Access a method on the MAIN FORM

[petergi]

Hello.

I have a windows forms application (.NET 3.0)
where I have a user control ( a sort of spine) on a Form (called imaginatively enough MainForm).
In the spine I make a call to a WCF service (in a seperate thread). I need to be able to (from this seperate thread) to call a method (DisplayNotification) on the MainForm and pass it a parameter (or two).
I just can't seem to do this. I am however able (with delegates) to do this with methods/controls on the spine. But unfortunate not the MainForm.
Can someone give me a leg up on this?

Basically:

Spine(usercontrol on MainForm) ->starts thread(WCF service) ->needs to access DisplayNotification() on MainForm.

[TRScheel]

Hello.

I have a windows forms application (.NET 3.0)
where I have a user control ( a sort of spine) on a Form (called imaginatively enough MainForm).
In the spine I make a call to a WCF service (in a seperate thread). I need to be able to (from this seperate thread) to call a method (DisplayNotification) on the MainForm and pass it a parameter (or two).
I just can't seem to do this. I am however able (with delegates) to do this with methods/controls on the spine. But unfortunate not the MainForm.
Can someone give me a leg up on this?

Basically:

Spine(usercontrol on MainForm) ->starts thread(WCF service) ->needs to access DisplayNotification() on MainForm.

At some point pass a reference to the mainform, perhaps even in the constructor of the child form. Then save it somewhere for future use.

[TRScheel]

Additionally, i believe there is a parent property inherent in forms. You could use that, combined with reflection, to grab the method you are using.

[petergi]

Additionally, i believe there is a parent property inherent in forms. You could use that, combined with reflection, to grab the method you are using.

I tried using FindContol() and even .Parent but I am embarassed to say...
I don't know how to use it. I can get a list of controls that match the control I want. I get it in a the form of ArrayOfFormControls[]. It's just that I don't know how to invoke properties on the say ArrayOfFormControls[0].

Can you point me towards an example? Basically I would prefer to use a METHOD in the MainForm to do my dirty work, rather than use properties on the control itself.

You mention using reflection, I'm afraid I have no experience with using reflection. Can you point towards an example or tutorial. I have googled it, and come up short....


Thanks!

[petergi]

At some point pass a reference to the mainform, perhaps even in the constructor of the child form. Then save it somewhere for future use.

Can you point me to a concrete example of this? I am not sure where to begin with this.

Thanks!

[TRScheel]

Can you point me to a concrete example of this? I am not sure where to begin with this.

Thanks!

Well every form you create through the designer starts with a public constructor that is empty, hence you start with something similiar to:

public partial class MyForm
{
     public MyForm()
     {
     }
}

I am suggesting change that so that it is something similiar to:

public partial class MyForm
{
     private MyOtherFormType _Parent;
 
     public MyForm(MyOtherFormType Parent)
     {
          _Parent = Parent;
     }
}

Now when you call the constructor of that form from your parent form, you will have to pass the instance of the parent, but the child will have access to all its public methods/properties.