Q168850: BUG: MDIChild Form Not Brought to Front with Show Method

Article: Q168850
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): 5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbVBp500 kbGrpDSVBDB
Last Modified: 16-MAY-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic Control Creation Edition for Windows, version 5.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, version 5.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, version 5.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, version 5.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When the Show method of an MDI child form is invoked, the MDI child form is not
brought to the front.

RESOLUTION
==========

To ensure that the correct window is brought to the top, use the ZOrder method.
Replace the Show method with the ZOrder method.

In other words, you would replace the following line of code:

     Form1.Show

with:

     Form1.ZOrder

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce the Problem
------------------------------

1. Start a new Visual Basic 5.0 Standard Exe project. Form1 is created by
  default.

2. Add an MDI form (MDIForm1) and a Form (Form2) to the project.

3. Set the MDIChild property of Form1 and Form2 to True.

4. Add two menu items to the MDIForm1. For the first menu item, set the Caption
  property to "ShowForm1" and the Name property to mnuShowForm1. For the second
  menu item, set the Caption property to "ShowForm2" and the Name property to
  mnuShowForm2.

5. Add the following code to the General Declarations section of MDIForm1:

        Private Sub mnuShowForm1_Click()
            Form1.Show
        End Sub

        Private Sub mnuShowForm2_Click()
            Form2.Show
        End Sub

6. Press the F5 key to run the project. Click on the ShowForm2 menu. Then click
  on ShowForm1. Notice that Form1 is not brought to the front.

Additional query words: active activated focus

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbVBp500 kbGrpDSVBDB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVBA500Search kbVBA500 kbVB500 kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : :5.0
Issue type        : kbbug

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.