Custom Control VS User Control (NOT ASP.NET)

[Sin Jeong-hun]

Hello.

The two terms are confusing so I had searched Google for it, but
always those of ASP.NET popped up. Not ASP.NET, I want to know about
Windows Form Custom Control VS Windows Form User Control. What are
the differences and when should I use what? The only thing I have
noticed so far is that User Control has built-in VS.NET designer
support while Custom Control does not. What are their cons and pros?
Thank you in advance for any tips.

 

[Ignacio Machin ( .NET/ C# MVP )]

Hello.

The two terms are confusing so I had searched Google for it, but
always those of  ASP.NET popped up. Not ASP.NET, I want to know about
Windows Form Custom Control VS  Windows Form User Control. What are
the differences and when should I use what? The only thing I have
noticed so far is that User Control has built-in VS.NET designer
support while Custom Control does not. What are their cons and pros?
Thank you in advance for any tips.

Hi,

Sometimes its confusing cause people use XXX control to describe any
control that is not provided by the framework. And I think that in the
windows world there is no big difference after all.

A control can be designable or not and this only has implication if
you can visually drag it to a form and use the property tab. Or if the
control has no interface drag it to the .... (I just forget the
correct name of the lower part of the designer)

Where there is a CLEAR difference though is in the ASPNET world, there
a user control as a defined extension (.ascx) and follow a certain set
of rules.