# Getting Started with WinForms LayoutControl

In this article, you will learn how to use **RadLayoutControl**.

## Adding Telerik Assemblies Using NuGet

To use `RadLayoutControl` when working with NuGet packages, install the `Telerik.UI.for.WinForms.AllControls` package. The [package target framework version may vary](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/visual-studio-integration/available-nugets).

Read more about NuGet installation in the [Install using NuGet Packages](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/installation-and-upgrades/install-using-nuget) article.

> tip With the 2025 Q1 release, the Telerik UI for WinForms has a new licensing mechanism. You can learn more about it [here](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/licensing/license-key).

## Adding Assembly References Manually

When dragging and dropping a control from the Visual Studio (VS) Toolbox onto the Form Designer, VS automatically adds the necessary assemblies. However, if you're adding the control programmatically, you'll need to manually reference the following assemblies:

* **Telerik.Licensing.Runtime**
* **Telerik.WinControls**
* **Telerik.WinControls.UI**
* **TelerikCommon**

The Telerik UI for WinForms assemblies can be install by using one of the available [installation approaches](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/installation-and-upgrades/installing-on-your-computer).

## Defining the RadLayoutControl

The example below shows how you can create a layout that will fill the entire form and will be resized along with it.

1\. First drag and drop the control on the form. Set its **Dock** property to *Fill* (figure 1 shows how you can do that from the smart tag). The control will be responsible for the entire form layout and the other controls will be placed inside it.

> caption Figure 1: Dock In Parent Container

![WinForms RadLayoutControl Dock In Parent Container](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/c47500cd77be5ea3db0553329ada89d7/layoutcontrol-getting-started001.png)

2\. Add **RadListView** to the layout control it will take the entire space because it is the only control in the layout panel, then add **RadDataEntry** to the right part of the panel. The final step of the layout creation is to add a close button to the bottom of the form. Figure 3 shows the desired layout at this step.

> caption Figure 2: Sample Layout

![WinForms RadLayoutControl Sample Layout](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/4d412fa21e5281936c93480b5a1d776b/layoutcontrol-getting-started002.png)

3\. Let’s add some functionality to our new form. The following snippet shows how you can bind the two controls and close the form when the button is clicked. Additionally you can show text above the **RadDataEntry** and **RadListView**. For this purpose you can just use the items text. Detailed information about the used properties is available in the [Items](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/layoutcontrol/items) article. Figure 3 shows the final layout. If you now try to resize the form, you will see that the controls in **RadLayoutControl** grow and shrink proportionally.

```C#
public partial class GettingStartedForm : Telerik.WinControls.UI.RadForm
{
    public GettingStartedForm()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        
        List<Employee> employees = new List<Employee>();
        employees.Add(new Employee()
        {
            FirstName = "Sarah",
            LastName = "Blake",
            Occupation = "Supplied Manager",
            StartingDate = new DateTime(2005, 04, 12),
            IsMarried = true
        });
        employees.Add(new Employee()
        {
            FirstName = "Jane",
            LastName = "Simpson",
            Occupation = "Security",
            StartingDate = new DateTime(2008, 12, 03),
            IsMarried = true
        });
        employees.Add(new Employee()
        {
            FirstName = "John",
            LastName = "Peterson",
            Occupation = "Consultant",
            StartingDate = new DateTime(2005, 04, 12),
            IsMarried = false
        });
        employees.Add(new Employee()
        {
            FirstName = "Peter",
            LastName = "Bush",
            Occupation = "Cashier",
            StartingDate = new DateTime(2005, 04, 12),
            IsMarried = true
        });
        
        BindingSource bindingSource1 = new BindingSource();
        bindingSource1.DataSource = employees;
        
        radDataEntry1.DataSource = bindingSource1;
        radListView1.DataSource = bindingSource1;
        radListView1.DisplayMember = "FirstName";
        radListView1.AllowEdit = false;
        
        this.radButton1.Click += radButton1_Click;

        layoutControlItem1.DrawText = true;
        layoutControlItem2.DrawText = true;

        layoutControlItem1.TextProportionalSize = 0.05f;
        layoutControlItem2.TextProportionalSize = 0.05f;

        layoutControlItem1.TextPosition = LayoutItemTextPosition.Top;
        layoutControlItem2.TextPosition = LayoutItemTextPosition.Top;

        layoutControlItem1.TextAlignment = ContentAlignment.BottomLeft;
        layoutControlItem2.TextAlignment = ContentAlignment.BottomLeft;

        layoutControlItem1.Text = "Select Item";
        layoutControlItem2.Text = "Change Item Properties";
    }
    
    void radButton1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        this.Close();
    }
}

public class Employee
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    
    public string Occupation { get; set; }
    
    public DateTime StartingDate { get; set; }
    
    public bool IsMarried { get; set; }
}

