---
title: "How to: Add Buttons to a ToolBar Control"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "toolbars [Windows Forms], adding buttons"
  - "ToolBar control [Windows Forms], adding buttons"
  - "ToolBar control [Windows Forms], adding separators"
  - "examples [Windows Forms], toolbars"
  - "ToolBar control [Windows Forms], adding drop-down menus"
ms.assetid: 78a58a8d-1041-4e38-9219-4096fa6a5c5c
---
# How to: Add Buttons to a ToolBar Control
> [!NOTE]
> The <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip> control replaces and adds functionality to the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar> control; however, the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar> control is retained for both backward compatibility and future use, if you choose.  
  
 An integral part of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar> control is the buttons you add to it. These can be used to provide easy access to menu commands or, alternately, they can be placed in another area of the user interface of your application to expose commands to your users that are not available in the menu structure.  
  
 The examples below assume that a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar> control has been added to a Windows Form (`Form1`).  
  
### To add buttons programmatically  
  
1. In a procedure, create toolbar buttons by adding them to the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar.Buttons%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> collection.  
  
2. Specify property settings for an individual button by passing the button's index via the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar.Buttons%2A> property.  
  
     The example below assumes a form with a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar> control already added.  
  
    > [!NOTE]
    > The <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar.Buttons%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType> collection is a zero-based collection, so code should proceed accordingly.  
  
    ```vb  
    Public Sub CreateToolBarButtons()  
    ' Create buttons and set text property.  
       ToolBar1.Buttons.Add("One")  
       ToolBar1.Buttons.Add("Two")  
       ToolBar1.Buttons.Add("Three")  
       ToolBar1.Buttons.Add("Four")  
    ' Set properties of StatusBar panels.  
    ' Set Style property.  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(0).Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.PushButton  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(1).Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.Separator  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(2).Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.ToggleButton  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(3).Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.DropDownButton  
    ' Set the ToggleButton's PartialPush property.  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(2).PartialPush = True  
    ' Instantiate a ContextMenu component and menu items.  
    ' Set the DropDownButton's DropDownMenu property to the context menu.  
       Dim cm As New ContextMenu()  
       Dim miOne As New MenuItem("One")  
       Dim miTwo As New MenuItem("Two")  
       Dim miThree As New MenuItem("Three")  
       cm.MenuItems.Add(miOne)  
       cm.MenuItems.Add(miTwo)  
       cm.MenuItems.Add(miThree)  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(3).DropDownMenu = cm  
    ' Set the PushButton's Pushed property.  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(0).Pushed = True  
    ' Set the ToolTipText property of one of the buttons.  
       ToolBar1.Buttons(1).ToolTipText = "Button 2"  
    End Sub  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    public void CreateToolBarButtons()  
    {  
       // Create buttons and set text property.  
       toolBar1.Buttons.Add("One");  
       toolBar1.Buttons.Add("Two");  
       toolBar1.Buttons.Add("Three");  
       toolBar1.Buttons.Add("Four");  
  
       // Set properties of StatusBar panels.  
       // Set Style property.  
       toolBar1.Buttons[0].Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.PushButton;  
       toolBar1.Buttons[1].Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.Separator;  
       toolBar1.Buttons[2].Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.ToggleButton;  
       toolBar1.Buttons[3].Style = ToolBarButtonStyle.DropDownButton;  
  
       // Set the ToggleButton's PartialPush property.  
       toolBar1.Buttons[2].PartialPush = true;  
  
       // Instantiate a ContextMenu component and menu items.  
       // Set the DropDownButton's DropDownMenu property to
       // the context menu.  
       ContextMenu cm = new ContextMenu();  
       MenuItem miOne = new MenuItem("One");  
       MenuItem miTwo = new MenuItem("Two");  
       MenuItem miThree = new MenuItem("Three");  
       cm.MenuItems.Add(miOne);  
       cm.MenuItems.Add(miTwo);  
       cm.MenuItems.Add(miThree);  
  
       toolBar1.Buttons[3].DropDownMenu = cm;  
       // Set the PushButton's Pushed property.  
       toolBar1.Buttons[0].Pushed = true;  
       // Set the ToolTipText property of 1 of the buttons.  
       toolBar1.Buttons[1].ToolTipText = "Button 2";  
    }  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    public:  
       void CreateToolBarButtons()  
       {  
          // Create buttons and set text property.  
          toolBar1->Buttons->Add( "One" );  
          toolBar1->Buttons->Add( "Two" );  
          toolBar1->Buttons->Add( "Three" );  
          toolBar1->Buttons->Add( "Four" );  
  
          // Set properties of StatusBar panels.  
          // Set Style property.  
          toolBar1->Buttons[0]->Style = ToolBarButtonStyle::PushButton;  
          toolBar1->Buttons[1]->Style = ToolBarButtonStyle::Separator;  
          toolBar1->Buttons[2]->Style = ToolBarButtonStyle::ToggleButton;  
          toolBar1->Buttons[3]->Style = ToolBarButtonStyle::DropDownButton;  
  
          // Set the ToggleButton's PartialPush property.  
          toolBar1->Buttons[2]->PartialPush = true;  
  
          // Instantiate a ContextMenu component and menu items.  
          // Set the DropDownButton's DropDownMenu property to
          // the context menu.  
          System::Windows::Forms::ContextMenu^ cm = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::ContextMenu;  
          MenuItem^ miOne = gcnew MenuItem( "One" );  
          MenuItem^ miTwo = gcnew MenuItem( "Two" );  
          MenuItem^ miThree = gcnew MenuItem( "Three" );  
          cm->MenuItems->Add( miOne );  
          cm->MenuItems->Add( miTwo );  
          cm->MenuItems->Add( miThree );  
          toolBar1->Buttons[3]->DropDownMenu = cm;  
  
          // Set the PushButton's Pushed property.  
          toolBar1->Buttons[0]->Pushed = true;  
  
          // Set the ToolTipText property of 1 of the buttons.  
          toolBar1->Buttons[1]->ToolTipText = "Button 2";  
       }  
    ```  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar>
- [How to: Define an Icon for a ToolBar Button](how-to-define-an-icon-for-a-toolbar-button.md)
- [How to: Trigger Menu Events for Toolbar Buttons](how-to-trigger-menu-events-for-toolbar-buttons.md)
- [ToolBar Control Overview](toolbar-control-overview-windows-forms.md)
- [ToolBar Control](toolbar-control-windows-forms.md)