Control.Handle Property (System.Windows.Forms)

Handle Property

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This page is specific to

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:

.NET Framework Class Library

Control..::.Handle Property

Updated: November 2007

Gets the window handle that the control is bound to.

Namespace: System.Windows.Forms
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms (in System.Windows.Forms.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

<BrowsableAttribute(False)> _
Public ReadOnly Property Handle As IntPtr

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As Control
Dim value As IntPtr

value = instance.Handle

[BrowsableAttribute(false)]
public IntPtr Handle { get; }

Visual C++

[BrowsableAttribute(false)]
public:
virtual property IntPtr Handle {
    IntPtr get () sealed;
}

/** @property */
/** @attribute BrowsableAttribute(false) */
public final IntPtr get_Handle()

JScript

public final function get Handle () : IntPtr

Property Value

Type: System..::.IntPtr

An IntPtr that contains the window handle (HWND) of the control.

Implements

IWin32Window..::.Handle

Remarks

The value of the Handle property is a Windows HWND. If the handle has not yet been created, referencing this property will force the handle to be created.

Examples

The following code example demonstrates using the ControlPaint..::.DrawFocusRectangle and the Handle property. To run the example paste the following code in a form. Add two buttons named Button1 and Button2 to the form and ensure all events are connected to their event handlers.

Visual Basic

' This method draws a focus rectangle on Button2 using the 
' handle and client rectangle of Button2.
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
    ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    ControlPaint.DrawFocusRectangle(Graphics.FromHwnd(Button2.Handle), _
    Button2.ClientRectangle)
End Sub

    // This method draws a focus rectangle on Button2 using the 
    // handle and client rectangle of Button2.
    private void Button1_Click(System.Object sender, System.EventArgs e)
    {
        ControlPaint.DrawFocusRectangle(Graphics.FromHwnd(Button2.Handle), 
            Button2.ClientRectangle);
    }

Visual C++

// This method draws a focus rectangle on Button2 using the 
// handle and client rectangle of Button2.
void Button1_Click( System::Object^ /*sender*/, System::EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
{
   ControlPaint::DrawFocusRectangle( Graphics::FromHwnd( Button2->Handle ), Button2->ClientRectangle );
}

// This method draws a focus rectangle on button2 using the 
// handle and client rectangle of button2.
private void button1_Click(Object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
    ControlPaint.DrawFocusRectangle(Graphics.FromHwnd(button2.get_Handle()), 
        button2.get_ClientRectangle());
} //button1_Click

Platforms

Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

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