Calling static methods from MDI forms

Question

I have a MDI Parent MainForm with a StatusBar. Before I close down a childform is there any way I could access a method from the childform (static?) that will throw a message on the StatusBar of the Parent MainForm.

Bo Wiklund · Answer

Thanks. This works fine: ((MainForm)this.MdiParent).statusBarPanel2.Text=some text;

bonnieb · Answer

Yeah werdna ... I didn't see your post while I was writing mine. You're right about the cast (notice in my post I said something like ... ;-)) Anyway I need some coffee before answering anymore questions ... =) ~~Bonnie

andrew · Answer

Yes you will need to do that in the Closing event but you can't say MdiParent.MyStatusBar because MdiParent is of type Form and you will need to cast it to your form's class type.

bonnieb · Answer

Sure I don't see why not ... create an EventHandler for the .Closing() event of the Child form and in that EventHandler set the StatusBar something like this: this.MdiParent.MyStatusBar.Text = Whatever; ~~Bonnie

andrew · Answer

That above should be this.MdiParent not MidParent

andrew · Answer

yes you can do it in many different ways. If you're inside child form: ((ClassNameOfMainForm)this.MidParent).statusBar.Text = whatever you just have to make sure your main form makes statusBar object public or a better way would be to create a method in parent form: SetStatusText(string text) and do the work from there.