How to create dialog box that only affects the current MDI window

[Smith5646]

I am working on an app that is an MDI. When the user clicks a button on an MDI child, I want to "disable" the current MDI child (and only the current child window), open a new window that has control, and then re-enable the child window when the new window is closed...very similar to using showDialog().

The thing I an having trouble figuring out is how to allow the other child windows to be active at the same time as when the new window is open. If I use the showDialog(), all child windows are disabled.

Any suggestions on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

[Momerath]

Set the Form.Enabled to false, show the dialog, when it returns, set the FormEnabled to true.

[Netcode]

lets assume you have a button on the current child window(form1) named 'button1' and you have a form (control) named 'form2' you want to display while the current child window is disabled.

under the button1;

me.enabled = false 
form1.show

when you are through with your control form, there should be a button to close it
and take you back to your child window, lets call it 'btnClose'

under btnclose;

me.dispose 
form1.enabled =true

[Smith5646]

These seem to be getting me partially there. However, when I click the button on the MDI child window, the MDI child window is disabled and the popup window is displayed as expected. When I attempt to open another MDI child while the popup is still showing, the popup always remains on top (topmost is set to false...I already looked at that) and I can't seem to do anything to get the new MDI child in front of it.

[Netcode]

so what exactly do you want? do you want the MDI Child not to be displayed at all? If
you dont want the pop-up to show when you open other windows, then you have to open the
pop up as a dialog. this would make you respond to the pop up and close it before you can move to any other window.
In other words, use

me.dispose 
form1.showdialog

[Smith5646]

Here are some specifics. The user selects a family to maintenance and a form opens with that family's information (refer to as “Family 1 window”). The user can select a second family and a second form opens with that family's information (refer to as “Family 2 window”). The user can click a button on “Family 1 window” which will open a new window (refer to as "Family 1A window”) where they can enter additional information about Family 1. When this button is clicked, “Family 1 window” should be visible but disabled and “Family 1A window” should be enabled. “Family 2 window” should still be enabled. They should also still be able to open another Family such as Family 3. At this point, “Family 1 window” is visible but disabled, “Family 1A window” is enabled, “Family 2 window” is enabled, “Family 3 window” is enabled. When the user closes “Family 1A window”, “Family 1 window” should be enabled.

So far I have gotten “Family 1A window” to open and “Family 1 window” to disable and “Family 1 window” to enable when “Family 1A window” is closed. However, when “Family 1A window” is displayed and I try to bring “Family 2 window” to the top, “Family 1A window” is still on top of “Family 2 window”.

From my additional testing, it appears that it has something to do the fact that the “Family x window” is an MDI child and “Family xA window” is a normal window and not an MDI child and normal windows are always on top of MDI children windows. To get around this, I have made the “Family xA window” an MDI child and using variables, have linked the two together so when the “Family 1A window” closes, the program enables the “Family 1 window”.

Is there a better way that I just haven’t stumbled over yet?

[Netcode]

you did not get a good algorithm from the start. let me give you a description:
1. First, have an MDI Parent window which would serve as your main form
2. add a tool strip to the main form(MDI)
3. add a new form and call it your familyA
4. add a tool strip or menu strip to the FamilyA form and label the drop down menus accordingly
5. add a new form (this should be familyA1 to add additional information) and should be called up from within FamilyA.
6. repeat steps 3 to 5 to create as many more forms and subsections as you wish

NOTE: all other forms excluding MDI Parent should be set as an MDI child to the MDI parent

[Smith5646]

So the "Family x window" and "Family xA window" should both be MDI child windows of the same parent...or did I misunderstand? If so, that is what I have done but it seems like there should be a was to tie "Family xA window" directly to "Family x window" like a parent / child relationship instead of making them equal.

[Netcode]

yes. you can have only one MDI Parent in a project. just call up Family Xa from
FamilyX but both are MDI child of the main form (MDI Parent)