Using the <i class="emphasis">DateTimePicker</i> Class

Using the DateTimePicker Class

As discussed in the In Depth section of this chapter, date-time pickers let the user select dates and times. Here's the class hierarchy for the DateTimePicker class:

Object
   MarshalByRefObject
      Component
         Control
            DateTimePicker

You can find the more notable public shared (static) properties of the DateTimePicker class in Table 8.11, the more notable public object properties in Table 8.12, and the more notable events in Table 8.13. Note that as with other Windows forms controls, I am not listing the notable properties, methods, and events DateTimePicker inherits from the Control class, such as the Click event—you can see all that in Chapter 5, Tables 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3.

Table 8.11: Noteworthy public shared (static) properties of the *DateTimePicker* class.
Property	Means
MaxDateTime	Specifies the maximum date value of the date-time picker control. Note that this field is read-only.
MinDateTime	Specifies the minimum date value of the date-time picker control. Note that this field is read-only.

Table 8.12: Noteworthy public properties of *DateTimePicker* objects.
Property	Means
CalendarFont	Gets/sets the font style for the calendar.
CalendarForeColor	Gets/sets the foreground color of the calendar.
CalendarMonthBackground	Gets/sets the background color of the calendar month.
CalendarTitleBackColor	Gets/sets the background color of the calendar title.
CalendarTitleForeColor	Gets/sets the foreground color of the calendar title.
CalendarTrailingForeColor	Gets/sets the foreground color of the calendar trailing dates.
Checked	Gets/sets whether the Value property holds a valid date-time value.
CustomFormat	Gets/sets a custom date-time format string.
DropDownAlign	Gets/sets the alignment of the drop-down calendar on the date-time control.
Format	Gets/sets the format of dates and times.
MaxDate	Gets/sets the maximum selectable date and time.
MinDate	Gets/sets the minimum selectable date and time.
PreferredHeight	Holds the preferred height of the date-time picker control.
ShowCheckBox	Gets/sets if a check box should appear to the left of a selected date.
ShowUpDown	Gets/sets if an up-down control should be used to adjust date-time values.
Text	Gets/sets the text in this control.
Value	Gets/sets the date-time value.

Table 8.13: Noteworthy public events of *DateTimePicker* objects.
Event	Means
CloseUp	Occurs when the drop-down calendar disappears.
DropDown	Occurs when the drop-down calendar appears.
FormatChanged	Occurs when the Format property value has changed.
ValueChanged	Occurs when the Value property changes.