Or do it the way your supposed to and inherit it.
If you have referenced the dll, in your solutions explorer click the button on top that (if you hover over) says "Show all files"
[IMG]http://www.codeprojec*****m/KB/codegen/T4Metadata/SolutionExplorerVB.png[/IMG]
Looks like the one on top there that is pushed down (if you don't know)
Then expand in tree view form1 (of solution explorer) you will see a form1.designer.vb file , double click it.
under
[highlight=vbnet]
Partial Class Form1
[/highlight]
You will see
[highlight=vbnet]
Inherits Systems.Windows.Forms.Form
[/highlight]
Change that line to
For DevComponents inheritance without ribbon control
[highlight=vb.net]
Inherits DevComponents.DotNetBar.Office2007Form
[/highlight]
Or
For DevComponents with Ribbon
[highlight=vbnet]
Inherits DevComponents.DotNetBar.Office2007RibbonForm
[/highlight]
This is the way it supposed to done, and the way it will work, go have fun
(plus it is the cleanest method as far as design goes)