Special Edition Using Microsoft® Visual Basic® .NET

Introduction to Controls

As you have learned,a control is an object that interacts with the user or the program. The Visual Basic .NET help system’s definition of controls states that “components that provide visible parts of the user interface are called controls.” Technically, however, a control does not have to be visible in the user interface. The Timer control, for example, is never visible to the user.

You have also learned how to set some of the properties that govern a control’s appearance and behavior. Table 11.1 describes common properties that apply to virtually all controls.

Table 11.1. Properties Common to Controls

Property	Description
Name	The name utilized by program code when referring to the control. Visual Basic assigns default ...