Forms in a panel control?

thompsons

I have a main form that has a panel control and the user can select which of the two "child" forms to display in that panel control from a menu selection. Depending on which form is displayed in the panel, the app will display data from a Tektronix TDS-2024B scope or other data from an external DAQ (Data Acquisition module). The current code shows the forms without a problem. But if I switch between the two forms; data is no longer updated in the textboxes when I run a data capture routine for one form or the other. However, if I do not switch from one form display to the other after firing up the app, data is updated correctly. Example code for one of the form displays in the panel is: private void ScopeCapture_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { frmTDS2024BScopeCapture TDS = new frmTDS2024BScopeCapture(); TDS.MdiParent = this; TDS.TopLevel = false; TDS.Dock = DockStyle.Fill; //Container this.panel1.Controls.Clear(); this.panel1.Controls.Add(TDS); TDS.Show(); currentTest = "TDS"; ////TDS.tbFreq.Text = "4578223"; //test only } The code for the second form is identical, except for the form reference. Could I be having a problem with the Z-order of the panel when switching from one form to the other? Hope someone has run into this before and can shed some light on the issue. I tried not to clutter this post with too many details. If further code is required, please advise. Thanks in advance, Steve. P.S. I have Googled, searched forums, etc till I'm blue in this face with this one.

Henry Minute

The only thing that seems 'odd' to me at first glance is the line TDS.MdiParent = this;. From the code you have posted I can see no need for this. By adding TDS to the panel, you are not allowing the Main Form to operate properly as an MDI Parent, and I would suggest that you at least try running your Application with the line commented out and see if it runs OK. I do not know if this will solve the problem entirely, but that line is certainly not helping.

Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”

thompsons

Thank you Henry for the reply. I will try what you recommend. I don't see many comments on the Web or MicroSoft on how to show forms in a panel control. Could be, I'm trying something that has potential problems that are not documented anywhere. As I mentioned, the forms show up in the panel control just fine. After switching between one and the other, the textboxes in those forms are no longer updated when expected. I'm using a PXI chassis from National Instruments to capture data from several voltage/current sources and as well as getting scope captures via a USB port from a Tektronix scope. Best Regards, Steve. BTW, I don't read medical books. Former medical student here... Then I got hooked on Math and programming and now this problem!

Henry Minute

Good luck!

thompsons wrote:

I'm using a PXI chassis from National Instruments to capture data from several voltage/current sources and as well as getting scope captures via a USB port from a Tektronix scope.

Please don't ask me anything about that part, way out of my depth!

thompsons wrote:

I don't see many comments on the Web or MicroSoft on how to show forms in a panel control. Could be, I'm trying something that has potential problems that are not documented anywhere

There are several examples of this here on CP, if you search the articles/messages. The only thing that strikes me about it is a matter of personal preference. I would set the FormBorderStyle property to None, but that's just my preference and has nothing to do with your problem. At the end of the day Form is a descendant of Control and therefore should act like any other control. Here is a snippet from one of my apps:

	private void btnForm\_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
	{
		Form newForm = new Form();
		newForm.TopLevel = false;
		newForm.Parent = this;
		newForm.Visible = true;
		newForm.Location = new Point(10, 10);
		newForm.Size = new Size(this.ClientSize.Width - 20, this.ClientSize.Height - this.panel1.Height - 20);
		newForm.BackColor = Color.Bisque;
		newForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
		newForm.Dock = DockStyle.Left;
		this.Controls.Add(newForm);
	}

The only difference between yours and mine is that I add it directly to the parent form, you add it to a panel.

Henry Minute Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?" “I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”