Custom Caret for WinForms TextBox

I'm developing a custom HyperTerminal like application in a WinForms .Net 2.0 application. I have a multiline TextBox in a Panel in which you can interact with a hardware device.

My customer wants to have a custom Caret, a filled rectangle the size of one character space instead of the vertical line that is by default.

I know .Net does not provide an option to do this by default, but there must some Windows function to do it.


These are the list of Native Caret functions provided by Windows you can use them for you application.

    [DllImport("User32.dll")]
    static extern bool CreateCaret(IntPtr hWnd, int hBitmap, int nWidth, int nHeight);

    [DllImport("User32.dll")]
    static extern bool SetCaretPos(int x, int y);

    [DllImport("User32.dll")]
    static extern bool DestroyCaret();

    [DllImport("User32.dll")]
    static extern bool ShowCaret(IntPtr hWnd);

    [DllImport("User32.dll")]
    static extern bool HideCaret(IntPtr hWnd);

Refer SharpDevelop, Source Code @ src\Libraries\ICSharpCode.TextEditor\Project\Src\Gui\Caret.cs


Assume a form with a textbox on it:

public partial class Form1 : Form
{
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    static extern bool CreateCaret(IntPtr hWnd, IntPtr hBitmap, int nWidth, int nHeight);
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    static extern bool ShowCaret(IntPtr hWnd);

    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }

    private void Form1_Shown(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        CreateCaret(textBox1.Handle, IntPtr.Zero, 10, textBox1.Height);
        ShowCaret(textBox1.Handle);
    }
}