Ok say I have one form where I create some DataSet (in the visual editor, so it appears at the bottom). Now I want to re-use that exact same instance in a different control, so that I can see it in the visual editor as well (so I can easily bind it to any properties).

How can I achieve that?

Biggest problem is that I can't figure out a way to prevent VS2005 from instantiating any objects you create in the visual editor, so 2 DataSets = two separate instances. Any suggestions? Or am I gonna have to bind ever freaking control by hand?

Not sure what you are asking, but it sound like you want to use a UserControl for reuse.

no no. Ok let me put it this way, a different approach, similar result.

I create a form MyForm.cs. VS2005 creates MyFormDesigner.cs.

Inside MyForm.cs in the MyForm class I add the following:

public List MyList = null;

Now, how can I make that variable accessible via the Windows Forms Designer (you know the pretty WYSIWYG where you can drag things around) - either in Properties, or as an object on that bar below your form.

You can't and why would you? A variable is a variable and is not a visual object, so how would you expect it to show in the desigener?

" You can't and why would you? "

So I don't have to copy-paste the following 100 times for every textbox:

textedit.DataBindings.Add( new Binding( "text",mylist","someVar") );

I thought the whole idea of the designer is to make the whole code more managable, so wtf is the point if I can't even use the visual databind features unless I re-create my data source on every freaking control and form.