I'm new to VB so my question is probably very simple. anyway here it is..

I want to make a side bar showing one form that is like a sidebar in a web page such as on the left side of the MDI form. Which holds the programs main functions .. Then once a button is pressed on that form, I want it to show the form that performs that action in the right pane. Without just popping up . I've tried setting the left property of the window popping up and the dimensions larger than the screen but it doesn't work , and when I set it to maximize on start, then it covers the left frame.

Any help appreciated.

Sound like you need to add an image control to your MDI form. It will snap to either side or to top or bottom. Then you can add buttons, combo's and other controls to the image control. Or was it a picture control? Image or picture, only one will work, but that sounds like your solution.

Also, forms will automatically see the edge of your image control as the edge of the mdi form, so scroll bars will appear properly if the form goes behind the image control so users and scroll over to see it.

I'm not 1000% sure I understand what you are asking.... I'm guessing you have an MDI form as like a remote control or controller (navigation) window, and when you do something in that window, you want it to display the corresponding MDI form..... BUT that MDI form COVERS your remote right? Do you have the MDI form that covers the remote set to maximized?

There are probably 2 solutions here (assuming I have the correct problem). One is to set the MDI Navigation Form to "always on top", so that even if the other form covers it, it's Z-order will remain the same. The other solution, would be to not have the secondary forms (the one's that cover the navigation form) set to maximized, but rather, normal. Then on it's form_load (or resize, or whatever), have some code in there to ensure that the me.left is never less than the remote forms .left + .width.... let me know if I'm off course here or not.

PictureBox worked perfectly. Thanks agrothe

Good Job Here Agrothe (Andrew)

call me Andrew, please, and thanks.