docs-desktop/dotnet-desktop-guide/framework/winforms/controls/how-to-anchor-and-dock-child-controls-in-a-tablelayoutpanel-control.md

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How to: Anchor and Dock Child Controls in a TableLayoutPanel Control	03/30/2017	csharp vb	net.ComponentModel.StyleCollectionEditor.TLP.AnchorDock	layout [Windows Forms], child controls controls [Windows Forms], child child controls [Windows Forms], anchoring and docking TableLayoutPanel control [Windows Forms], child controls	0d267c35-25f1-49b8-8976-c64e8f0ddc0b

How to: Anchor and Dock Child Controls in a TableLayoutPanel Control

The xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel control supports the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A and xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Dock%2A properties in its child controls.

To align a child control in a TableLayoutPanel cell

1. Create a xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel control on your form.

2. Set the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel.ColumnCount%2A and xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel.RowCount%2A properties to 1.

3. Create a xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control in the xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel control. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button occupies the upper-left corner of the cell.

4. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property to Left. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control moves to align with the left border of the cell.

   Note

   This behavior differs from the behavior of other container controls. In other container controls, the child control does not move when the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property is set, and the distance between the anchored control and the parent container's boundary is fixed at the time the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property is set.

5. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property to Top, Left. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control moves to occupy the top-left corner of the cell.

6. Repeat step 5 with a value of Top, Right to move the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control to the top-right corner of the cell. Repeat with values of Bottom, Left and Bottom, Right.

To stretch a child control in a TableLayoutPanel cell

1. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property to Left, Right. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control is resized to stretch across the cell.

   Note

   This behavior differs from the behavior of other container controls. In other container controls, the child control is not resized when the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property is set to Left, Right or Top, Bottom.

2. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property to Top, Bottom. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control is resized to stretch from the top to the bottom of the cell.

3. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property to Top, Bottom, Left, Right. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control is resized to fill the cell.

4. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property to None. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control is resized and centered in the cell.

5. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Dock%2A property to xref:System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Left. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control moves to align with the left border of the cell. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control retains its width, but its height is resized to fill the cell vertically.

   Note

   This is the same behavior that occurs in other container controls.

6. Change the value of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control's xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Dock%2A property to xref:System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill. The xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control is resized to fill the cell.

Example

The following illustration shows five buttons anchored in five separate xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel cells.

The following illustration shows four buttons anchored in the corners of four separate xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel cells.

The following illustration shows three buttons stretched by anchoring in three separate xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel cells.

The following code example demonstrates all the combinations of xref:System.Windows.Forms.Control.Anchor%2A property values for a xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button control in a xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel control.

[!code-csharpSystem.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel.AnchorExampleForm#1] [!code-vbSystem.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel.AnchorExampleForm#1]

Compiling the Code

This example requires:

• References to the System, System.Data, System.Drawing and System.Windows.Forms assemblies.

See also

• xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel
• TableLayoutPanel Control