Get a Windows Forms control by name in C#

Question

I have a ToolStripMenuItem called myMenu. How can I access this like so:

/* Normally, I would do: */
this.myMenu... etc.

/* But ho         


        

Answer 1

Since you're generating them dynamically, keep a map between a string and the menu item, that will allow fast retrieval.

// in class scope
private readonly Dictionary<string, ToolStripMenuItem> _menuItemsByName = new Dictionary<string, ToolStripMenuItem>();

// in your method creating items
ToolStripMenuItem createdItem = ...
_menuItemsByName.Add("<name here>", createdItem);

// to access it
ToolStripMenuItem menuItem = _menuItemsByName["<name here>"];

Answer 2

You can do the following:

private ToolStripMenuItem getToolStripMenuItemByName(string nameParam)
   {
      foreach (Control ctn in this.Controls)
         {
            if (ctn is ToolStripMenuItem)
               {
                   if (ctn.Name = nameParam)
                      {
                         return ctn;
                      }
                }
         }
         return null;
    }

Answer 3

One of the best way is a single row of code like this:

In this example we search all PictureBox by name in a form

PictureBox[] picSample = 
                    (PictureBox)this.Controls.Find(PIC_SAMPLE_NAME, true);

Most important is the second paramenter of find.

if you are certain that the control name exists you can directly use it:

  PictureBox picSample = 
                        (PictureBox)this.Controls.Find(PIC_SAMPLE_NAME, true)[0];

Answer 4

this.Controls.Find(name, searchAllChildren) doesn't find ToolStripItem because ToolStripItem is not a Control

  using SWF = System.Windows.Forms;
  using NUF = NUnit.Framework;
  namespace workshop.findControlTest {
     [NUF.TestFixture]
     public class FormTest {
        [NUF.Test]public void Find_menu() {
           // == prepare ==
           var fileTool = new SWF.ToolStripMenuItem();
           fileTool.Name = "fileTool";
           fileTool.Text = "File";

           var menuStrip = new SWF.MenuStrip();
           menuStrip.Items.Add(fileTool);

           var form = new SWF.Form();
           form.Controls.Add(menuStrip);

           // == execute ==
           var ctrl = form.Controls.Find("fileTool", true);

           // == not found! ==
           NUF.Assert.That(ctrl.Length, NUF.Is.EqualTo(0)); 
        }
     }
  }

Answer 5

Using the same approach of Philip Wallace, we can do like this:

    public Control GetControlByName(Control ParentCntl, string NameToSearch)
    {
        if (ParentCntl.Name == NameToSearch)
            return ParentCntl;

        foreach (Control ChildCntl in ParentCntl.Controls)
        {
            Control ResultCntl = GetControlByName(ChildCntl, NameToSearch);
            if (ResultCntl != null)
                return ResultCntl;
        }
        return null;
    }

Example:

    public void doSomething() 
    {
            TextBox myTextBox = (TextBox) this.GetControlByName(this, "mytextboxname");
            myTextBox.Text = "Hello!";
    }

I hope it help! :)

Answer 6

Have a look at the ToolStrip.Items collection. It even has a find method available.