Rules to Better Windows Forms Applications

• Do you know why you choose Windows Forms?
• Do you use code generators?
• Do you use red and yellow colours to distinguish elements in the designer?
• Do your applications support XP themes?
• Do you use inherited forms for consistent behaviour?
• Do you display consistent information?
• Do you encapsulate (aka lock) values of forms?
• Do you know when to use User Controls?
• Do you know how to design a user friendly search system?
• Do you use Validator controls?
• Do you use DataSets or create your own business objects?
• Do your Windows Forms have a StatusBar that shows the time to load?
• Do you not cache lookup data in your Windows Forms application?
• Do you use the designer for all visual elements?
• Do you always use the Visual Studio designer for data binding where possible?
• Do you avoid using MDI forms?
• Do you have a correctly structured common code assembly?
• Are your Data Access Layers compatible with Web Services?
• Do you log all errors (with SSW Exception Manager)?
• Do you implement trace logging (with Log4Net)?
• Do you make a strongly-typed wrapper for app.config?
• Do you keep the standard .NET DataGrid?
• Do you replace the standard .NET Date Time Picker?
• Do you avoid 3rd party menus & toolbars?
• Do your List Views support multiple selection and copying?
• Do you use an image button for opening a web page taking action?
• Do you use "OK" instead of "Ok"?
• Do your forms have Accept and Cancel buttons?
• Do you label buttons to be an action, like "Save, "Open", etc?
• Do you make "Enter" go to the next line when you have a multi-line textbox rather than hit the OK button?
• Do you make common controls with consistent widths?
• Do you support URLs on Windows Forms applications?
• Do you include "Back" and "Undo" buttons on every form?
• Do you use NUnit to write Unit Tests?
• Do you save user settings and reuse them by default?
• Do you have a ResetDefault() function to handle messed up user settings?
• Do you use Threading to make your user interfaces more responsive?
• Do you display file name in the text box in full?
• Do you use Status Control?
• Do you prevent users from running two instances of your application?
• Do you add a "(customized)" column in grid if there are default values?
• Do you have a standard menu item "Check for Updates"?
• Do you use Web Service to send emails?
• Do you have colons beside labels on input controls (Textbox, Combobox, Datetime, etc.)?
• Do you always use GridView instead of ListBox?
• Do you know how to make .NET wrapper work on both x64 and x86 platforms?
• Do you set the ScrollBars property if the TextBox is Multiline?
• Do you know how to run write application to run with UAC turn on?
• Do you use AutoWaitCursor on Windows applications?
• Do you make your add/delete buttons crystal clear?
• Do you always set FirstDayOfWeek to Monday on a MonthCalendar?
• Do you always set ShowToday or ShowTodayCircle to true on a MonthCalendar?
• Do you set PasswordChar to "*" on a TextBox on sensitive data?
• Do you use Anchoring and Docking (full) for multiline textboxes?
• Anchoring and Docking - Do you use Anchoring and Docking (horizontal only) with single line textboxes?
• Do you know TextAlign should be TopLeft or MiddleLeft?