Add custom design time command to WinForms control

Question

I have a custom WinForms control (inherits from control, i.e. without user interface jsut as Timer) to which I want to add a custom command add design time.

This could be similar to the "right click and choose 'Edit Items...'" of a menu.

Is this posisble? How?

Also, could you recommend some general reading (online) about improving the design time experience of custom controls?

Answer 1

First here is a link to the relevant MSDN doco on the subject

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms171567(VS.80).aspx

and more specifically

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.componentmodel.design.menucommand(VS.80).aspx

As for a book that covers this, Chris Sells Winforms book is probably the best, however to be honest, I don't think that any of the books out there (on-line or otherwise) cover design time features in the sort of depth that I personally would like.

Answer 2

Another good link is

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc163758.aspx

The article covers most of what is mentioned on this subject in Chris Sells' book, but the book is still worth buying.