DocumentManager Class

The component that allows you to implement tabbed, native MDI, Windows 10-inspired or Widget application UIs.

Namespace : DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010

Assembly : DevExpress.XtraBars.v25.2.dll

NuGet Package : DevExpress.Win.Navigation

Declaration

C#
VB.NET

csharp

[DXLicenseWinForms]
[SerializationOrder(Order = 2)]
public class DocumentManager :
    BaseComponent,
    IUIElement,
    IMdiClientSubclasserOwner,
    IViewRegistrator,
    IMdiClientListener,
    IDocumentsHostOwner,
    IAccessibleInfoProvider,
    IClientControlListener,
    IScaleComponentNotificationClient,
    IObserver<IScaleComponentNotification>,
    IBarAndDockingControllerClient,
    IToolTipControlClient,
    IProcessRunningListener,
    IServiceProvider,
    IBarMouseActivateClient,
    ILogicalOwner,
    ISnapSupport

<SerializationOrder(Order:=2)>
<DXLicenseWinForms>
Public Class DocumentManager
    Inherits BaseComponent
    Implements IUIElement,
               IMdiClientSubclasserOwner,
               IViewRegistrator,
               IMdiClientListener,
               IDocumentsHostOwner,
               IAccessibleInfoProvider,
               IClientControlListener,
               IScaleComponentNotificationClient,
               IObserver(Of IScaleComponentNotification),
               IBarAndDockingControllerClient,
               IToolTipControlClient,
               IProcessRunningListener,
               IServiceProvider,
               IBarMouseActivateClient,
               ILogicalOwner,
               ISnapSupport

The following members return DocumentManager objects:

Remarks

The DocumentManager component is a powerful tool capable of emulating most popular classic and modern application UIs, including:

Each of these UI types is implemented via the related View object (TabbedView, NativeMdiView, WindowsUIView or WidgetView), derived from the BaseView class. All of these Views share a common concept - managing Document objects. A Document is a metaphor, a non-visual object that can wrap any form, user-control, standard or third-party control (see the Documents topic to learn how to create and manage Documents). Each View operates its own Document type, derived from the base BaseDocument class, and stores its Documents in the BaseView.Documents collection. To assign a required View to the DocumentManager, use the DocumentManager.View property.

The DocumentManager component can be used with the Dock Manager within the single application form. In this case, both of these DevExpress components gain several unique features, listed in the Interaction with Dock Panels topic. If you want these features for your application, but do not need multiple Documents within your View, switch the DocumentManager to the Non-Document Mode.

Note

If you need a simple and plain tabbed UI with minimum additional features, we recommend using the XtraTabbedMdiManager component rather then the DocumentManager with Tabbed View applied.

Native MDI View Example

This example shows how to enable a native MDI for a DocumentManager where MDI child windows are presented as regular windows within a container.

C#
VB.NET

csharp

//Form1.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010;
using DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010.Views.NativeMdi;
using DevExpress.XtraEditors;

namespace DocumentManager_NativeMDI {
    public partial class Form1 : Form {
        public Form1() {
            InitializeComponent();
        }
        int childCount = 0;
        private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
            CreateDocumentManager();
            for(int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
                AddChild();
            }
        }
        void CreateDocumentManager() {
            DocumentManager dm = new DocumentManager(components);
            dm.MdiParent = this;
            dm.View = new NativeMdiView();
        }
        void AddChild() {
            Form childForm = null;
            childForm = new Form();
            childForm.Text = "Child Form " + (++childCount);

            SimpleButton btn = new SimpleButton();
            btn.Text = "Button " + childCount;
            btn.Parent = childForm;

            childForm.MdiParent = this;
            childForm.Show();
        }
    }
}

'Form1.vb
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010
Imports DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010.Views.NativeMdi
Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors

