TabControl (tab)

TabControl - Allows you to display multiple tabs of the same controls.

TabStrip - change all backgrounds from "Transparent" to "Control" - different PCs things look different.
TextBox does not support BackColor = Transparent ??

Examples

Useful Code

The tab collection starts at 0.

TabControl1.TabPages(0)  'this is the first tab  

Changing Tabs to appear on the right

SS

Alignment = Left 
SizeMode = Fixed 
ItemSize = 30,120 
DrawMode = OwnerDrawFixed 

Displaying a Particular Tab

TabControl1.SelectedIndex = 0 
TabControl1.TabPages(1).Enabled = False 

The Count property returns the actual number of tab pages

TabControl1.TabPages.Count 

To display the last tab page use:

TabControl1.SelectedIndex = tabWizard.TabPages.Count - 1 

The following line of code does not seem to work if you want to change the selected tab after the tab order has been fixed in the Form_Load event.

Me.tabWizard.SelectedIndex = 2 

This line of code seems to work though

Me.tabWizard.SelectedTab = Me.tabWizard.TabPages(2) 

Removing a Tab

Me.TabControl1.Controls.Remove(Me.TabControl1.TabPages(3)) 

Hiding and Showing Tabs

There is no quick or easy way to hide and show specific tabs
The following does not work (TabControl.TabPages(1).Visible = False)
Declare a module level variable to keep a reference to the tab which will be removed or added
The TabPages collection starts with index = 0.

Dim mtabAbbreviationsTabPage As System.Windows.Forms.TabPage 

mtabAbbreviationsTabPage = Me.TabControl1.TabPages(3) 
Me.TabControl1.Controls.Remove(Me.TabControl1.TabPages(3)) 

Private Sub chbUseFolderAbbreviations_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, _ 
                                                     ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _ 
                                                     Handles chbUseFolderAbbreviations.CheckedChanged 

   If chbUseFolderAbbreviations.Checked = True Then 
      TabControl1.Controls.Add(mtabAbbreviationsTabPage) 
   Else 
      TabControl1.Controls.Remove(Me.TabControl1.TabPages(3)) 
   End If 
End Sub 

In C# you need to edit the form.designer.cs file and manually add the corresponding event ??

TabControl_SelectedIndexChanged(Object sender, EventArgs e) 
TabControl1.SelectedIndexChanged += new System.EventHandler(this, TabControl_SelectedIndexChanged) 

Prevent/Validate Tab Changes

If you want to prevent the user from changing tabs if its validation fails you should use the Selecting event, not the SelectedIndexChanged event.

Private Sub TabControl_Selecting(ByVal sender As Object, _ 
                     ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.CancelEventArgs) _ 
                    Handles TabControl.Selecting 

   Select Case Me.TabControl.SelectedIndex 
      Case 0 


      Case 1 
          e.Cancel = True 

      Case 2 
   End Select 
End Sub 

    Private Sub TabControl1_DrawItem(ByVal sender As Object, _ 
                                     ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DrawItemEventArgs) _ 
                                     Handles TabControl1.DrawItem 

        Dim CurrentTab As TabPage = TabControl1.TabPages(e.Index) 
        Dim ItemRect As System.Drawing.Rectangle = TabControl1.GetTabRect(e.Index) 
        Dim FillBrush As System.Drawing.SolidBrush 
        Dim TextBrush As System.Drawing.SolidBrush 
        Dim sf As System.Drawing.StringFormat = New System.Drawing.StringFormat() 

        If (e.State = DrawItemState.Selected) Then 

            FillBrush = New System.Drawing.SolidBrush(System.Drawing.Color.White) 
            TextBrush = New System.Drawing.SolidBrush(System.Drawing.Color.LightBlue) 
            TextBrush.Color = System.Drawing.Color.Black 
        Else 
            FillBrush = New System.Drawing.SolidBrush(System.Drawing.Color.LightBlue) 
            TextBrush = New System.Drawing.SolidBrush(System.Drawing.Color.White) 
            TextBrush.Color = System.Drawing.Color.Black 
        End If 

        'Next we'll paint the TabItem with our Fill Brush
        e.Graphics.FillRectangle(FillBrush, ItemRect) 

        Dim objfont As System.Drawing.Font 
        objfont = New System.Drawing.Font(e.Font.Name, e.Font.Size) 

        Dim objrectangleF As System.Drawing.RectangleF 
        objrectangleF = CType(ItemRect, System.Drawing.RectangleF) 

        'sf.Alignment = System.Drawing.StringAlignment.Center
        'sf.LineAlignment = System.Drawing.StringAlignment.Center

        e.Graphics.DrawString(CurrentTab.Text, objfont, TextBrush, objrectangleF, sf) 

        'Finally, we should Dispose of our brushes.
        FillBrush.Dispose() 
        TextBrush.Dispose() 

    End Sub 

Properties

Methods

Events