C# - Accessing controls of another form

[aiyaz]

In my current project I have a main MDI interface with a child form(Form 1) to select a datasource(Can be an access file).

Once the database file is specified the application tries to access it. If an authentication is required the exception is processed and a Login form(Form 2) is instantiated by Form 1.

Based on whether the authentication in Form 2 is valid, a listbox in Form 1 needs to be populated with the tables in the Access database. This leads to a scenario where the Form 2(originally instantiated by Form 1 but a child of the MDI Form) should be able to access the list box in Form 1, populate it and close.

How will Form 1 be able to access the list box control in Form 2? Is there any other way to implement a similar functionality?

[Shashi Sadasivan]

Well...make the listbox publically available and pass form1 as a parameter to form2. Soonce the login is checks and it works populate form1.dropdown from form2.

Another way to do this.-->
open form1 -> choose a datasource(file) -> if authentication req open form2 as a modalDialog -> send the filename as param to form2 -> authenticate the file -> store the username and password in form2 as public variables and an identifier if the login succeeded -> in form1 after the showDialog method check is login succeeded-> if it did retrieve the username and pwd from form1, and populate the drop down

cheers

[aiyaz]

Thanks a lot shashi, I used the second approach you gave..............works good and is the less messier one :)

Well...make the listbox publically available and pass form1 as a parameter to form2. Soonce the login is checks and it works populate form1.dropdown from form2.

Another way to do this.-->
open form1 -> choose a datasource(file) -> if authentication req open form2 as a modalDialog -> send the filename as param to form2 -> authenticate the file -> store the username and password in form2 as public variables and an identifier if the login succeeded -> in form1 after the showDialog method check is login succeeded-> if it did retrieve the username and pwd from form1, and populate the drop down

cheers