```

```VB.NET
Partial Public Class GettingStartedForm1
    Inherits Telerik.WinControls.UI.RadForm

    Public Sub New()
        InitializeComponent()

        Dim employees As New List(Of EmployeeData)()
        employees.Add(New EmployeeData() With {.FirstName = "Sarah", .LastName = "Blake", .Occupation = "Supplied Manager", .StartingDate = New Date(2005, 4, 12), .IsMarried = True})
        employees.Add(New EmployeeData() With {.FirstName = "Jane", .LastName = "Simpson", .Occupation = "Security", .StartingDate = New Date(2008, 12, 3), .IsMarried = True})
        employees.Add(New EmployeeData() With {.FirstName = "John", .LastName = "Peterson", .Occupation = "Consultant", .StartingDate = New Date(2005, 4, 12), .IsMarried = False})
        employees.Add(New EmployeeData() With {.FirstName = "Peter", .LastName = "Bush", .Occupation = "Cashier", .StartingDate = New Date(2005, 4, 12), .IsMarried = True})

        Dim bindingSource1 As New BindingSource()
        bindingSource1.DataSource = employees

        radDataEntry1.DataSource = bindingSource1
        radListView1.DataSource = bindingSource1
        radListView1.DisplayMember = "FirstName"
        radListView1.AllowEdit = False

        AddHandler Me.radButton1.Click, AddressOf radButton1_Click

        layoutControlItem1.DrawText = True
        layoutControlItem2.DrawText = True

        layoutControlItem1.TextProportionalSize = 0.05F
        layoutControlItem2.TextProportionalSize = 0.05F

        layoutControlItem1.TextPosition = LayoutItemTextPosition.Top
        layoutControlItem2.TextPosition = LayoutItemTextPosition.Top

        layoutControlItem1.TextAlignment = ContentAlignment.BottomLeft
        layoutControlItem2.TextAlignment = ContentAlignment.BottomLeft

        layoutControlItem1.Text = "Select Item"
        layoutControlItem2.Text = "Change Item Properties"
    End Sub

    Private Sub radButton1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
        Me.Close()
    End Sub
End Class

Public Class EmployeeData
    Public Property FirstName() As String

    Public Property LastName() As String

    Public Property Occupation() As String

    Public Property StartingDate() As Date

    Public Property IsMarried() As Boolean
End Class

```

> caption Figure 3: Final Layout

![WinForms RadLayoutControl Final Layout](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/495a54fe620240ffd833fd25c3f6fc2a/layoutcontrol-getting-started003.png)

## See Also

* [Items](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/layoutcontrol/items)
* [Properties, Methods and Events](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/layoutcontrol/properties-events-and-methods)
* [Customizing Appearance](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/layoutcontrol/customizing-appearance)

## Telerik UI for WinForms Learning Resources

* [Telerik UI for WinForms LayoutControl Component](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/layoutcontrol.aspx)
* [Getting Started with Telerik UI for WinForms Components](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/getting-started/first-steps)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Setup](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/installation-and-upgrades/installing-on-your-computer)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Converter](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/ai-coding-assistant/converter/converter)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Visual Studio Templates](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/visual-studio-integration/visual-studio-templates)
* [Deploy Telerik UI for WinForms Applications](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/deployment-and-distribution/application-deployment)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms Virtual Classroom(Training Courses for Registered Users)](https://learn.telerik.com/learn/course/external/view/elearning/17/telerik-ui-for-winforms)
* [Telerik UI for WinForms License Agreement)](https://www.telerik.com/purchase/license-agreement/winforms-dlw-s)