Child MDI forms for dummies

[eightbits]

I am a newbie to vs.net and I am trying to create a child MDI form. Now, I use this code to open a new child form:

 

private void menuItem2_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
	{
		Form2 newMDIChild = new Form2();
		newMDIChild.MDIParent = this;
		newMDIChild.Show();
	}

This is taken almost character for character from theVS.net help.

I have seen a million examples of this exact method on the web.

But, when I try to Debug (F5), I get this error:

 

C:\...\Form1.cs(329): 'temp.Form2' does not contain a definition for 'MDIParent'

 

Any ideas? I generated the form by right clicking on the solution

in the Solution Explorer and doing Add > Windows Form > etc.

 

Within Form2, I have tried to manually set the MdiParent property

but I can't. I have tried this line of code:

 

this.MdiParent = Form1;

 

That fails for obvious reasons, but I was willing to try anything.

 

Hope you can help me out. I'm sure I'm missing something

obvious, but I followed the VS.net "tutorials" to the letter and it

just plain doesn't work and I can't figure it out! Thanks!

 

Here is the code for Form2 (in case it matters):

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace temp
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for Form2.
/// </summary>
public class Form2 : System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
	private System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox richTextBox1;
	/// <summary>
	/// Required designer variable.
	/// </summary>
	private System.ComponentModel.Container components = null;

	public Form2()
	{
		//
		// Required for Windows Form Designer support
		//
		InitializeComponent();

		//
		// TODO: Add any constructor code after InitializeComponent call
		//
	}

	/// <summary>
	/// Clean up any resources being used.
	/// </summary>
	protected override void Dispose( bool disposing )
	{
		if( disposing )
		{
			if(components != null)
			{
				components.Dispose();
			}
		}
		base.Dispose( disposing );
	}

	#region Windows Form Designer generated code
	/// <summary>
	/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
	/// the contents of this method with the code editor.
	/// </summary>
	private void InitializeComponent()
	{
		this.richTextBox1 = new System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox();
		this.SuspendLayout();
		// 
		// richTextBox1
		// 
		this.richTextBox1.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Fill;
		this.richTextBox1.Name = "richTextBox1";
		this.richTextBox1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(292, 273);
		this.richTextBox1.TabIndex = 0;
		this.richTextBox1.Text = "";
		this.richTextBox1.TextChanged += new System.EventHandler(this.richTextBox1_TextChanged);
		// 
		// Form2
		// 
		this.AccessibleName = "Form2";
		this.AccessibleRole = System.Windows.Forms.AccessibleRole.Window;
		this.AutoScaleBaseSize = new System.Drawing.Size(5, 13);
		this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(292, 273);
		this.Controls.AddRange(new System.Windows.Forms.Control[] {
																	  this.richTextBox1});
		this.Name = "Form2";
		this.Text = "Form2";
		this.ResumeLayout(false);

	}
	#endregion

	private void richTextBox1_TextChanged(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
	{
	
	}
}
}

Edited March 9, 2003 by Robby

[dynamic_sysop]

+ [Windows Form Designer generated code]

 

   Dim frm As New frmChild1()
'^^^^ put that line just below the windows form design line ( naming the child form obviously to the name you want )
'the next code below is one i found on this board a while back and is very good. make sure you set the parent form as ( is mdicontaner ) on the properties box

   Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
       If Not IsOpen(frm) Then
           frm.MdiParent = Me
           frm.Show()
       End If
   End Sub
   Private Function IsOpen(ByVal frm As Form) As Boolean
       Dim ret As Boolean, stdForm As Form
       ret = False

       For Each stdForm In Me.MdiChildren
           If stdForm.Name = frm.Name Then
               stdForm.Focus()
               ret = True
           End If
       Next

       Return ret
   End Function

Edited March 9, 2003 by divil

[Guest mutant]

If you say that form1 does not contain mdi definition then check if you set isMdiContainer property of form1 to true.

[divil]

Your code when creating the form should read as follows:

 

private void menuItem2_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
       {
           Form2 newMDIChild = new Form2();
           newMDIChild.MdiParent = this;
           newMDIChild.Show();
       }

 

You were trying to refer to an "MDIParent" property. Remember that c# is case-sensitive.

[eugenevdm]

Yes there is a problem with the C# example which also caused me major headaches. The line:

 

newMDIChild.MDIParent = this;

 

should actually read:

 

newMDIChild.MdiParent = this;

Edited April 21, 2003 by eugenevdm