Is there a FireBug like utility for inspecting a Winform Application? [closed]

Question

I am designing a program that dynamically creates its own GUI at run time.

I am looking for a firebug like utility that allows me to move my mouse around the form to see different controls highlighted and see what their size, padding, margins, etc are set to.

Thank you,
Keith

Answer 1

There is a tool called Hawkeye that does exactly what you ask for. Here are the two articles I wrote about it.

Debugging Tools: Hawkeye

Corneliu Tusnea has Released Hawkeye as Open Source

Answer 2

Spy++ is about the closest you're gonna get... but it's for generic Windows, not .NET sepcifically.

I did find this article on MSDN magazine about ManagedSpy

Answer 3

Hawkeye project on codeplex is active (again). You may give a try to its latest release:

http://hawkeye.codeplex.com/releases/view/58898

Answer 4

A browser has a DOM model, without that I don't think this is possible. Without thinking too much about it, I don't know how such a thing would be able to plug in to an application much less browse a control hierarchy.

Might have to roll it yourself. Shouldn't be too hard if you leave the proper hooks.

Answer 5

Try WinExplorer by Nirsoft. It works on non dot net programs fairly well and allows you to manipulate the gui of programs (e.g. enable buttons you are not supposed to press)