To make a Form MDI Form

Making a Form MDI Parent

MDI stands for Multiple Document Interface. By making a form MDI parent we can open multiple forms within that form.

How to make a form MDI Form:

·         Start a new WindowsFormApplication

·         A form will appear.

·         Select the Form and go to the Properties Window.

·         In properties window set name property as MainForm.

·         Now go to Project tab.

·         Select Add Windows Form.

·         Name it as ChildForm.

·         A new Form will be added.

·         Now select the MainForm and go to Properties Window.

·         In properties window set the property IsMdiContainer to true as shown below.

·         Also set the property WindowState to maximized.

·         Add a MenuStrip to the Form from toolbox and add one menu item ShowChildForm to New menu tab.

·         Add the code behind ShowChildForm click event.

Now to open ChildForm in its parent form add following code in MainFormClass

using System;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.ComponentModel;

using System.Data;

using System.Drawing;

using System.Linq;

using System.Text;

using System.Windows.Forms;

using System.Data.SqlClient;

namespace Data

{

   

    public partial class MainForm : Form

    {

       

        internal ChildForm chfm;

       

        public MainForm()

        {

            InitializeComponent();

        }

       

        private void ShowChildFormToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

        {

          

            if (chfm == null)

            {

                chfm = new ChildForm();

                chfm.MdiParent = this;

                chfm.Show();

            }

            chfm.BringToFront();

            chfm = null;

}

         }

   }

       

Now run the application.       

Now when you will click the ShowChildForm menu item the ChildForm will open in MainForm like this.