How Can I Hide TabControl Buttons While Still Using a TabControl for Panel Management?

Hiding TabControl Buttons for Stacked Panel Control Management

Managing multiple panels containing diverse data masks can be cumbersome, especially when using manual visibility handling in the UI designer. A more streamlined solution is desired that simplifies the addition and management of panels.

Two potential solutions have been explored:

Using TabControl with Hidden Buttons

TabControl provides a convenient way to organize panels into tabs. However, the visible buttons are redundant due to the presence of a TreeView for item selection. To resolve this, a Win32 API-based approach can be employed. By handling the TCM_ADJUSTRECT message, the tab control can be modified to hide its buttons.

Creating a StackPanelControl

An imaginary "StackPanelControl" would arrange panels in a stack and provide a convenient interface for their management. However, such a control does not natively exist in the .NET Framework.

Optimal Solution

The recommended solution is to implement the TabControl solution with invisible buttons. This approach provides a user-friendly interface with clear tab navigation while keeping the TreeView for item selection.

Here's the code for the StackPanel class that hides the tab buttons:

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;

class StackPanel : TabControl {
  protected override void WndProc(ref Message m) {
    // Hide tabs by trapping the TCM_ADJUSTRECT message
    if (m.Msg == 0x1328 && !DesignMode) m.Result = (IntPtr)1;
    else base.WndProc(ref m);
  }
}

By adding this class to your project and placing it on your form, you can design your panels in the UI designer and hide the tab buttons at runtime for a streamlined user experience.

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