MDI form project

Joseph

i need to open a file in the parent form then display it in the child form. i have a FORM1.cs file that opens the file, the opens the child window but i cant seem to understand how to show the text file contents in the child window.

I am doing this in the openToolStripMenuItem function.

how can i get the value into the child form?

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

-----------------------------------code start -------------------------------------------

private void openToolStripMenuItem_Click_1(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            OpenFileDialog ofdOpenFile = new OpenFileDialog();
            ofdOpenFile.Title = "Select a File To Open";
            ofdOpenFile.FileName = "";
            ofdOpenFile.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*";
            if (ofdOpenFile.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
            {
                RichTextBox rtb = GetRichTextBox();

                if (rtb == null)
                {

                    FormChild fc = new FormChild();
                    fc.MdiParent = this;
                    fc.Show();

                    string str = "dammit";
                    fc.Text = str;

                }

                if (rtb != null)
                {
                    rtb.LoadFile(ofdOpenFile.FileName, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText);
                }
            }
        }

8 Replies

Know the answer? Post it — somebody with the same question will find it here.

Vulpes13y ago
Accepted answer
The error message suggests that the text file contains plain text rather than rich text.

If that's the case, I'd try changing the offending line to this:

richTextBox1.LoadFile(fileName, RichTextBoxStreamType.PlainText);
Joseph13y ago
this question is answered. thanks for all your help.
Joseph13y ago
this is the child form code:

namespace MDI_Simple_Text_Editor
{
    public partial class FormChild : Form
    {
        public FormChild(string fileName)
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            richTextBox1.LoadFile(fileName, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText);

        }
        public RichTextBox GetRichTextBox()
        {
            RichTextBox rtb = null;

            if (ActiveMdiChild != null)
            {
                rtb = ActiveMdiChild.Controls[0] as RichTextBox;
            }

            return rtb;

        }
        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            SaveFileDialog sfdSaveFile = new SaveFileDialog();
            sfdSaveFile.Title = "Select a File To Save";
            sfdSaveFile.FileName = "";
            sfdSaveFile.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*";
            if (sfdSaveFile.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK);
        }
    }
}
Joseph13y ago
the file i am using is a simple text file with the following lines in it.

SUDU8716161,2PHLW342EN
SUDU8789384,2PHLW345EN
SUDU7753535,2PHLW346EN
SUDU5649080,2PHLW349EN
SUDU8666625,2PHLW353EN
HASU4036332,2PHLW358EN

-joe
Joseph13y ago
ok very good i understand.
now in the child form at runtime at this line:

richTextBox1.LoadFile(fileName, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText);

i get this error:

System.ArgumentException was unhandled
Message=File format is not valid.
Source=System.Windows.Forms
StackTrace:
       at System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox.StreamIn(Stream data, Int32 flags)
       at System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox.LoadFile(Stream data, RichTextBoxStreamType fileType)
       at System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox.LoadFile(String path, RichTextBoxStreamType fileType)
       at MDI_Simple_Text_Editor.FormChild..ctor(String fileName) in C:\Users\jlongo\Desktop\MDI3\MDI Simple Text Editor\MDI Simple Text Editor\FormChild.cs:line 18
       at MDI_Simple_Text_Editor.Form1.openToolStripMenuItem_Click_1(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\Users\jlongo\Desktop\MDI3\MDI Simple Text Editor\MDI Simple Text Editor\Form1.cs:line 95
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.RaiseEvent(Object key, EventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem.OnClick(EventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.HandleClick(EventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.HandleMouseUp(MouseEventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mea)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDown.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mea)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDown.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DebuggableCallback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
       at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG& msg)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(Int32 dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
       at MDI_Simple_Text_Editor.Program.Main() in C:\Users\jlongo\Desktop\MDI3\MDI Simple Text Editor\MDI Simple Text Editor\Program.cs:line 18
       at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(Assembly assembly, String[] args)
       at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly()
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
       at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
InnerException:
Vulpes13y ago
Yes, you need to change the constructor to take a string argument in the way that I showed in my first post.
Joseph13y ago
when i do as suggested here;
FormChild fc = new FormChild(ofdOpenFile.FileName);

i get an error:
'MDI_Simple_Text_Editor.FormChild' does not contain a constructor that takes 1 arguments C:\Users\jlongo\Desktop\MDI3\MDI Simple Text Editor\MDI Simple Text Editor\Form1.cs
Vulpes13y ago
Suppose you have a richtextbox called richTextBox1 on child form.

Then you need to change the constructor of the child form as follows:

public FormChild(string fileName)
{
InitializeComponent();
richTextBox1.LoadFile(fileName, RichTextBoxStreamType.RichText);
}

The code in your parent form then needs changing to this:

private void openToolStripMenuItem_Click_1(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
OpenFileDialog ofdOpenFile = new OpenFileDialog();
ofdOpenFile.Title = "Select a File To Open";
ofdOpenFile.FileName = "";
ofdOpenFile.Filter = "Text Files (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*";
if (ofdOpenFile.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
FormChild fc = new FormChild(ofdOpenFile.FileName);
fc.MdiParent = this;
fc.Show();
}
}