"In form" windows

[Mat]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently trying to insert forms in one main form, I explain myself. I'm trying to do like in microsoft work where you can have multiple documents in one application. This way you can have 1 window in the taskbar below. Also, when I minimize my forms, it minimize in the currently main form, not minimize in the taskbar, so even if I have 3-4 open forms, the user see just 1 in the taskbar.

Could somebody help me to program this or which is the proprety of the form to do this.

Thank you very my

 

[Paszt]

That type of app is called an MDI (Multiple Document interface) app.

VB.NET has made this fairly simple.
To start, set your main form's IsMdiContainer property to true. The main form would typically have only a MainMenu and perhaps some toolbars, although you could also dock a panel on the right with butons, ...
Next you would create another regular form, or multiple forms (the ones you want to open in the main form). To open the regular forms in the main form use code like this:

Dim frm As New frmChild()
frm.MdiParent = Me
frm.Show()

where frmChild is the regular form.

Search MDI on this site for other examples.

 

[mzim]

Originally posted by Mat
so even if I have 3-4 open forms, the user see just 1 in the taskbar.

if you want to show that there is only 1 in the taskbar set the other forms in their property ShowInTaskbar = False..

 

[Paszt]

An Mdichild by default is not shown in the taskbar. There is no need to set the ShowInTaskbar property to false. Try it and see

 

[mzim]

An Mdichild by default is not shown in the taskbar. There is no need to set the ShowInTaskbar property to false. Try it and see

if it is show by default there is only one..
but if it is showdialog..it gives several window in the taskbar.

 

[Paszt]

If you try to use the ShowDialog method on a form that is not a Top level form (i.e. an MdiChild) you'll get an exception. We are discussing MDI forms

 

[mzim]

If you try to use the ShowDialog method on a form that is not a Top level form (i.e. an MdiChild) you'll get an exception. We are discussing MDI forms

tanx paszt...im sorry for being dump..