Question

I have created a custom designer (PannelloSfondoDesigner) for my custom control, a background panel (PannelloSfondo).

<Designer(GetType(PannelloSfondo.PannelloSfondoDesigner))>
Public Class PannelloSfondo
    Inherits UserControl

    Friend Class PannelloSfondoDesigner
        Inherits ParentControlDesigner

        Public Overrides Sub Initialize(ByVal component As IComponent)
            MyBase.Initialize(component)

            verbDock = New DesignerVerb("Dock to parent container", New EventHandler(AddressOf Me.OnDock))
            verbUndock = New DesignerVerb("Undock from parent container", New EventHandler(AddressOf Me.OnUndock))
            verbs = New DesignerVerbCollection()

            If Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.Fill Then
                verbs.Add(verbUndock)
            Else
                verbs.Add(verbDock)
            End If
        End Sub

        Public Overrides ReadOnly Property Verbs() As DesignerVerbCollection
            Get
                Return verbs
            End Get
        End Property

        Private Sub OnDock(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
            'Dim verbo As DesignerVerb = DirectCast(sender, DesignerVerb)
            verbs.Clear()
            verbs.Add(verbDock)
            Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
        End Sub

        Private Sub OnUndock(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
            verbs.Clear()
            verbs.Add(verbUndock)
            Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.None
        End Sub

        Public Overrides Function CanBeParentedTo(ByVal parentDesigner As IDesigner) As Boolean
            Return True
        End Function

        Private verbs As DesignerVerbCollection = Nothing
        Private verbDock As DesignerVerb
        Private verbUndock As DesignerVerb
    End Class

End Class

It works, I click the little arrow, the context menu appears:

I click the menu item, the event is fired, the control is docked:

but the menu description is not updated or refreshed (it should show “Undock from parent container”). Then if I click outside the control to deselect it and then I click back on the arrow to show the menu, the right menu item is displayed:

How do I refresh the menu items?!
Thanks.

Answer 1

Do you possibly have your verbs mixed up?

In your code, when you are Dock-Filling it, your clear the verbs, and then adding the verbDock, not verbUndock.

Private Sub OnDock(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
  'Dim verbo As DesignerVerb = DirectCast(sender, DesignerVerb)
  verbs.Clear()

  'Switch verbs:
  'verbs.Add(verbDock)
  verbs.Add(verbUndock)

  Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
End Sub

Private Sub OnUndock(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
  verbs.Clear()

  'Switch verbs:
  'verbs.Add(verbUndock)
  verbs.Add(verbDock)

  Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.None
End Sub

Update:

Try changing your designer class to not clear the collection, just toggle the Visible properties of your Verb collection:

Public Overrides Sub Initialize(ByVal component As IComponent)
  MyBase.Initialize(component)

  verbDock = New DesignerVerb("Dock to parent container", New EventHandler(AddressOf Me.OnDock))
  verbUndock = New DesignerVerb("Undock from parent container", New EventHandler(AddressOf Me.OnUndock))
  verbs = New DesignerVerbCollection()
  verbs.Add(verbDock)
  verbs.Add(verbUndock)

  If Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.Fill Then
    verbDock.Visible = False
  Else
    verbUndock.Visible = False
  End If
End Sub

Private Sub OnDock(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
  Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
  verbUndock.Visible = True
  verbDock.Visible = False
End Sub

Private Sub OnUndock(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
  Me.Control.Dock = DockStyle.None
  verbDock.Visible = True
  verbUndock.Visible = False
End Sub