Steps;
            }
            set
            {
                  m_Steps = value;
                  this.Invalidate();
            }
      }

Use the System.ComponentModel.Category attribute to specify the name of the category in which the property should be displayed in the Properties Window. For instance, the Button control’s BackColor property is displayed in the Appearance category.

Example

    ' VB
    <System.ComponentModel.Category("Gradient")> _
       Public Property Steps() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_MySteps
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            m_MySteps = Value
            Me.Invalidate()
        End Set
    End Property

    // C#
    [System.ComponentModel.Category("Gradient")]
    public int Steps
    {
          get
          {
                return m_Steps;
          }
          set
          {
                m_Steps = value;
                this.Invalidate();
          }
    }

Use the System.ComponentModel.ParenthizePropertyName attribute to specify whether the property name is displayed with parentheses in the Properties Window. Use parenthesis to force the property to appear at the top of the sort order (near the top of the list when sorted alphabetically, or near the top of the category when in categorized mode).

Example

    ' VB
    <System.ComponentModel.ParenthesizePropertyName(False)> _
        Public Property Steps() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_MySteps
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            m_MySteps = Value
            Me.Invalidate()
        End Set
    End Property

    // C#
    [System.ComponentModel.ParenthesizePropertyName(false)]
    public int Steps
    {
          get
          {
                return m_Steps;
          }
          set
          {
                m_Steps = value;
                this.Invalidate();
          }
    }