Public Class ExtendedPanel
    Inherits StatusBarPanel
 
    Public Enum AutoTextStyles
        [DateTime]
        [InsertKey]
    End Enum
 
    Private _AutoTextStyle As AutoTextStyles
    Private _DateTimeFormat As String = "M/d/yy h:mm tt"
    Private WithEvents Tmr As New Timer()
    Private Const OneSecond As Integer = 1000
 
    Public Property AutoTextStyle() As AutoTextStyles
        Get
            Return _AutoTextStyle
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As AutoTextStyles)
            _AutoTextStyle = Value
            If _AutoTextStyle = AutoTextStyles.DateTime Then
                Tmr.Interval = OneSecond
                Tmr.Enabled = True
                Tmr.Start()
                Me.Text = Format(DateTime.Now, _DateTimeFormat)
            Else
                Tmr.Stop()
            End If
        End Set
    End Property
 
    Public Property DateTimeFormat() As String
        Get
            Return _DateTimeFormat
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As String)
            _DateTimeFormat = Value
            Me.Text = Format(DateTime.Now, _DateTimeFormat)
        End Set
    End Property
 
    Private Sub Tmr_Tick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
      Handles Tmr.Tick
        Me.Text = Format(DateTime.Now, _DateTimeFormat)
    End Sub
 
    Public Sub New(ByVal pnl As StatusBarPanel)
        Dim _Parent As StatusBar
        _Parent = pnl.Parent
        Me.Alignment = pnl.Alignment
        Me.AutoSize = pnl.AutoSize
        Me.BorderStyle = pnl.BorderStyle
        Me.Icon = pnl.Icon
        Me.MinWidth = pnl.MinWidth
        Me.Site = pnl.Site
        Me.Width = pnl.Width
        'Me.Font = _Parent.Font.Clone
        _Parent.Panels.Add(Me)
        _Parent.Panels.Remove(pnl)
    End Sub
 
End Class

    Dim ep As ExtendedPanel
 
    Private Sub Form5_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As _
      System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        ep = New ExtendedPanel(StatusBarPanel1)
        ep.AutoTextStyle = ExtendedPanel.AutoTextStyles.DateTime
        ep.DateTimeFormat = "h:mm:ss tt" 'just time
        'ep.DateTimeFormat = "M/dd/yyyy" 'just date
 
    End Sub