KryptonMenuStrip

KryptonMenuStrip is the Krypton equivalent of WinForms MenuStrip. It subclasses MenuStrip, uses ToolStripManager rendering (KryptonManager.GlobalApplyToolstrips), and keeps fonts aligned with the active palette via ToolStripFontSyncHelper.

It is not hosted inside the KryptonForm caption. The caption is a painted view (KryptonFormTitleBar + ButtonSpecs). Use the optional bind below if you want the strip’s items to appear there.

For a native (non-ToolStrip) bar in the client area, see KryptonMenuBar (#4242) and KryptonForm.MenuBar.

Toolbox

Drop KryptonMenuStrip from the Krypton Toolkit toolbox group onto a KryptonForm (or any form). Visual Studio uses the standard MenuStripDesigner (Insert Standard Items, item collection editor, MainMenuStrip wiring).

Prefer KryptonToolStripMenuItem for new items so per-item palette overrides match KryptonContextMenuItem. Insert Standard Items still creates native ToolStripMenuItem instances.

Related toolbox types: KryptonToolStrip, KryptonStatusStrip, KryptonToolStripContainer, KryptonMenuBar, KryptonFormTitleBar.

Fonts and themes

  • Palette MenuStripFont / ToolStripFont / StatusStripFont are rebuilt from PaletteBase.BaseFont in DefineFonts().
  • Theme colour changes do not by themselves change family or size; changing BaseFont or a palette that uses a different base font does.
  • KryptonManager calls ToolStripFontSync.RefreshAllOpenForms() on global palette change, including Form.MainMenuStrip when the strip is not in Controls.
  • Native MenuStrip / ToolStrip / StatusStrip / ContextMenuStrip on open forms are updated the same way when GlobalApplyToolstrips is true.

Title bar (caption) integration

KryptonFormTitleBar can optionally show a KryptonMenuStrip (or MenuStrip) in the caption. It does not parent the strip into non-client chrome.

Assign the strip to KryptonFormTitleBar.MenuStrip:

var strip = new KryptonMenuStrip();
// Designer: Insert Standard Items, or build ToolStripMenuItem trees in code.
form.Controls.Add(strip);
form.MainMenuStrip = strip; // optional; set automatically if empty when HideSourceMenuStrip is true
form.TitleBar = new KryptonFormTitleBar
{
    HideSourceMenuStrip = true, // default: hide the client strip
    MenuStrip = strip
};

Designer: on the KryptonFormTitleBar component, set MenuStrip to the strip on the form (smart-tag MenuStrip / Hide Source MenuStrip).

Behaviour

Piece What happens
Caption buttons One ButtonSpecAny per top-level ToolStripMenuItem (separators and combo/text hosts are skipped)
Drop-downs Nested items become a KryptonContextMenu on that spec
Clicks Forwarded to the original ToolStripMenuItem (PerformClick) so existing handlers still run
Shortcuts Stay on the MenuStrip. Keep it as MainMenuStrip (hidden is fine). Caption copies of ShortcutKeys are for display only
Serialization The MenuStrip reference is serialized. Generated caption specs are not (DesignerSerializationVisibility.Hidden)
Live updates Top-level ItemAdded / ItemRemoved rebuild the caption buttons

HideSourceMenuStrip (default true) hides the strip so only the caption menus show. If Form.MainMenuStrip is empty, the title bar assigns the strip there so Ctrl+N and similar keep working.

Do not also call KryptonFormTitleBar.InsertStandardItems() for the same File/Edit/Tools/Help tree, or you will get two sets of caption menus.

One-shot copy

If you want designer-serialized ButtonSpecs instead of a live bind:

titleBar.ImportFrom(kryptonMenuStrip1); // copies into ButtonSpecs, optionally hides the strip
// or
ButtonSpecAny[] specs = kryptonMenuStrip1.CreateTitleBarButtonSpecs(showDropArrow: false);

ImportFrom does not keep the strip in sync afterwards. Prefer MenuStrip for an ongoing integration.

What is not mapped

  • ToolStripComboBox, ToolStripTextBox, ToolStripProgressBar, and other non-menu hosts
  • Top-level separators
  • MDI merge lists (those stay on KryptonMenuStrip / MainMenuStrip)

Validation

  • TestForm: KryptonFormTitleBarDemo (StartScreen: “Title Bar Menu”). Bind MenuStrip / Unbind MenuStrip; File → New logs via the original item; Ctrl+N while bound.
  • TestForm: KryptonMenuBarDemo for native KryptonMenuBar vs KryptonMenuStrip vs MenuStrip (not caption bind).