How to create a MapControl application

Using the MapControlApplication template

Creating the basic application

1. Start Visual Studio, click the File menu, select New, and click Project. The New Project dialog box appears.
2. On the Projects type pane, click the Visual Basic or Visual C# node (depending on the language you are using), click the ArcGIS node, then click Extending ArcObjects.
3. Select MapControl Application on the Templates area.
4. Name the project, click the Browse button to find the location where you want to save the project, then click OK. See the following screen shot:
   

You now have a complete MapControl application that you can compile and run. There is a MapControl, TOCControl, and a ToolbarControl with some tools already on it. There is also a File menu with basic document options, as well as an exit option. See the following screen shot:

Reviewing the application

• Review the references (in the Solution Explorer for C# or on the References tab under My Project for VB .NET). All the necessary references for the application have been added. 
• Depending on the language you are using, MainForm.cs or MainForm.vb is the form that contains the MapControl, TOCControl, ToolbarControl, and LicenseControl.
  • When you view the form's code, you can see that it already has the necessary imports (VB .NET) or using (C#) statements. It also has text added on the status bar.
  • By looking at the LicenseControl properties, you can see that the application is set to check only for an ArcGIS Engine license.
  • On the property pages for the ToolbarControl and TOCControl, you can see that the MapControl (axMapControl1) has been buddied with each of those controls.
  • Notice the MainForm Dispose method. It ensures that any ESRI libraries that have been used are unloaded in the correct order. Failure to do this can result in random crashes upon exit due to the operating system (OS) unloading the libraries in the incorrect order.
• CreateNewDocument.cs or CreateNewDocument.vb (depending on the language you are using) is the code behind the command allowing you to create a document.

Adding data to the application

Adding data at run time

1. Click the Open button on the ToolbarControl.
2. On the dialog box, browse to and select the document (.mxd, .mxt, or .pmf) to open it. You can also click the Add Data button on the ToolbarControl. If you use the Add Data button, browse to a shapefile, geodatabase, raster, server, or schematic data file.

Adding data at design time

1. Right-click the MapControl in MainForm and choose Properties. The Properties dialog box appears.
2. Specify the path to open the document or click the Open button.

Customizing the ToolbarControl

1. Right-click the ToolbarControl in MainForm and choose Properties. The Properties dialog box appears.
2. Click the Items tab, click Add, then browse to the location of the command you want to add. You can also click Add From File on the Controls Commands dialog box if you want to add a custom command.
3. With the Properties dialog box still open and the Items tab selected, you can remove a command item by right-clicking the item and clicking Delete. 
4. You can also customize the style of the ToolbarControl on the Items tab by setting the Item Appearance, Icon Size, and Text Alignment options.