I have a form that needs to have a menu at the top, status bar at the bottom and two grids that fill up the upper and lower portions of the remaining window. 

On my form I've created the menu at the top using the Xceed.SmartUI.Controls.ToolBar.SmartToolBar.  At the bottom I've used the Xceed.SmartUI.Controls.StatusBar.SmartStatusBar.  In the middle of the window is the panelClientHost (System.Windows.Forms.Panel). The middle panel is the DockLayOutManager (m_manager = new DockLayoutManager(this, panelClientHost);

Everything looks good in design mode but when I start  up the program the top portion of the grid that is docked at the top of the panelClientHost gets hidden under the menu.  The statusbar is oddly showing above the grid that is docked at the bottom of the panelClientHost.

What is the proper way to add the menu and status bar when using DockingWindows?

Hi Mike,

Our suggestion would be to play around with the ZOrder (Bring to Front / Send to Back), that have an incident in the way docking things get priority over each other.

 

---

** Quick Tip: Clients with an active support subscription should be sending their questions by email if they wish to benefit from the faster response time. Thanks!


Diane Lafontaine
Technical Support
Xceed Software Inc.

I don't think that will really help.  The menu and the docked window/form are taking up the same real estate.  If I change the Zorder the window/form may be brought to the front but then the menu will get hidden which defeats the purpose.  I have a menu at the top and the status bar at the bottom.  Since they are already part of the main window I would think the Docking would dock up against it rather than cover it up.

Since it took so long to get an answer I went a different route.  I ended up creating a new form and putting the menu on it.  Then docking that form first and then the original window/form that I've been talking about docking.  It works but presents a whole new set of problems since the menu is not part of my main form.  It's just not ideal.

I would think there has to be a normal way to add a menu and status bar and then use the middle area between them for docking, but nothing I've tried has worked.

A small example project would be great to have.  I'm using the Xceed SmartMenuBar at the Xceed  StatusBar as well.

 Mike

Hi Mike,

When you say: m_manager = new DockLayoutManager(this, panelClientHost)

Is this another panel? For your scenario that should be, as you want the stuff to dock between the menu and status bar, correct? Either way, to better understand your actual design, it would help us if you could provide us with a small test project that demonstrates your issue.

 

---

** Quick Tip: Clients with an active support subscription should be sending their questions by email if they wish to benefit from the faster response time. Thanks!


Diane Lafontaine
Technical Support
Xceed Software Inc.