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description: Create a game where a player matches icons, and start by creating a project in Visual Studio by using C# or VB Windows Forms and add layout.
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description: Complete the first steps to creating a game where a player matches icons. Create a project in Visual Studio by using C# or Visual Basic Windows Forms.
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author: anandmeg
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ms.author: meghaanand
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manager: mijacobs
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ms.subservice: general-ide
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ms.topic: tutorial
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ms.date: 02/28/2023
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ms.date: 08/23/2024
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#customer intent: As a developer, I want to learn about using the Visual Studio IDE to create a Windows Forms application.
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---
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# Tutorial: Create a matching game WinForms app
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In this series of four tutorials, you build a matching game, where the player matches pairs of hidden icons.
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# Tutorial: Create a Windows Forms matching game app
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In this series of four tutorials, you create a matching game. The player matches pairs of hidden icons.
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Use these tutorials to learn about the following tasks in the Visual Studio Integrated Design Environment (IDE).
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Use these tutorials to learn about the following tasks in the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE):
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- Store objects, such as icons, in a <xref:System.Collections.Generic.List%601> object.
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- Use a `foreach` loop in C# or a `For Each` loop in Visual Basic to iterate through items in a list.
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- Keep track of a form's state by using reference variables.
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-Build an event handler to respond to events that you can use with multiple objects.
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-Make a timer that counts down and then fires an event exactly once after being started.
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-Create an event handler to respond to events that you can use with multiple objects.
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-Create a timer that counts down and then fires an event exactly once after it's started.
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When you finish, you'll have a complete game.
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:::image type="content" source="../media/tutorial-windows-forms-create-match-game/match-game-final.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the game that you create. Several matching icons are displayed in a grid.":::
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In this first tutorial, you learn how to:
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> [!div class="checklist"]
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> - Create a Visual Studio project that uses Windows Forms.
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> - Add and format a layout element.
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> - Add and format labels to display.
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> - Add and format labels.
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## Prerequisites
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You need Visual Studio to complete this tutorial.
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Visit the [Visual Studio downloads page](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/) for a free version.
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You need Visual Studio to complete this tutorial. Visit the [Visual Studio downloads page](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/) for a free version.
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> [!NOTE]
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> This tutorial requires the **Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)** project template. During installation, select the **.NET desktop development** workload:
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>
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> :::image type="content" source="../media/tutorial-windows-forms-timed-math-quiz/install-dot-net-desktop-env.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the dot NET desktop development workload in Visual Studio Installer.":::
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>
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> If you already have Visual Studio installed and need to add the template, from the menu, select **Tools** > **Get Tools and Features**, or in the **Create a new project** window, select **Install more tools and features**.
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>
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> :::image type="content" source="../media/tutorial-windows-forms-timed-math-quiz/install-more-tools.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the Install more tools and features link from the Not finding what you're looking for message in the Create new project dialog box.":::
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## Create your Windows Forms match game project
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## Create a Windows Forms match game project
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When you create your matching game, the first step is to create a Windows Forms App project.
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The first step of creating your game is to create a Windows Forms App project.
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1. Open Visual Studio.
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1.On the start window, select **Create a new project**.
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1.In the start window, select **Create a new project**.
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:::image type="content" source="../media/tutorial-windows-forms-create-match-game/create-new-project-dark-theme.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Create a new project option in the Visual Studio start window.":::
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1.On the **Create a new project** window, search for *Windows Forms*. Then select **Desktop** from the **All project types** list.
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1.In the **Create a new project** window, search for *Windows Forms*. Then select **Desktop** from the **All project types** list.
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1. Select the **Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)** template for either C# or Visual Basic, and then select **Next**.
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> [!NOTE]
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> If you don't see the **Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)** template, you can install it from the **Create a new project** window. In the **Not finding what you're looking for?** message, select the **Install more tools and features** link.
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> 
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> Next, in Visual Studio Installer, select **.NET desktop development**.
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> 
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> Select **Modify** in the Visual Studio Installer. You might be prompted to save your work. Next, select **Continue** to install the workload.
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1. In the **Configure your new project** window, name your project *MatchingGame*, then select **Create**.
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1. In the **Configure your new project** window, name your project **MatchingGame**, and then select **Create**.
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:::image type="content" source="../media/tutorial-windows-forms-create-match-game/configure-new-project.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Configure your new project window.":::
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Visual Studio creates a solution for your app.
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A solution is a container for all of the projects and files needed by your app.
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Visual Studio creates a *solution* for your app.
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A solution is a container for the projects and files that your app needs.
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At this point, Visual Studio displays an empty form in the **Windows Form Designer**.
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At this point, Visual Studio displays an empty form in the Windows Forms Designer.
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## Create a layout for your game
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In this section, you create the four-by-four grid of the game.
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In this section, you create the four-by-four grid for the game.
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1.Click on the form to select the Windows Forms Designer. The tab reads **Form1.cs [Design]** for C# or **Form1.vb [Design]** for Visual Basic. In the **Properties** window, set the following form properties.
