How to control docking order in WinForms

Question

I'm looking for a way to control the order in which the items dock to the top of my control.

I've noticed as I add children to my control (in the designer, or through code), the newest child is always at the top. I'd like for the newer children to be on the bottom, and the oldest to be at the top.

Is there a way to do this through code? In the WinForms designer, RightClick->Order->BringToFront / SendToBack is doing something similar to what I want to do, but how can this be done programmatically?

Thank you; I needed to programmatically control the docking and I didn't even realize that their order controlled how they docked. — Eagle-Eye, May 23 '14 at 15:11

score 164 · Answer 1 · edited Dec 10 '18 at 12:25

164

Go to View → Other windows → document outline.

In that window drag the controls so the docking is as you like it to be.

edited Dec 10 '18 at 12:25

Uwe Keim

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answered Apr 09 '10 at 13:07

Stormenet

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I was wondering what words I could use to describe that exact window, get there eventually on Google, Thank you! – Paul C Dec 09 '11 at 13:07
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This does not work if controls are added dynamically. – Wayne Jul 01 '14 at 21:05
Solve my problem easily at design time. – Hao Nguyen Jun 28 '15 at 17:33
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I found out that the windows are listed in reverse order. If I just drag around components, they will parent each other, which I did not want. What I had to do what to drag controls one after another to the top of the list of controls of the same parent, in reverse order to have the components in the desired order. – Anders Lindén Mar 14 '17 at 09:09
Thanks. this is what i was searching for. – ناصر عبده عبده محمد Jun 28 '17 at 19:10
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8 years later... best answer – soulshined Jul 24 '18 at 17:20
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This is the one! Just drag around the order and it works perfectly, what a great tip! – Matthew Young Jan 15 '20 at 15:34
This is a horrible answer. At least, for the question asked. OP asked if there was a way to do this in code... – Justin Greywolf Sep 13 '22 at 21:53
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@JustinGreywolf, look at the edit history of the Question asked. The original question didn't even mention on how to do this in code... – Stormenet Sep 15 '22 at 07:32
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@Stormenet I stand corrected, thanks – Justin Greywolf Sep 16 '22 at 20:07

score 81 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 17 '12 at 12:05

81

Use these methods:

myControl.SendToBack();
myControl.BringToFront();

edited Aug 17 '12 at 12:05

ThiefMaster

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answered Apr 09 '10 at 13:16

serhio

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I was looking for `control.SendToFront()` See, now that was easy. Thanks! – caesay Apr 09 '10 at 13:25
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@Tommy: Do you typically program from behind your computer? :) – Ashley Tate Jan 13 '11 at 21:36
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On window from design, right click. select sendToBack and Right click again: BringToFont – Wolf Oct 12 '16 at 04:26
This method also applies to adding docking controls in the form designer. With the context menu, you can send to back, then bring to front then dock and it will be the last control in the docking "chain". – Anders Lindén Jun 20 '17 at 09:34

score 13 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 04 '16 at 07:42

As you said, the newest control added to the controls collection is the one on top. If you need a newer control to be added at the bottom, I'll suggest to create a list of controls, add the controls to the list, reverse the list and add the list to the controls collection.

List<Control> controls = new List<Control();
controls.Add(new myFirstControl());
controls.Add(new mySecondControl());
controls.Reverse();
this.Controls.AddRange(controls.ToArray());

score 6 · Answer 4 · edited Aug 05 '16 at 17:09

6

A control has two methods to achieve what you are looking for: BringToFront and SendToBack.

edited Aug 05 '16 at 17:09

caesay

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answered Apr 09 '10 at 12:58

Gerrie Schenck

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score 4 · Answer 5 · edited Nov 17 '11 at 14:13

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The order in which the controls are being added to the Controls collection determines the docking order.

edited Nov 17 '11 at 14:13

answered Apr 09 '10 at 13:12

Oliver Hanappi

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I need to edit the docking order after the controls are added to the collection – caesay Apr 09 '10 at 13:16
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Then go for the `ControlCollection.SetChildIndex(control, index)` method. – Oliver Hanappi Apr 09 '10 at 13:24
@Oliver Hanappi: Is it possible to do this in the designer? Without code? – user2366975 Sep 25 '15 at 07:48
You should be able to reorder controls in the Document Outline window (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/zainnab/archive/2010/11/30/document-outline-windows-form-projects-vstiptool0118.aspx) – Oliver Hanappi Sep 26 '15 at 08:09

Jack · Answer 6 · 2019-09-10T21:35:57.520

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Note that when doing this programmatically, then there's a very easy way to achieve this, namely:

containerPanel.Controls.SetChildIndex(Element, 0); //sends element to the bottom of the list

edited Sep 10 '19 at 21:35

answered Aug 09 '19 at 05:29

Jack

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score 3 · Answer 7 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

3

(For the sake matter of showing another option): In Visual Studio 2012 (and later):

Select the Control you want to Move to the Front (or back);
Click in the below marked buttons (Bring to Front / Send to Back);

This will give you the possibility to rearrange the Controls to your desired order.

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Nov 03 '16 at 09:26

Arthur Zennig

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score -4 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 01 '16 at 14:54

-4

Use the FlowLayoutPanel it does exactly what you want.

answered Apr 01 '16 at 14:54

jhersey29

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The answer could use more details, however a fresh take or opinion on how to organise panels doesn't need to be down-voted this hard. A FlowLayoutPanel or SplitLayout COULD be a nicer way to handle this. Instead of having the order controlled "behind the scenes" in a weird way by winForms. – 2b77bee6-5445-4c77-b1eb-4df3e5 May 08 '23 at 16:30

How to control docking order in WinForms

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