/// <summary>

  /// Summary description for AControl.

  /// </summary>

  [Designer(typeof(AControlDesigner))] //associate the designer with the control

  public class AControl : Control

  {

 

    private TimeSpan _usableTime;

 

    /// <summary>

    /// The period of time after which the control will become unusable

    /// </summary>

    public TimeSpan UsableTime

    {

      get

      {

        return _usableTime;

      }

      set

      {

        _usableTime = value;

        EnableTimeout=EnableTimeout;

      }

    }

 

    Timer TimeoutTimer;

 

    bool _enableTimeout;

 

    /// <summary>

    /// The control will time out and become unusable after a period of time

    /// </summary>

    public bool EnableTimeout

    {

      get

      {

        return _enableTimeout;

      }

      set

      {

        _enableTimeout=value;

        if (TimeoutTimer!=null)

          TimeoutTimer.Dispose();

        if(value && this._usableTime>new TimeSpan(0,0,0,0,0))

        {

          TimeoutTimer=new Timer();

          TimeoutTimer.Interval=(int)_usableTime.TotalMilliseconds;

          TimeoutTimer.Tick+=new EventHandler(TimeoutTimer_Tick);

          TimeoutTimer.Enabled=true;

        }

      }

    }

 

    public AControl()

    {

      //Because the BackColor is always PowderBlue the BackColor property must be removed.

      this.BackColor=Color.PowderBlue;

    }

 

    private void TimeoutTimer_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)

    {

      TimeoutTimer.Enabled=false;

      this.Enabled=false;

      Invalidate();

    }

 

    protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)

    {

      if (this.Enabled==false)

      {

        e.Graphics.DrawLine(Pens.Red,0,0,this.Width,this.Height);

        e.Graphics.DrawLine(Pens.Red,this.Width,0,0,this.Height);

      }

      base.OnPaint (e);

    }

 

 

  }

The control with a timeout.

 

Imports System

Imports System.ComponentModel

Imports System.ComponentModel.Design

Imports System.Windows.Forms

Imports System.Windows.Forms.Design

Imports System.Drawing

 

 

Namespace WellFormed

  

   '/ <summary>

   '/ Summary description for AControl.

   '/ </summary>

   <Designer(GetType(AControlDesigner))>  _

   Public Class AControl 'associate the designer with the control

    Inherits Control

    

    Private _usableTime As TimeSpan

    

    '/ <summary>

    '/ The period of time after which the control will become unusable

    '/ </summary>

    

    Public Property UsableTime() As TimeSpan

     Get

      Return _usableTime

     End Get

     Set

      _usableTime = value

      EnableTimeout = EnableTimeout

     End Set

    End Property

    

    Private TimeoutTimer As Timer

    

    Private _enableTimeout As Boolean

    

    '/ <summary>

    '/ The control will time out and become unusable after a period of time

    '/ </summary>

    

    Public Property EnableTimeout() As Boolean

     Get

      Return _enableTimeout

     End Get

     Set

      _enableTimeout = value

      If Not (TimeoutTimer Is Nothing) Then

         TimeoutTimer.Dispose()

      End If

        If Value AndAlso Me._usableTime.CompareTo(New TimeSpan(0, 0, 0, 0, 0)) > 0 Then

          TimeoutTimer = New Timer

          TimeoutTimer.Interval = CInt(_usableTime.TotalMilliseconds)

          AddHandler TimeoutTimer.Tick, AddressOf TimeoutTimer_Tick

          TimeoutTimer.Enabled = True

        End If

     End Set

    End Property

    

    

    Public Sub New()

     'Because the BackColor is always PowderBlue the BackColor property must be removed.

     Me.BackColor = Color.PowderBlue

    End Sub 'New

    

    

    Private Sub TimeoutTimer_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)

     TimeoutTimer.Enabled = False

     Me.Enabled = False

     Invalidate()

    End Sub 'TimeoutTimer_Tick

    

    

    Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(e As PaintEventArgs)

     If Me.Enabled = False Then

      e.Graphics.DrawLine(Pens.Red, 0, 0, Me.Width, Me.Height)

      e.Graphics.DrawLine(Pens.Red, Me.Width, 0, 0, Me.Height)

     End If

     MyBase.OnPaint(e)

    End Sub 'OnPaint

   End Class 'AControl