Namespace DocumentManager_NativeMDI
    Partial Public Class Form1
        Inherits Form
        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
        End Sub
        Private childCount As Integer = 0
        Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
            CreateDocumentManager()
            For i As Integer = 0 To 2
                AddChild()
            Next i
        End Sub
        Private Sub CreateDocumentManager()
            Dim dm As New DocumentManager(components)
            dm.MdiParent = Me
            dm.View = New NativeMdiView()
        End Sub
        Private Sub AddChild()
            Dim childForm As Form = Nothing
            childForm = New Form()
            childCount += 1
            childForm.Text = "Child Form " & (childCount)

            Dim btn As New SimpleButton()
            btn.Text = "Button " & childCount
            btn.Parent = childForm

            childForm.MdiParent = Me
            childForm.Show()
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

Tabbed View Example

This example enables a tabbed UI for a DocumentManager. The example creates two document groups. MDI child windows are presented as tab pages.

C#
VB.NET

csharp

using DevExpress.XtraEditors;
using DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010;
using DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010.Views.Tabbed;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace DXApplication {
    public partial class Form1 : XtraForm {
        DocumentManager docManager;
        public Form1() {
            InitializeComponent();

            InitDocumentManager();
            AddChildForms(5);
            AddDocumentGroup(Orientation.Vertical, 2);
        }
        void InitDocumentManager() {
            docManager = new DocumentManager(components) {
                MdiParent = this,
                View = new TabbedView()
            };
        }
        void AddChildForms(int count) {
            for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
                AddChildForm(i);
        }
        void AddDocumentGroup(Orientation groupOrientation, int documentIndex) {
            (docManager.View as TabbedView).Controller.CreateNewDocumentGroup(docManager.View.Documents[documentIndex] as Document, groupOrientation);
        }
        void AddChildForm(int number) {
            XtraForm childForm = new XtraForm() {
                Text = string.Format("Child Form ({0})", number),
                MdiParent = this
            };
            SimpleButton btn = new SimpleButton() {
                Text = string.Format("Button"),
                Parent = childForm
            };
            childForm.Show();
        }
    }
}

Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors
Imports DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010
Imports DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010.Views.Tabbed
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Namespace DXApplication
    Partial Public Class Form1
        Inherits XtraForm

        Private docManager As DocumentManager
        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()

            InitDocumentManager()
            AddChildForms(5)
            AddDocumentGroup(Orientation.Vertical, 2)
        End Sub
        Private Sub InitDocumentManager()
            docManager = New DocumentManager(components) With {
                .MdiParent = Me,
                .View = New TabbedView()
            }
        End Sub
        Private Sub AddChildForms(ByVal count As Integer)
            For i As Integer = 0 To count - 1
                AddChildForm(i)
            Next i
        End Sub
        Private Sub AddDocumentGroup(ByVal groupOrientation As Orientation, ByVal documentIndex As Integer)
            TryCast(docManager.View, TabbedView).Controller.CreateNewDocumentGroup(TryCast(docManager.View.Documents(documentIndex), Document), groupOrientation)
        End Sub
        Private Sub AddChildForm(ByVal number As Integer)
            Dim childForm As New XtraForm() With {
                .Text = String.Format("Child Form ({0})", number),
                .MdiParent = Me
            }
            Dim btn As New SimpleButton() With {
                .Text = String.Format("Button"),
                .Parent = childForm
            }
            childForm.Show()
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

This example demonstrates how to create and customize the WidgetView at runtime. In this example, the WidgetView contains two StackGroups, which host three Documents. Each Document displays different content in its normal and maximized states. StackGroups have relative lengths (their Length.UnitType properties are set to Star ), which allows them to dynamically resize whenever the parent form resizes.

Note

1. When creating the Widget View-based application at runtime, do not specify the DocumentManager.MdiParent property manually. Otherwise, widgets will not be displayed.

2. Be sure to set the DocumentManager.ContainerControl property after the View is created and assigned to the DocumentManager.View property.

