Creating an MDI Application in Microsoft Visual Studio 2013

	Creating an MDI Application in Microsoft Visual Studio 2013

Introduction

Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 make it very easy to start an MDI application. It doesn't do everything for you but it provides all the primary characteristics. It does this through the MDI Parent Form of the Add New Item dialog box.

Topic Applied: Creating an MDI Application in Microsoft Visual Studio

Application 1:

To start a new application, on the Standard toolbar, click the New Project button
In the middle list, click Empty Project
Set the Name to Announce
Click OK
On the main menu, click PROJECT -> Announce Properties...
Change Output Type to Windows Application
To add a new form, on the main menu, click PROJECT -> Add Windows Form...
Make sure Windows Form is selected in the middle list.
Set the Name to SampleDocument
Click Add
From the Common Controls section of the Toolbox, click TextBox and click the form
Using the Properties window, change the textbox's characteristics as follows:
(Name):      Information
Dock:         Fill
Multiline:   True
ScrollBars: Vertical
To add a new form, on the main menu, click PROJECT -> Add New Item...
In the middle list, click MDI Parent Form
Set the Name to ParentDocument
Click Add
In the Properties window, change Text to Journal Announcement
Right-click the form (anywhere on the form) and click View Code

Change the document as follows:

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;

namespace Announce
{
    public partial class ParentDocument : Form
    {
        private int childFormNumber = 1;

        public ParentDocument()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            ShowNewForm(null, null);
        }

        private void ShowNewForm(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            SampleDocument childForm = new SampleDocument();
            childForm.MdiParent = this;
            childForm.Text = "Untitled " + childFormNumber++;
            childForm.Show();
        }

        . . . No Change

        private void CloseAllToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            foreach (Form childForm in MdiChildren)
            {
                childForm.Close();
            }
        }

        [STAThread]
        static void Main()
        {
            Application.EnableVisualStyles();
            Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
            Application.Run(new ParentDocument());
        }
    }
}

Execute the application to see the result
Close the application and return to your programming environment

Application 2:

To start a new application, on the main menu, click FILE -> New -> Project...
In the middle list, click Windows Form Application
Set the Name to GreyViewer
Click OK
In the Solution Explorer, right-click Form1.cs and click Rename
Change the name to SingleView.cs and press Enter twice
To add a new form, on the main menu, click PROJECT -> Add New Item...
In the middle list, click MDI Parent Form
Set the Name to Producer
Click Add
Click the title bar of the form to make sure it is selected.
In the Properties window, click the Events button and double-click Load

Change the document as follows:

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;

namespace GreyViewer
{
    public partial class Producer : Form
    {
        private int childFormNumber = 1;

        public Producer()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void ShowNewForm(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            SingleView childForm = new SingleView();
            childForm.MdiParent = this;
            childForm.Text = "Viewer " + childFormNumber++;
            childForm.Show();
        }

        . . . No Change

        private void Producer_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            ShowNewForm(sender, e);
        }
    }
}

In the Solution Explorer, double-click Program.cs and change the document as follows:

[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
    Application.EnableVisualStyles();
    Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
    Application.Run(new Producer());
}

Execute the application to see the result

Close Microsoft Visual Studio