Accessing Main Form controls from another Form

Jeff C

Ok,
I've searched long and hard for this question, and I can't quite figure it out. I'm new to C#, have a bit of background in VB/VB.NET, so bear with me...
I'm trying to start/stop a timer on my main form (Form1) from (let's call it) Form2.
I have no problem changing properties on any other forms, ie: form3 control properties from form1 or 2). I've run into a snag now that I'm trying to start/stop my timer which happens to be on the main form.
I've set the modifier on the timer control to public, but it won't show up. From what I've read the main form isn't like other form objects. I don't quite grasp that concept? This whole Class/Object Orientated programming thing is new.
All I want to do is start/stop the timer control on form1 from a button on form2.
Thanks.
Jeff.

3 Replies

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theLizard16y ago
Hi jeff,

without doing a lot of wok myself I think all you need to do is declare a public method like

public void startstoptimer(bool state)
{
timer.enabled = state;
}

to use;

Form1.startstoptimer(true);

this should work ok..
Sam Hobbs16y ago
You have written a lot about what you are doing but you say that the timer "won't show up". I don't see any details of the problem you are tyring to solve; I think that most of the rest of information you provide is not nearly as relevant as is a description of how you are using the timer. I don't know what you are doing but if you expect to see the timer in the form, then it just won't work because it is not supposed to work.

My guess is that the problem is much easier to solve than you think and you can solve the problem yourself if you read the documentation and/or relevant articles and/or sample code, and I cannot help anymore without some relevant information.
Pasan Ratnayake16y ago
Hey Jeff,
I wrote a simple application to solve your problem. The way I have done is not the best, but it is the easiest =)
I think if I try to teach you the basics of OOP, I will bore you to death, so make sure to read up and try few simple applications.

Hope this helps.