Visual Studio

The Visual Studio extension works with Visual Studio 2022 and 2026 on Windows. Install it from the Visual Studio Marketplace, or:

1. Open Extensions > Manage Extensions.
2. Search for Eto.Forms.
3. Select the Eto.Forms extension and click Install.
4. Restart Visual Studio to finish installing.

Creating a new project

Create a new project and pick the Eto.Forms Application template, in C#, F# or Visual Basic. After naming it, you choose:

• Framework: .NET 6 to .NET 10, or .NET Framework 4.6.2 to 4.8.
• Launcher: a single Combined project that runs on every platform, or Separate per platform projects.
• Platforms to include, such as WPF, WinForms, GTK and Mac.
• Form: how the main form is written:
  • Xaml: layout in a .xeto file, with code behind for logic and event handlers.
  • Json: layout in a .jeto file, with code behind.
  • Code Preview: layout in a C# .eto.cs file that can be previewed, with logic in a separate file.
  • Code: everything in a single source file, with no preview.

Adding a view

Use Add > New Item and pick Eto.Forms View to add a Panel, Dialog or Form, written in any of the same formats.

The preview

Opening a .xeto, .jeto or .eto.cs file shows the live preview and the code in the same editor tab. The bar between them lets you:

• Click Design or Code to show only that pane, and click it again to show both.
• Swap the panes, or switch between side by side and above each other.

Visual Studio remembers the layout you choose for the next file you open.

Other features

See IntelliSense and Editing for completion, event handlers, hover documentation and color swatches.