Programmatic ToolWindow/DocumentWindow Management - Docking/MDI for Windows Forms Forum

Posted 8 years ago by EntityDev

Version: 14.1.0323

Hello,

I'm having difficulty managing instances of DocumentWindow and ToolWindow.

I have classes inheriting each type. I have a particular object I would like to use as a tabbed document which behaves as a tool window. The best example I can cite which makes use of this paradigm is the Object Explorer Details view in SQL Server Management Studio.

It is essentially a Form, in behavior, but it is docked in the SSMS UI document container. It is available on the View menu. I need to develop a control which behaves in precisely this manner.

What I cannot determine is whether, in the DockManager environment, this object should inherit from ToolWindow, or DocumentWindow. I have tried both but cannot figure out how to properly instantiate it and get it docked into the document container. A ToolWindow can be a document, so I'm sure that's a clue for me, but I haven't determined how to get the thing rigged up. Once it's docked, it should behave as an Object Explorer Details "document", in that it should not be user-dockable as a ToolWindow, should not Float, etc., etc. I'm sure this is another clue for me - my best guess is that this object should inherit from ToolWindow.

I have added an item to the View menu.

Can I get some help in VB please, demonstrating how to achieve the above?

Thank you.

Comments (2)

Posted 8 years ago by EntityDev

I feel like I'm on the right track:

    Private Sub ViewToolWindowMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
        Dim window = CType((CType(sender, ToolStripItem)).Tag, ToolWindow)

        Select Case window.DockManager Is Nothing
            Case True
                window.DockManager = Me.MainDockManager
                window.Activate()
            Case False
                window.Activate()
        End Select
    End Sub

The ToolWindow in this case would be the one to which I'm assigning a DockManager (the True case). However, it appears on the Form as a ToolWindow, instead of appearing in the Document Container.

Posted 8 years ago by EntityDev

Well, it turns out it works quite well as a Document Window instead. Please disregard the question.

    Private Sub ViewToolWindowMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
        Dim tag = CType(sender, ToolStripItem).Tag

        If TypeOf tag Is ToolWindow Then
            Dim window = CType(tag, ToolWindow)

            If IsNothing(window.DockManager) Then
                window.DockManager = Me.MainDockManager
                window.Activate()
            Else
                window.Activate()
            End If
        ElseIf TypeOf tag Is DocumentWindow Then
            Dim document = CType(tag, DocumentWindow)

            If IsNothing(document.DockManager) Then
                document.DockManager = Me.MainDockManager
                document.Activate()
            Else
                document.Activate()
            End If
        End If
    End Sub

The latest build of this product (v24.1.0) was released 2 months ago, which was after the last post in this thread.

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