Vs code windows forms designer

Pyke KaisoraPyke Kaisora

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There is an even easier way. From the terminal type this:

dotnet new winforms

Windows Forms is exclusive to the [Desktop] Windows platform. You can certainly not use VSCode for that, not even in Windows, as VSCode doesn’t include form designer tools like the regular Visual Studio IDE. So even in case you could compile, there are still lacking all the facilities needed for designing.

You can rather try with MonoDevelop for Linux (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MonoDevelop)

Edit:

A year later and it looks like support is coming. My guess is it won’t be as nice as running on windows but it will look better than a Java app: https://github.com/dotnet/winforms

answered Feb 7, 2018 at 21:37

For those who come here looking for an answer to the question, but for Windows…
Building forms in VSCode is easy. Some would argue easier than in Visual Studio.

1. Download and install the latest dotnet sdk

2. Open a new folder in VScode.

3. From the terminal type «dotnet new Console»

4. This will have created some files. When prompted to add necessary files, select yes.

5. From folder view, Select your .csproj file and replace its contents with the following:

     <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
       <PropertyGroup>
          <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
          <TargetFramework>net4.7.2</TargetFramework>
          <UseWPF>true</UseWPF>
          <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms>
       </PropertyGroup>
     </Project>
   

Now, Create a new file and Name it Form1.cs. Populate it as Follows:

using System.Windows.Forms;
using System;

public class Form1 : Form
{
    public void FormLayout()
    {
        this.Name = "Form1";
        this.Text = "Form1";
        this.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(500, 500);
        this.StartPosition = FormStartPosition.CenterScreen;
    }
}

Lastly, Replace the contents of your Program.cs with the following code:

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;

public class Program
{
    public static Form1 form = new Form1();
    [STAThread]
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        form.FormLayout();;
        Application.Run(form);
    }
}

1. Save. Now, in the terminal type «dotnet run» and press enter. A form will appear.

This should give you the foundational understanding necessary to build any windows forms project in vscode. You can also build custom controls but that is another beast entirely.

I have created a sample project for those interested Example Here

answered Jul 9, 2021 at 9:47

According to the link below, VS Code does not support Desktop .NET Framework. Because VS Code is design to be Cross-Platform. Meaning that you can’t work with «windows forms».

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/languages/csharp

Side-Note:
I was wondering the same question while coding C# in Windows when I received «include System.Windows.Forms» was missing assembly references.

answered Dec 22, 2017 at 3:24

answered Feb 26, 2021 at 19:44

Pyke KaisoraPyke Kaisora

4001 gold badge3 silver badges8 bronze badges

There is an even easier way. From the terminal type this:

dotnet new winforms

Windows Forms is exclusive to the [Desktop] Windows platform. You can certainly not use VSCode for that, not even in Windows, as VSCode doesn’t include form designer tools like the regular Visual Studio IDE. So even in case you could compile, there are still lacking all the facilities needed for designing.

You can rather try with MonoDevelop for Linux (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MonoDevelop)

Edit:

A year later and it looks like support is coming. My guess is it won’t be as nice as running on windows but it will look better than a Java app: https://github.com/dotnet/winforms

answered Feb 7, 2018 at 21:37

For those who come here looking for an answer to the question, but for Windows…
Building forms in VSCode is easy. Some would argue easier than in Visual Studio.

1. Download and install the latest dotnet sdk

2. Open a new folder in VScode.

3. From the terminal type «dotnet new Console»

4. This will have created some files. When prompted to add necessary files, select yes.

5. From folder view, Select your .csproj file and replace its contents with the following:

     <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
       <PropertyGroup>
          <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
          <TargetFramework>net4.7.2</TargetFramework>
          <UseWPF>true</UseWPF>
          <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms>
       </PropertyGroup>
     </Project>
   

Now, Create a new file and Name it Form1.cs. Populate it as Follows:

using System.Windows.Forms;
using System;

public class Form1 : Form
{
    public void FormLayout()
    {
        this.Name = "Form1";
        this.Text = "Form1";
        this.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(500, 500);
        this.StartPosition = FormStartPosition.CenterScreen;
    }
}

Lastly, Replace the contents of your Program.cs with the following code:

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;

public class Program
{
    public static Form1 form = new Form1();
    [STAThread]
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        form.FormLayout();;
        Application.Run(form);
    }
}

1. Save. Now, in the terminal type «dotnet run» and press enter. A form will appear.

This should give you the foundational understanding necessary to build any windows forms project in vscode. You can also build custom controls but that is another beast entirely.

I have created a sample project for those interested Example Here

answered Jul 9, 2021 at 9:47

According to the link below, VS Code does not support Desktop .NET Framework. Because VS Code is design to be Cross-Platform. Meaning that you can’t work with «windows forms».

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/languages/csharp

Side-Note:
I was wondering the same question while coding C# in Windows when I received «include System.Windows.Forms» was missing assembly references.

answered Dec 22, 2017 at 3:24

answered Feb 26, 2021 at 19:44