How to make a form modeless...???

I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a button
that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...

Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
between both dialogs...

thanks,

vince

re: How to make a form modeless...???

Rob,

thanks for the reply...

I created a test app as you suggested, and it did what it
was supposed to, allowing me to alternate focus from the
parent to the child form...

However, there's nothing unusual about the app in
question, the main form is a treeview/listview pair with
a "settings" button that launches the child form using
Form.Show()...

The child form contains various controls (textboxes,
buttons, a monthcalendar control, and a statusbar), and
the only custom constructor (if you can call it that)
accepts a string value that is used to initialize a
textbox in the form...

I'm still clueless about what could be preventing the
child form from being modeless...

thanks for any more suggestions,

vince

[color=blue]
>-----Original Message-----
>You must have some other code in there causing this,[/color]
because Show() creates[color=blue]
>a modeless window.
>We'll need more information in order to help you. (PS:[/color]
don't email me the[color=blue]
>info, type it here in the group so everyone can benefit[/color]
from the discussion.[color=blue]
>I don't reply on this email account) Try create a new[/color]
blank windows form[color=blue]
>application with Form1 and Form2.
>Place a button on Form1 that creates a new instance of[/color]
Form2 and calls the[color=blue]
>Show method, and you'll see that it's not modal.
>
>-Rob [MVP]
>
>"vince" <vlusardi@sdcera.org> wrote in message
>news:068301c357ae$9911ea40$a101280a@phx.gbl...[color=green]
>> I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a[/color][/color]
button[color=blue][color=green]
>> that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
>> have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
>> it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...
>>
>> Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
>> form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
>> between both dialogs...
>>
>> thanks,
>>
>> vince
>>
>>[/color]
>
>
>.
>[/color]

re: How to make a form modeless...???

You must have some other code in there causing this, because Show() creates
a modeless window.
We'll need more information in order to help you. (PS: don't email me the
info, type it here in the group so everyone can benefit from the discussion.
I don't reply on this email account) Try create a new blank windows form
application with Form1 and Form2.
Place a button on Form1 that creates a new instance of Form2 and calls the
Show method, and you'll see that it's not modal.

-Rob [MVP]

"vince" <vlusardi@sdcera.org> wrote in message
news:068301c357ae$9911ea40$a101280a@phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a button
> that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
> have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
> it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...
>
> Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
> form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
> between both dialogs...
>
> thanks,
>
> vince
>
>[/color]

re: How to make a form modeless...???

Rob,

thanks for the reply...

I did create a test app with 2 simple forms and I got the child to
behave as a modeless form...

However, there's really nothing unusual about the app in question, main
form is a treeview/listview pair with a "settings" button that launches
the child form using the Form.Show() method...

Child form contains various controls (textboxes, buttons, a
monthcalendar control and a statusbar)... there are no special property
settings for it, and the only custom constructor (if you can call it
that) accepts a string that is used to initialize one of the
textboxes...

Once the child form is launched, the parent form can't receive focus
until the child form is closed...

Any other suggestions would be appreciated...

vince



Vince Lusardi
vlusardi@sdcera.org

*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***
Don't just participate in USENET...get rewarded for it!

re: How to make a form modeless...???

Rob,

thanks for the reply...

I created a test app as you suggested, and it did what it
was supposed to, allowing me to alternate focus from the
parent to the child form...

However, there's nothing unusual about the app in
question, the main form is a treeview/listview pair with
a "settings" button that launches the child form using
Form.Show()...

The child form contains various controls (textboxes,
buttons, a monthcalendar control, and a statusbar), and
the only custom constructor (if you can call it that)
accepts a string value that is used to initialize a
textbox in the form...

I'm still clueless about what could be preventing the
child form from being modeless...

thanks for any more suggestions,

vince

[color=blue]
>-----Original Message-----
>You must have some other code in there causing this,[/color]
because Show() creates[color=blue]
>a modeless window.
>We'll need more information in order to help you. (PS:[/color]
don't email me the[color=blue]
>info, type it here in the group so everyone can benefit[/color]
from the discussion.[color=blue]
>I don't reply on this email account) Try create a new[/color]
blank windows form[color=blue]
>application with Form1 and Form2.
>Place a button on Form1 that creates a new instance of[/color]
Form2 and calls the[color=blue]
>Show method, and you'll see that it's not modal.
>
>-Rob [MVP]
>
>"vince" <vlusardi@sdcera.org> wrote in message
>news:068301c357ae$9911ea40$a101280a@phx.gbl...[color=green]
>> I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a[/color][/color]
button[color=blue][color=green]
>> that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
>> have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
>> it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...
>>
>> Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
>> form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
>> between both dialogs...
>>
>> thanks,
>>
>> vince
>>
>>[/color]
>
>
>.
>[/color]

re: How to make a form modeless...???

I believe you want ShowDialog() to make it modal.

--Bob

"vince" <vlusardi@sdcera.org> wrote in message
news:068301c357ae$9911ea40$a101280a@phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a button
> that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
> have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
> it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...
>
> Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
> form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
> between both dialogs...
>
> thanks,
>
> vince
>
>[/color]

re: How to make a form modeless...???

I believe you want ShowDialog() to make it modal.

--Bob

"vince" <vlusardi@sdcera.org> wrote in message
news:068301c357ae$9911ea40$a101280a@phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a button
> that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
> have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
> it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...
>
> Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
> form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
> between both dialogs...
>
> thanks,
>
> vince
>
>[/color]

re: How to make a form modeless...???

Bob,

I want to do the exact opposite of ShowDialog, make the
child MODELESS, so that I can alternate focus between the
child and the parent... I've tried Form.Show(), which
should work, but it doesn't and I'm trying to figure out
why... read thru the thread again for more details...

thanks for any help...

vince
[color=blue]
>-----Original Message-----
>I believe you want ShowDialog() to make it modal.
>
>--Bob
>
>"vince" <vlusardi@sdcera.org> wrote in message
>news:068301c357ae$9911ea40$a101280a@phx.gbl...[color=green]
>> I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a[/color][/color]
button[color=blue][color=green]
>> that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
>> have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
>> it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...
>>
>> Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
>> form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
>> between both dialogs...
>>
>> thanks,
>>
>> vince
>>
>>[/color]
>
>
>.
>[/color]

re: How to make a form modeless...???

Bob,

I want to do the exact opposite of ShowDialog, make the
child MODELESS, so that I can alternate focus between the
child and the parent... I've tried Form.Show(), which
should work, but it doesn't and I'm trying to figure out
why... read thru the thread again for more details...

thanks for any help...

vince
[color=blue]
>-----Original Message-----
>I believe you want ShowDialog() to make it modal.
>
>--Bob
>
>"vince" <vlusardi@sdcera.org> wrote in message
>news:068301c357ae$9911ea40$a101280a@phx.gbl...[color=green]
>> I have a windows app whose main dialog contains a[/color][/color]
button[color=blue][color=green]
>> that launches a form. I've tried using Form.Show() to
>> have it launch as a modeless form, but it behaves as if
>> it's modal (i.e. parent form can't receive focus)...
>>
>> Can someone tell me what I need to do to make the child
>> form modeless..??? I want to be able to alternate focus
>> between both dialogs...
>>
>> thanks,
>>
>> vince
>>
>>[/color]
>
>
>.
>[/color]