---
title: "ToolStripContainer Control Overview"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
f1_keywords: 
  - "ToolStripContainer"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "toolbars [Windows Forms], built-in rafting"
  - "ToolStripContainer control [Windows Forms], about ToolStripContainer control"
ms.assetid: c7d63bff-64e2-4a63-bd89-d31bc96dacb8
---
# ToolStripContainer Control Overview
A <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> has panels on its left, right, top, and bottom sides for positioning and rafting <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip>, <xref:System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip>, and <xref:System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip> controls. Multiple <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip> controls stack vertically if you put them in the left or right <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer>. They stack horizontally if you put them in the top or bottom <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer>. You can use the central <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContentPanel> of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> to position traditional controls on the form.  
  
 Any or all <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> controls are directly selectable at design time and can be deleted. Each panel of a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> is expandable and collapsible, and resizes with the controls that it contains.  
  
### Important ToolStripContainer Members  
  
|Name|Description|  
|----------|-----------------|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.BottomToolStripPanel%2A>|Gets the bottom panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer>.|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.BottomToolStripPanelVisible%2A>|Gets or sets a value indicating whether the bottom panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> is visible.|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.LeftToolStripPanel%2A>|Gets the left panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer>.|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.LeftToolStripPanelVisible%2A>|Gets or sets a value indicating whether the left panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> is visible.|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.RightToolStripPanel%2A>|Gets the right panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer>.|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.RightToolStripPanelVisible%2A>|Gets or sets a value indicating whether the right panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> is visible.|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.TopToolStripPanel%2A>|Gets the top panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer>.|  
|<xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer.TopToolStripPanelVisible%2A>|Gets or sets a value indicating whether the top panel of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer> is visible.|  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContainer>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripContentPanel>