Pinned dock window

DockSettings exposes an option to display auto-hidden tools in a transparent floating window. This works around native control airspace issues just like floating dock adorners.

// Enable floating auto-hide windows
DockSettings.UsePinnedDockWindow = true;

When enabled the PinnedDockControl places the preview content inside a lightweight PinnedDockWindow. The window follows the host layout and closes automatically when the tool is hidden.

PinnedDockControl.UsePinnedDockWindow overrides this setting for an individual control or a styled scope. Its default, null, follows the global setting. Set it to false when a custom template supplies its own embedded host; set it to true to use the configured native or managed window host. Changing or clearing the property moves an open preview between these presentations without unpinning the tool or changing its stored size. Inline previews stay in their template regardless of this setting.

Activation can move between the owner and preview without closing the preview, so its editors can receive keyboard focus. Leaving both windows closes the preview through the factory. KeepPinnedDockableVisible preserves it across those activation changes.

In managed window mode (DockSettings.UseManagedWindows = true), pinned windows render inside ManagedWindowLayer instead of a native window.

Pinned preview layout

Pinned previews can either overlay the main content or take real layout space. Configure the root dock with PinnedDockDisplayMode (Overlay or Inline) to pick the default behavior. Individual dockables can override this by setting PinnedDockDisplayModeOverride to force a specific mode for that tool or document.

PinnedDockControl.MinimumRemainingContentSize reserves at least 50 layout units beside an overlay preview by default. Set it through a style or custom template to change that region; values must be finite and nonnegative. A custom resize behavior can set zero and enforce its own preview limits. Changes update an open preview immediately and do not affect inline layout or the stored pinned size.

This is a minimum for the remaining grid region, not a maximum on pinned content. For example, a right-side preview 769 units wide with a 6-unit splitter needs a 25-unit remaining region inside an 800-unit host. Setting the minimum to 25 or zero keeps that preview aligned to the host's right edge; retaining 50 makes the combined regions wider than the host.

Layout normally initializes missing pinned bounds from the arranged content. Custom resizers can set InitializePinnedBoundsOnLayout to False to keep an unset model size until their own commit. This also preserves unset sizes through layout and canceled custom drags. Native GridSplitter input still records sizes, and setting the option back to True initializes an already open preview.

Alignment and orientation

PinnedDockControl exposes PinnedDockAlignment to control which edge the pinned preview occupies. The default templates bind it to the owning ToolDock.Alignment, but you can override it when building custom templates.

Pinned tab strips use ToolPinnedControl.Orientation (propagated to ToolPinItemControl.Orientation) to arrange pinned tabs vertically or horizontally.

Pinned tab behavior

Pinned tab items toggle the preview for the selected tool. Clicking the same pinned tab again hides the preview instead of closing the dockable. Use the pinned tab context menu (or IFactory.CloseDockable) when you want to close or remove a pinned tool.