How to: Create a NavBar Control in Code

• Nov 13, 2018
• 2 minutes to read

This example creates a NavBarControl in code and adds a Local group with three commands (“Inbox”, “Sent Items”, and “Spam”) to the NavBarControl.

1. Create a NavBarControl instance.
2. Create a NavBarGroup instance and add it to the NavBarControl.Groups collection.

3. For commands, create NavBarItem objects. Use the ImageOptions property to specify an image for each command. Add the commands to the NavBarGroup.ItemLinks collection.

   Tip

   You can use NavBarControl.BeginUpdate and NavBarControl.EndUpdate methods to prevent excessive updates when multiple properties are modified.

4. Handle the NavBarControl.LinkClicked event to respond to clicks on commands.

Note

svgImageCollection1 was created and populated at runtime.

C#

using DevExpress.XtraNavBar;

void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
  // Create a NavBarControl.
  NavBarControl navBar = new NavBarControl();
  this.Controls.Add(navBar);
  navBar.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
  // Apply the "SkinExplorerBarView" style.
  navBar.PaintStyleName = "SkinExplorerBarView";
  // Create a Local group.
  NavBarGroup groupLocal = new NavBarGroup("Local");
  // Create an Inbox item and assign an image.
  NavBarItem itemInbox = new NavBarItem("Inbox");
  itemInbox.ImageOptions.SvgImage = svgImageCollection1["inbox"];
  // Create a disabled Sent Items item.
  NavBarItem itemSentItems = new NavBarItem("Sent Items");
  itemSentItems.ImageOptions.SvgImage = svgImageCollection1["sent-items"];
  itemSentItems.Enabled = false;
  // Create a Spam item.
  NavBarItem itemSpam = new NavBarItem("Spam");
  itemSpam.ImageOptions.SvgImage = svgImageCollection1["spam"];
  // Add the items to the group and add the group to the NavBarControl.
  // Prevent excessive updates using BeginUpdate and EndUpdate methods.
  navBar.BeginUpdate();
  navBar.Groups.Add(groupLocal);
  groupLocal.ItemLinks.Add(itemInbox);
  groupLocal.ItemLinks.Add(itemSentItems);
  groupLocal.ItemLinks.Add(itemSpam);
  groupLocal.Expanded = true;
  navBar.EndUpdate();
  // Handle the NavBarControl's LinkClicked event.
  navBar.LinkClicked += new NavBarLinkEventHandler(navBar_LinkClicked);
}

void navBar_LinkClicked(object sender, NavBarLinkEventArgs e) {
  MessageBox.Show(string.Format("The {0} link has been clicked", e.Link.Caption));
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraNavBar

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
  ' Create a NavBarControl.
  Dim navBar As New NavBarControl()
  Me.Controls.Add(navBar)
  navBar.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
  ' Apply the "SkinExplorerBarView" style.
  navBar.PaintStyleName = "SkinExplorerBarView"
  ' Create a Local group.
  Dim groupLocal As New NavBarGroup("Local")
  ' Create an Inbox item and assign an image.
  Dim itemInbox As New NavBarItem("Inbox")
  itemInbox.ImageOptions.SvgImage = svgImageCollection1("inbox")
  ' Create a disabled Sent Items item.
  Dim itemSentItems As New NavBarItem("Sent Items")
  itemSentItems.ImageOptions.SvgImage = svgImageCollection1("sent-items")
  itemSentItems.Enabled = False
  ' Create a Spam item.
  Dim itemSpam As New NavBarItem("Spam")
  itemSpam.ImageOptions.SvgImage = svgImageCollection1("spam")
  ' Add the items to the group and add the group to the NavBarControl.
  ' Prevent excessive updates using BeginUpdate and EndUpdate methods.
  navBar.BeginUpdate()
  navBar.Groups.Add(groupLocal)
  groupLocal.ItemLinks.Add(itemInbox)
  groupLocal.ItemLinks.Add(itemSentItems)
  groupLocal.ItemLinks.Add(itemSpam)
  groupLocal.Expanded = True
  navBar.EndUpdate()
  ' Handle the NavBarControl's LinkClicked event.
  AddHandler navBar.LinkClicked, AddressOf navBar_LinkClicked
End Sub

Private Sub navBar_LinkClicked(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As NavBarLinkEventArgs)
    MessageBox.Show(String.Format("The {0} link has been clicked", e.Link.Caption))
End Sub