docs-desktop/dotnet-desktop-guide/framework/winforms/controls/create-and-set-a-custom-renderer-for-the-toolstrip-control-in-wf.md

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title	ms.date	dev_langs	helpviewer_keywords	ms.assetid
How to: Create and Set a Custom Renderer for the ToolStrip Control	03/30/2017	csharp vb	ToolStrip control [Windows Forms], custom rendering toolbars [Windows Forms], rendering examples [Windows Forms], toolbars ToolStrip control [Windows Forms], rendering	88a804ba-679f-4ba3-938a-0dc396199c5b

How to: Create and Set a Custom Renderer for the ToolStrip Control in Windows Forms

xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip controls give easy support to themes and styles. You can achieve completely custom appearance and behavior (look and feel) by setting either the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.Renderer%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType property or the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager.Renderer%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType property to a custom renderer.

You can assign renderers to each individual xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip, xref:System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip, xref:System.Windows.Forms.ContextMenuStrip, or xref:System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip control, or you can use the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager.Renderer%2A property to affect all objects by setting the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.RenderMode%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType property to xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.ManagerRenderMode?displayProperty=nameWithType.

Note

xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.RenderMode%2A returns xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.Custom only if the value of xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.Renderer%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType is not null.

To create a custom renderer

1. Extend the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderer class.

2. Implement desired custom rendering by overriding appropriate On… members

   Public Class RedTextRenderer  
       Inherits System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderer  
       Protected Overrides Sub OnRenderItemText(ByVal e As _  
           ToolStripItemTextRenderEventArgs)
           e.TextColor = Color.Red  
           e.TextFont = New Font("Helvetica", 7, FontStyle.Bold)  
           MyBase.OnRenderItemText(e)  
       End Sub  
   End Class  
   

   public class RedTextRenderer : _  
       System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderer  
   {  
       protected override void _  
           OnRenderItemText(ToolStripItemTextRenderEventArgs e)  
       {  
           e.TextColor = Color.Red;  
           e.TextFont = new Font("Helvetica", 7, FontStyle.Bold);  
          base.OnRenderItemText(e);  
       }  
   }  
   

To set the custom renderer to be the current renderer

1. To set the custom renderer for one xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip, set the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.Renderer%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType property to the custom renderer.

   toolStrip1.Renderer = New RedTextRenderer()  
   

   toolStrip1.Renderer = new RedTextRenderer();  
   

2. Or to set the custom renderer for all xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip classes contained in your application: Set the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager.Renderer%2A?displayProperty=nameWithType property to the custom renderer and set the xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.RenderMode%2A property to xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderMode.ManagerRenderMode.

   toolStrip1.RenderMode = ToolStripRenderMode.ManagerRenderMode  
   ToolStripManager.Renderer = New RedTextRenderer()  
   

   toolStrip1.RenderMode = ToolStripRenderMode.ManagerRenderMode;  
   ToolStripManager.Renderer = new RedTextRenderer();  
   

See also

• xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripManager.Renderer%2A
• xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripRenderer
• xref:System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.RenderMode%2A
• ToolStrip Control Overview
• ToolStrip Control Architecture
• ToolStrip Technology Summary