How to save and load a layout

The size, location, visibility, and state of a tool window can be saved and loaded using the DockLayoutManager's SaveLayout and LoadLayout methods. If a tool window specified in the layout does not exist in the ToolWindows collection before the layout is loaded, an exception will be thrown. Normally, a layout would be saved when the application is being closed and loaded after the tool windows have been added to the dock-layout manager's ToolWindows collection.

As a "best practice", it is suggested that an application have a default layout which can be embedded into the resources of the application. If the end-user does not have a layout, the default layout can be loaded and applied to the ToolWindows.

The following code demonstrates how to load a default layout location in the resources of the application. This example assumes that a dock-layout manager has been added to a form and is named dockLayoutManager.

VB.NET	Copy Code
`Dim stream As stream = Me.GetType()..GetManifestResourceStream( "DefaultLayout.xml" ) Me.dockLayoutManager.LoadLayout( stream ) stream.Close()`

C#	Copy Code
`using( Stream stream = this.GetType()..GetManifestResourceStream( this.GetType(), "DefaultLayout.xml" ) ) { this.dockLayoutManager.LoadLayout( stream ); }`

The next code snippet demonstrates how to save the current size, location, visibility, and state to a layout located on disk. This example also assumes that a dock-layout manager has been added to a form and is named dockLayoutManager.

VB.NET	Copy Code
`Me.dockLayoutManager.SaveLayout( Me.LayoutFileName )`

C#	Copy Code
`this.dockLayoutManager.SaveLayout( this.LayoutFileName );`