I can't get a basic C# .NET project WITH WINDOWS FORMS to work

[ivanstarr3]

I'm trying to create  a basic C# .NET project WITH WINDOWS FORMS to work, but nothing works.  For some reason, when you follow the the directions in https://help.autodesk.com/view/OARX/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-43564EB9-F843-4771-823C-573495EE23E0 which supposedly how to create a new project in .NET, there is no option int the project explorer to add a new form.

This is something basic that should be covered.  .NET without forms is ridiculous.

[Tomislav.Golubovic · Accepted solution]

This section talks about forms:

https://help.autodesk.com/view/OARX/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-4AA04844-418B-4D47-9A07-2686624066E1

and

https://help.autodesk.com/view/OARX/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-22402F0A-D7A3-4715-8998-06BAA5E0A232

[norman.yuan]

It is not AutoCAD programming issue, strictly speaking. It is how to do .NET Core (since .NET 5) with Visual Studio.

If you followed mentioned link to create a class library project, by default the project does not include references to UI libraries for Win Form and WPF UI. So, in the project if you right-click the project and select "Add New Item...", the new item dialog box would not show UI related items, nor the right-clicked context menu shows those. In order to use WinForm/WPF UI items in the class library, you need to edit the project file (*.csproj) by right click the project and select "Edit Project File". You need to add following <ItemGroup>:

<ItemGroup>
<FrameworkReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App.WindowsForms" />
<FrameworkReference Include="Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App.WPF" />
</ItemGroup>

Also, in the <PropertyGroup>, add

<PropertyGroup>

   ...

   <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms>

   <UseWPF>true<.UseWPF.

</PropertyGroup>

Note, these add both Windows Form and WPF references. you can choose only add one of them, if you wish.

HTH

[18348401357]

open your csproj file of your project ,add options like this to use windowsforms or wpf