Splitter Movement & Behavior

This feature governs how the splitter responds to user actions by enabling movement, snapping, dynamic resizing, and panel collapse behavior.

Overview

The Splitter Movement & Behavior feature of the SiticoneSplitContainer control manages the interactive aspects of the splitter. It provides developers with options to enable or disable user movement, implement snapping to predefined positions, ensure dynamic panel resizing, and automatically collapse panels based on size thresholds. This feature is central to delivering a fluid and intuitive user experience when resizing panels in a WinForms application.

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Key Points

Aspect	Description
Movement Enablement	Properties like SplitterMoveable allow developers to control whether the user can manually move the splitter.
Locking Mechanism	The combination of EnableSplitterLock and IsSplitterLocked prevents unintended movement when the splitter is in a locked state.
Snapping Functionality	Properties EnableSnapping, SnapDistance, and SnapPositions enable the splitter to snap to normalized positions when dragged near target points.
Dynamic Resizing	The control supports dynamic resizing through EnableDynamicResizing, ensuring that panels adjust as the splitter is moved.
Panel Collapse	Through EnablePanelCollapse and CollapseThreshold, panels can automatically collapse if their size drops below a specified pixel value.

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Best Practices

Recommendation	Details
Set Movement Properties	Configure SplitterMoveable, EnableSplitterLock, and related properties early during initialization to avoid unintended user interactions.
Configure Snapping Settings	Define SnapPositions and SnapDistance based on the expected UI layout to enhance usability and maintain consistent design guidelines.
Combine with Dynamic Resizing	Use EnableDynamicResizing to provide a smooth visual experience, especially when coupled with snapping and panel collapse features.
Test Across Resolutions	Verify behavior on various screen sizes and resolutions to ensure that snapping thresholds and dynamic resizing work as expected.

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Common Pitfalls

Pitfall	Explanation	Mitigation Strategy
Over-Restrictive Movement	Setting SplitterMoveable to false inadvertently can lead to a non-responsive UI if not intended.	Ensure movement properties are configured based on actual UI requirements and user interactions.
Incorrect Snapping Values	Using improper values for SnapPositions or a too-small/large SnapDistance can result in jittery or unexpected snapping behavior.	Validate snap positions using the provided ValidateSnapPositions() logic and test on target layouts.
Ignoring Panel Collapse Behavior	Not accounting for EnablePanelCollapse may result in panels unexpectedly disappearing when resized below the threshold.	Adjust the CollapseThreshold according to design requirements and test with various content sizes.

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Usage Scenarios

Scenario	Description	Example Use Case
Manual Resizing	Users drag the splitter to resize panels interactively, and the control allows this movement.	Adjusting the width of two panels in a settings dialog by dragging the splitter.
Snapping to Key Positions	When the splitter is near a predefined normalized position, it snaps to that position for better alignment.	Aligning a panel to exactly 25%, 50%, or 75% of the container width for a consistent layout.
Dynamic Panel Resizing	As the splitter is moved, panels adjust their sizes in real time to maintain usability and appearance.	Ensuring that a panel never becomes too narrow by dynamically resizing as the user drags the splitter.
Auto Collapse of Panels	Panels collapse automatically if resized below a certain threshold, preserving interface integrity.	Automatically collapsing a side menu when the user minimizes its width beyond a defined limit.

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Code Examples

1. Enabling and Configuring Splitter Movement

Below is an example that demonstrates how to configure the movement and snapping properties of the control:

public class MyForm : Form
{
    private SiticoneSplitContainer splitContainer;

    public MyForm()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        splitContainer = new SiticoneSplitContainer
        {
            Dock = DockStyle.Fill,
            // Allow user to move the splitter
            SplitterMoveable = true,
            // Enable snapping behavior
            EnableSnapping = true,
            SnapDistance = 20,
            SnapPositions = new float[] { 0.25f, 0.5f, 0.75f },
            // Enable dynamic resizing of panels
            EnableDynamicResizing = true,
            // Enable automatic panel collapse if panels become too small
            EnablePanelCollapse = true,
            CollapseThreshold = 10
        };

        this.Controls.Add(splitContainer);
    }
}

2. Locking the Splitter to Prevent Movement

This example shows how to lock the splitter to prevent accidental movement:

public class MyForm : Form
{
    private SiticoneSplitContainer splitContainer;
    private Button lockButton;

    public MyForm()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        splitContainer = new SiticoneSplitContainer
        {
            Dock = DockStyle.Fill,
            SplitterMoveable = true,
            EnableSplitterLock = true // Enable lock functionality
        };

        lockButton = new Button
        {
            Text = "Toggle Lock",
            Dock = DockStyle.Top
        };

        lockButton.Click += (s, e) =>
        {
            // Toggle the lock state of the splitter
            splitContainer.IsSplitterLocked = !splitContainer.IsSplitterLocked;
        };

        this.Controls.Add(splitContainer);
        this.Controls.Add(lockButton);
    }
}

3. Demonstrating Snapping Behavior

This example illustrates how snapping works as the user drags the splitter:

public class MyForm : Form
{
    private SiticoneSplitContainer splitContainer;
    private Label snapStatusLabel;

    public MyForm()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        splitContainer = new SiticoneSplitContainer
        {
            Dock = DockStyle.Fill,
            EnableSnapping = true,
            SnapDistance = 20,
            SnapPositions = new float[] { 0.25f, 0.5f, 0.75f }
        };

        // Subscribe to the snapping event to update UI feedback
        splitContainer.SplitterSnapping += (sender, args) =>
        {
            snapStatusLabel.Text = $"Snapping to: {args.SnapPosition:P0}";
        };

        snapStatusLabel = new Label
        {
            Dock = DockStyle.Bottom,
            Height = 30,
            TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
        };

        this.Controls.Add(splitContainer);
        this.Controls.Add(snapStatusLabel);
    }
}

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Review

Aspect	Details
Integration Ease	The splitter movement features are accessible via simple property settings, allowing developers to fine-tune behavior with minimal code.
Flexibility	Multiple properties provide extensive control over movement, snapping, dynamic resizing, and panel collapse, enabling custom layouts.
Usability	The control ensures that the UI remains responsive and visually consistent during user interaction by combining movement with snapping and collapse logic.

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Summary

The Splitter Movement & Behavior feature of the SiticoneSplitContainer control is designed to offer a highly interactive and customizable splitter experience. By enabling manual movement, snapping to key positions, dynamic resizing, and panel collapse, developers can build intuitive and robust user interfaces that adapt seamlessly to user actions.

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Additional Sections

Integration Steps

Step	Action
Step 1	Instantiate the SiticoneSplitContainer and set its Dock property (e.g., DockStyle.Fill) in your form.
Step 2	Configure movement-related properties such as SplitterMoveable, EnableSnapping, and EnableDynamicResizing.
Step 3	Optionally set EnableSplitterLock to control when the splitter should be locked against movement.
Step 4	Subscribe to events like SplitterSnapping to provide dynamic UI feedback.
Step 5	Test the behavior across various layouts and screen sizes to ensure expected performance and usability.

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Additional Resources

Resource	Description	Example Link
.NET WinForms Documentation	Provides background on event-driven programming and UI control behaviors in WinForms.	https://docs.microsoft.com/
Sample Projects	Explore sample projects that demonstrate advanced splitter behavior and dynamic UI adjustments.	(Link to sample repository if available)

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By following this comprehensive documentation and the provided examples, developers can seamlessly integrate and customize the splitter movement behavior in their WinForms applications using the SiticoneSplitContainer control.