problems with panals

Rmokkenstorm

I have a problem. On my form (mainform) is use a panal wich should load another form (form1) now i placed the panal en he should load the form1 when the mainform loads. but i get this error: Top-level control cannot be added to a control. i don't know what to do whit this error. public partial class main : Form { Form1 from1; public main() { InitializeComponent(); } internal Form1 From1 { get { if (this.from1 == null) { this.from1 = new Form1(); this.panel1.Controls.Add(this.from1); this.from1.Dock = DockStyle.Fill; } return this.from1; } } private void main_Load(System.Object sender, System.EventArgs e) { this.FFrom1(); } internal void FFrom1() { this.From1.Visible = true; } this is my code i use visual C# 2005 and offcourse writing in C# can anyone help me?

Robert Rohde

Set the TopLevel property of your Form to false prior to adding it.

Rmokkenstorm

thanks for your fast reply where acactly should i'de be doing that. on the Mainform (the form with the panal) or Form1 (the form that's load) toplevel = false; or something like that was the code but where should i put this. before the panal loads or somewhere else?

Robert Rohde

In the getter of Form1 right before adding it to the Panel:

internal Form1 From1
{
get
{
if (this.from1 == null)
{
this.from1 = new Form1();

     this.from1.TopLevel = false; //HERE!!!!
     this.panel1.Controls.Add(this.from1);
     this.from1.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
  }

  return this.from1;

}
}

Rmokkenstorm

oh great that works but can you give one last advise? now if i select a row or something he opens a new form but this he opens outside the panal? how can i do this?

Robert Rohde

Hi, sorry but I don't understand your question. What rows are you referring to? If you wish to show a Form normally just leave TopLevel to true and call either Show or ShowDialog on it.

Rmokkenstorm

inside the Form1 there is for example a data grid.. with a selectrow command he opens another form with the details of the selected row. this form should be opend inside the panal also

Robert Rohde

First of all you should consider creating user controls instead of forms all the time. Then its the same procedure with any form you have. Set TopLevel to false and then you can insert it into any panel you like. If you want to exchange the contents of a panel then call panel.Controls.Clear() prior to adding the other form. If you want to have several items in one panel you can either set them location and size programmatically or (better) just create two panels (one holding formA and one holding formB).