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1.Select the form to select the Windows Forms Designer. The tab reads **Form1.cs [Design]** for C# or **Form1.vb [Design]** for Visual Basic. In the **Properties** window, set the following form properties.
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- Change the **Text** property from **Form1** to **Matching Game**. This text appears at the top of the game window.
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- Set the size of the form. You can change it either by setting the **Size** property to **550, 550**, or by dragging the corner of the form until you see the correct size at the bottom of the Visual Studio IDE.
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- Set the size of the form. You can change it either by setting the **Size** property to **550, 550** or by dragging the corner of the form until you see the correct size at the bottom of the Visual Studio IDE.
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1. Select the **Toolbox** tab on the left side of the IDE.
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If you don't see it, select **View** > **Toolbox** from the menu bar or **Ctrl**+**Alt**+**X**.
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If you don't see it, select **View** > **Toolbox** from the menu bar or select **Ctrl**+**Alt**+**X**.
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1. Drag a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel> control from the **Containers** category in the toolbox or double-click it.
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1. Drag a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel> control from the **Containers** category in the toolbox, or double-click it.
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Set the following properties for the panel in the **Properties** window.
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- Set the **BackColor** property to **CornflowerBlue**.
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To do set this property, select the arrow next to the **BackColor** property.
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In the **BackColor** dialog box, select **Web**.
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In the available color names, select **CornflowerBlue**.
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To set this property, select the down arrow next to the **BackColor** property.
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In the resulting dialog box, select **Web**.
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In the list of names, select **CornflowerBlue**.
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> [!NOTE]
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> The colors are not in alphabetical order, and**CornflowerBlue** is near the bottom of the list.
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> The colors aren't in alphabetical order.**CornflowerBlue** is near the bottom of the list.
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- Set the **Dock** property to **Fill**from the dropdown list by selecting the large middle button.
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- Set the **Dock** property to **Fill**by selecting the down arrow and then selecting the large middle button.
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This option spreads the table out so that it covers the entire form.
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- Set the **CellBorderStyle** property to **Inset**.
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This value provides visual borders between each cell on the board.
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- Select the triangle button in the upper-right corner of the TableLayoutPanel to display its task menu.
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On the task menu, select **Add Row** twice to add two more rows.
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Then select **Add Column** twice to add two more columns.
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- On the task menu, select **Edit Rows and Columns** to open the **Column and Row Styles** window.
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For each column, select the **Percent** option, and then set each column's width to *25* percent.
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- Select **Rows** from the list at the top of the window, and then set each row's height to 25 percent.
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For each column, select the **Percent** option, and then set each column's width to **25** percent.
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- Select **Rows** from the list at the top of the window, and then set each row's height to **25** percent.
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- When you're done, select **OK** to save your changes.
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Your TableLayoutPanel is now a four-by-four grid with 16 equally-sized square cells.
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Your TableLayoutPanel is now a four-by-four grid with 16 equallysized square cells.
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These rows and columns are where the icons appear later.
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:::image type="content" source="../media/tutorial-windows-forms-create-match-game/match-game-grid.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Forms tab with a four-by-four grid.":::
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## Add and format labels to display
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## Add and format labels
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In this section, you create and format labels to display during the game.
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In this section, you create and format labels that appear during the game.
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1. Be certain that the TableLayoutPanel is selected in the form editor.
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You should see **tableLayoutPanel1** at the top of the **Properties** window.
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- Set the **BackColor** property of the label to **CornflowerBlue**.
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- Set the **AutoSize** property to **False**.
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- Set the **Dock** property to **Fill**.
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- Set the **TextAlign** property to **MiddleCenter** by choosing the drop-down button next to the property, and then selecting the middle button.
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- Set the **TextAlign** property to **MiddleCenter** by selecting the down arrow button next to the property and then selecting the middle button.
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This value ensures the icon appears in the middle of the cell.
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- Select the **Font** property. An ellipsis (**...**) button appears.
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Select the ellipsis and set the **Font** value to **Webdings**, the **Font Style** to **Bold**, and the **Size** to **48**.
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The upper-left cell of the TableLayoutPanel now contains a black box centered on a blue background.
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> [!NOTE]
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> Webdings is a font of icons that ships with the Windows operating system.
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> Webdings is an icon font that ships with the Windows operating system.
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> In your matching game, the player matches pairs of icons.
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> This font displays the icons to match.
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> If the Webdings icons don't display properly on the form, set the [**UseCompatibleTextRendering** property](/dotnet/api/system.windows.forms.label.usecompatibletextrendering) of labels on the form to **True**.
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This step completes the layout for your form.
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:::image type="content" source="../media/tutorial-windows-forms-create-match-game/match-game-grid-fill.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the matching game form with 16 black squares.":::
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## Next steps
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## Next step
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Advance to the next tutorial to learn how to assign a random icon to each label and add event handlers to labels.
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Go to the next tutorial to learn how to assign a random icon to each label and add event handlers to labels.
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> [!div class="nextstepaction"]
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> [Add icons to your Matching Game](tutorial-windows-forms-match-game-icons.md)
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