ToolTip Component Overview (Windows Forms)

The Windows Forms ToolTip component displays text when the user points at controls. A ToolTip can be associated with any control. An example use of this component: to save space on a form, you can display a small icon on a button and use a ToolTip to explain the button's function.

Working with the ToolTip Component

A ToolTip component provides a ToolTip property to multiple controls on a Windows Form or other container. For example, if you place one ToolTip component on a form, you can display "Type your name here" for a TextBox control and "Click here to save changes" for a Button control.

The key methods of the ToolTip component are SetToolTip and GetToolTip. You can use the SetToolTip method to set the ToolTips displayed for controls. For more information, see How to: Set ToolTips for Controls on a Windows Form at Design Time. The key properties are Active, which must be set to true for the ToolTip to appear, and AutomaticDelay, which sets the length of time that the ToolTip string is shown, how long the user must point at the control for the ToolTip to appear, and how long it takes for subsequent ToolTip windows to appear. For more information, see How to: Change the Delay of the Windows Forms ToolTip Component.

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