This example uses the following code to add new menu items to the Tools menu when the program starts.

// Create some tool menu items.
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    // Tool 1 displays a string.
    ToolStripMenuItem tool1 = new ToolStripMenuItem("Tool 1");
    tool1.Name = "mnuToolsTool1";
    tool1.ShortcutKeys = (Keys.D1 | Keys.Control); // Ctrl+1
    tool1.Click += mnuTool1_Click;
    mnuTools.DropDownItems.Add(tool1);

    // Tool 2 displays a string and image.
    ToolStripMenuItem tool2 = new ToolStripMenuItem(
        "Tool 2", Properties.Resources.happy);
    tool2.Name = "mnuToolsTool2";
    tool2.ShortcutKeys = (Keys.D2 | Keys.Control); // Ctrl+2
    tool2.Click += mnuTool2_Click;
    mnuTools.DropDownItems.Add(tool2);
}

The code first creates a ToolStripMenuItem, passing the constructor the string it should display. It then:

• Sets the item's name
• Sets the item's ShortcutKeys property to the 1 key plus the Control key so it is activated when the user presses Ctrl+1
• Adds the mnuTool1_Click event handler to the item's Click event handler

The code then adds the new item to the mnuTools top-level menu item created at design time.

The program repeats these steps for a second menu item, this time passing the ToolStripMenuItem constructor a string and image so the menu item displays both text and a picture.

The following code shows the mnuTool1_Click event handler. The mnuTool2_Click event handler is similar.

// Execute tool 1.
private void mnuTool1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    MessageBox.Show("Tool 1");
}