Windows forms and application bars

The Windows form is a project item, like automation or applications, that you select from the Project tab. To design the appearance of the Windows form, add required Toolbox components to the Design form. You can customize included components using the property grid; for example, you can change the color, font, size, and location of a Button control. When added to the project, the Windows form is automatically displayed during the project launching if the StartOnProjectStart property is selected.

In the following image, the Windows form is used as a user interface for a client search automation. The dialog box contains a label and a text field (in which a user enters a clientID) and a button to trigger an automation.

To use the Windows form properties, methods, and events, you must include the form in the automation Palette. The Windows form and its controls are available for the automation in the form section of the Palette. 

In the following image, the Click event of the button is the automation trigger. When the user clicks the button, the automation invokes the LogIn and ClientSearch sub-automations. 

It is a best practice to use an asynchronous link when a Windows form triggers an automation and interacts with non-Windows form components. For more details about asynchronous links, see Automation links.

With an application bar, you can add a special desktop toolbar to your project that docks to the edge of the screen, such as the Windows taskbar. Like a Windows form, the application bar is a project item you add to the project from the Add menu of the Project Explorer. To add desired elements, and create the design of an application bar, use the components from the Toolbox. The same elements are available for both the Windows form and the application bar. 

For example, the Robotic Banking company provides a toolbar that displays basic information regarding the customer, like an account balance or agreement details. After entering the customer ID and selecting an action, a suitable sub-automation is invoked to handle the request. 

In the following image, click the + icons to learn more about using an application bar item in an automation:

Even though an application bar uses the same set of controls as a Windows form, it has some unique properties in which you can customize its appearance and behavior:

You can also toggle the application bar display on the automation level by using the ShowAppBar and HideAppBar methods. To do so, drag the main application bar control from the forms section of the Palette to the automation surface, and select the method from the Select Action window.