.NET and .NET Framework
TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 34.0 works in both kinds of Windows Forms projects that Visual Studio creates: projects for .NET 8 or higher and projects for the .NET Framework 4.x. The versions each kind supports are listed below, together with what differs between them in files, licensing and the designer, so that you can choose the right one for a new application.
Supported Versions
| Framework | Versions | TX Text Control files |
|---|---|---|
| .NET | .NET 8, .NET 9 and .NET 10 | The NuGet package TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK |
| .NET Framework | 4.0, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8 | The assemblies installed by the setup |
.NET 8 or Higher
The NuGet package TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK targets .NET 8, and its description names .NET 8.0 or higher Windows Forms applications. Text Control tested the newer versions:
- .NET 8 is supported in Windows Forms applications since version 32.0 with Service Pack 2.
- .NET 9 was tested with Windows Forms applications, the NuGet packages and the designer.
- .NET 10 is supported by version 34.0 since its release. Text Control tested Windows Forms applications, the NuGet packages and the tools in Visual Studio 2026, and applications need no code changes to move to it.
.NET 8 and .NET 10 are Long Term Support releases, and .NET 9 is a Standard Term Support release. Microsoft's .NET support policy states how long each version receives updates.
Since version 33.0, the package requires .NET 8 or higher. The 32.0 package still targeted .NET 6 in its latest service packs, so an application on .NET 6 or .NET 7 moves to .NET 8 or higher before it uses version 34.0.
A .NET project is created in Visual Studio with the Windows Forms App template. You add the package from the package source Text Control Offline Packages, and the controls appear in the toolbox. See Create Your First Windows Forms Application.
.NET Framework
The requirements documentation of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms names the .NET Framework 4.0, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8. A .NET Framework project is created with the Windows Forms App (.NET Framework) template, and the tutorial for it selects the .NET Framework 4.8. The project references the assemblies in the Assembly folder of the installation, and the setup creates the toolbox tab. See Create a .NET Framework Application.
What Differs Between the Two
| .NET 8 or higher | .NET Framework | |
|---|---|---|
| TX Text Control files | NuGet package TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK | Assemblies in the Assembly folder of the installation |
| Toolbox items | Added by the package | Added by the setup |
| License | The package embeds the license file txtextcontrol.winforms.license into your assembly. No licenses.licx file is needed. | The license compiler embeds the license from the entries in licenses.licx. |
| Publishing | Visual Studio Publish, with a target runtime such as win-x64, copies the required files | You ship the assemblies and native libraries yourself |
- Licensing. Since version 32.0 with Service Pack 2, .NET projects no longer use the license compiler. .NET Framework projects still do, and since version 30.0 the entries in licenses.licx contain the full assembly version. See Development Licenses.
- The designer. The Visual Studio designer for .NET Windows Forms projects is supported since version 31.0. Both project types use the same smart tags and toolbox items. See Visual Studio Toolbox and Designer.
- Deployment. Publishing .NET Applications and Deploying .NET Framework Applications describe the files each project type ships.
Which One to Choose
For a new application, use .NET. Text Control recommends .NET 10 as the basis for a new development cycle. Keep the .NET Framework for an existing application that is not ready to move. When it is, Migrating from .NET Framework to .NET describes the steps: replace the assembly references with the NuGet package and delete licenses.licx.