View Example

C#
VB.NET

csharp

//ucPreview.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Data;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace WidgetViewExample {
    public partial class ucPreview : UserControl {
        public ucPreview() {
            InitializeComponent();
        }
    }
}

//ucMaximizedContent.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Data;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace WidgetViewExample {
    public partial class ucMaximizedContent : UserControl {
        public ucMaximizedContent() {
            InitializeComponent();
        }
    }
}

//Form1.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010;
using DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010.Views.Widget;
using DevExpress.XtraEditors;

namespace WidgetViewExample {
    public partial class Form1 : XtraForm {
        public Form1() {
            InitializeComponent();
        }
        void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
            AddDocumentManager();
            for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
                AddDocuments();
            }
            //Adding Documents to group1 is not necessary, since all newly created Documents are automatically placed in the first StackGroup.
            group1.Items.AddRange(new Document[] { view.Documents[0] as Document, view.Documents[1] as Document });
            view.Controller.Dock(view.Documents[2] as Document, group2);
        }

        WidgetView view;
        StackGroup group1, group2;
        void AddDocumentManager() {
            DocumentManager dM = new DocumentManager(components);
            view = new WidgetView();
            dM.View = view;
            view.AllowDocumentStateChangeAnimation = DevExpress.Utils.DefaultBoolean.True;
            group1 = new StackGroup();
            group2 = new StackGroup();
            group1.Length.UnitType = LengthUnitType.Star;
            group1.Length.UnitValue = 2;
            view.StackGroups.AddRange(new StackGroup[] { group1, group2 });
            dM.ContainerControl = this;
        }

        int count = 1;
        void AddDocuments() {
            Document document = view.AddDocument(new ucPreview()) as Document;
            document.MaximizedControl = new ucMaximizedContent();
            count++;
        }
    }
}

'ucPreview.vb
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Threading.Tasks
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Namespace WidgetViewExample
    Partial Public Class ucPreview
        Inherits UserControl

        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

'ucMaximizedContent.vb
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Threading.Tasks
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Namespace WidgetViewExample
    Partial Public Class ucMaximizedContent
        Inherits UserControl

        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

'Form1.vb
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Threading.Tasks
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010
Imports DevExpress.XtraBars.Docking2010.Views.Widget
Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors

Namespace WidgetViewExample
    Partial Public Class Form1
        Inherits XtraForm

        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
        End Sub
        Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
            AddDocumentManager()
            For i As Integer = 0 To 2
                AddDocuments()
            Next i
            'Adding Documents to group1 is not necessary, since all newly created Documents are automatically placed in the first StackGroup.
            group1.Items.AddRange(New Document() { TryCast(view.Documents(0), Document), TryCast(view.Documents(1), Document) })
            view.Controller.Dock(TryCast(view.Documents(2), Document), group2)
        End Sub

        Private view As WidgetView
        Private group1, group2 As StackGroup
        Private Sub AddDocumentManager()
            Dim dM As New DocumentManager(components)
            view = New WidgetView()
            dM.View = view
            view.AllowDocumentStateChangeAnimation = DevExpress.Utils.DefaultBoolean.True
            group1 = New StackGroup()
            group2 = New StackGroup()
            group1.Length.UnitType = LengthUnitType.Star
            group1.Length.UnitValue = 2
            view.StackGroups.AddRange(New StackGroup() { group1, group2 })
            dM.ContainerControl = Me
        End Sub

        Private count As Integer = 1
        Private Sub AddDocuments()
            Dim document As Document = TryCast(view.AddDocument(New ucPreview()), Document)
            document.MaximizedControl = New ucMaximizedContent()
            count += 1
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

Web Browser UI Example

The Document Manager allows you to select the container type for documents (DocumentManager.View.FloatingDocumentContainer):

if the FloatingDocumentContainer property is set to SingleDocument, a floating document is hosted within its individual container.
if the FloatingDocumentContainer property is set to DocumentsHost, floating documents are hosted within a container to which other documents can be docked. Documents docked to a floating container are displayed as tabs.

The example uses this feature to create a web browser UI.

View Example