.NET Compact Framework controls in Encyclopedia

The Microsoft .NET Compact Framework is a sub-library of .NET framework. It simplifies the mobile application development of smart devices. These are to a large extent limited by the screen size, CPU performance or memory capacity. .NET compact framework takes some of the controls and libraries from .NET framework. Moreover it optimizes them to match the limited options of mobile devices in comparison with PCs. There are certain criteria of user interface that mobile users demand. While plenty of functions of standard PC or Mac applications add to the user experience, they might decrease the mobile user experience. Mobile screen is usually small. Therefore, the user may often miss click on mobile screen with many buttons. All of the .NET compact framework controls are hence optimized to overcome the possible limits of mobile devices. Third-party controls are also available.

Features

.NET Compact Framework controls description

Controls and Components	Description
Button	Button that responds to the user's tap.
CheckBox	Checkbox option.
ComboBox	Drop-down list from which users can select a value.
ContextMenu	Pop-up menus displayed when touching the object or item
Control	Base for custom controls creation.
DataGrid	Display data from DataSet, DataView or DataTable.
DateTimePicker	Pick date and time.
DocumentList	Displays and manages documents.
DomainUpDown	Definition of the list of controls that the control displays.
HardwareButton	Controls for hardware buttons of pocket device.
Help	Help function.
HScrollBar	Horizontal scroll bar.
ImageList	Holds and provides images to the ListView, TreeView and ToolBar controls.
InputPanel	Controls Soft Input Panel.
LinkLabel	Simple hyperlink functionality.
Label	Displays text.
ListBox and ListControl	Lists of items from which users can select a value.
ListView	Displays a grid.
LogFont	Defines a logical font.
MainMenu	Adds menu to a form.
MessageBox	One or two buttons message boxes.
MessageWindow	Generate and receive Windows messages.
Notification	Displays and responds to user notifications.
MobileDevice	Releases cached resources.
NumericUpDown	Numeric input. Combination of a text box and a vertical scroll bar.
OpenFileDialog	Provides access to a standard open file dialog box.
PictureBox	Displays images.
ProgressBar	Visual indicator of a progress of a task.
RadioButton	Graphical button and a text descriptor.
SaveFileDialog	Opens a save file dialog.
ScreenOrientation	Allows you to change the screen orientation value to 90, 180, or 270.
StatusBar	Adds a status bar to a form.
TabControl	Tabbed interface for an application.
TextBox	Basic text input field.
Timer	Simple timer functionality.
TrackBar	Used to obtain a numeric input.
TreeView	Displays tree control.
VScrollBar	Implementation of a vertical scroll bar.

Third-party .NET Compact Framework controls

Apart from Microsoft other companies exist who produce .NET Compact Framework controls. See External links section below to find out more third-party .NET Compact Framework controls.