C#•3y ago

Enable button from another Form [Answered]

there is -Main menu then 3 subforms to main menu -A, B, C I want to enable Main Menu button when i click a button in form A or B or C and the code that moves user through forms

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            this.panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            this.panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();
        }

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            this.panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            this.panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();
        }

104 Replies

TheRanger•3y ago

first you need to have a reference of your Main Menu form in your child forms

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

well is it gonna be a problem if it's opposite?

TheRanger•3y ago

what do u mean?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

the menu is a reference to subforms like this is menu

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

and these buttons take you to forms A B C so just the right side changes and the left with buttons is always the same no matter in which form you are

TheRanger•3y ago

yea you can atleast pass a reference of your main form to ur child form through a method

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            this.panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            this.panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();
            if (childForm is A a)
            {
                a.Foo(this);
            }
        }

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            this.panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            this.panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();
            if (childForm is A a)
            {
                a.Foo(this);
            }
        }

u can do whatever this method needs to do, like enabling a button

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

oh so it's that simple

TheRanger•3y ago

yes, u can make the method take the argument and assign it to a field of type MainMenuForm or whatever you called it then in whatever button you want to click in your childform, just do the logic to enable the Main Menu Button

//
// your child form
//
private MainMenuForm _mainMenu; // your field
Foo(MainMenuForm mainMenu)
{
   _mainMenu = mainMenu;
}

private void Button1_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
   _mainMenu.EnableYourButton();
}

//
// your child form
//
private MainMenuForm _mainMenu; // your field
Foo(MainMenuForm mainMenu)
{
   _mainMenu = mainMenu;
}

private void Button1_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
   _mainMenu.EnableYourButton();
}

looks like you call it Form1, so lemme juste dit

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

it's actually myMain i f up some names there

TheRanger•3y ago

it would get ugly if you repeat the same code i wrote on the 3 forms so let the 3 forms atleast inherit from another form that has the logic

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

i nee to fix the naming 1st XD Error CS0122 'MainMenu.btnUpgrade' is inaccessible due to its protection level so the button needs public modifiers?

TheRanger•3y ago

never make field public just define a public property that returns that field its not recommended to access a button from another class, better define a method and call it something like EnableMainMenuButton

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

same error

TheRanger•3y ago

let me edit the post above can you show what you wrote? is your method public?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            this.panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            this.panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();

            if (childForm is ItemSelectionMenu itemselectmenu)
            {
                itemselectmenu.EnableButtons(this);
            }
        }

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            this.panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            this.panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();

            if (childForm is ItemSelectionMenu itemselectmenu)
            {
                itemselectmenu.EnableButtons(this);
            }
        }

and the child form

TheRanger•3y ago

the 3 forms inherit from ItemSelectionMenu right?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

private MainMenu _mainMenu;

        public void EnableMainMenuBtn()
        {
            _mainMenu.btnUpgrade.Enabled = true;
        }

private MainMenu _mainMenu;

        public void EnableMainMenuBtn()
        {
            _mainMenu.btnUpgrade.Enabled = true;
        }

yea w8 no from main menu

TheRanger•3y ago

the MainMenu is the one who should have the method

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

main menu is like background form with just the 3 button on the left

TheRanger•3y ago

private MainMenu _mainMenu;

        public void EnableMainMenuBtn()
        {
            _mainMenu.EnableBtnUpgrade();
        }

private MainMenu _mainMenu;

        public void EnableMainMenuBtn()
        {
            _mainMenu.EnableBtnUpgrade();
        }

because only the MainMenu class can access its private members you cannot access a private member from another class what class do the child forms inherit from?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

MainMenu

TheRanger•3y ago

why would you do that?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

i don't want the user to be albe to go anywhere he has to go to 1st menu then 2nd then 3rd

TheRanger•3y ago

what do u mean?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

so you have to go to Item Selection and select item then you can go Upgrade it

TheRanger•3y ago

this wont work

      if (childForm is ItemSelectionMenu itemselectmenu)
            {
                itemselectmenu.EnableButtons(this);
            }

      if (childForm is ItemSelectionMenu itemselectmenu)
            {
                itemselectmenu.EnableButtons(this);
            }

since childform is not a type of ItemSelectionMenu, or does not extend it

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

and only then u can go to rarity

TheRanger•3y ago

the is operator returns true when the type of the provided variable is of that type, or inherits from it and if its true, it will create a new variable of type ItemSelectionMenu called itemselectmenu and assigns the value from childForm to it what are you doing anyway, a game?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

i wanted at first but then decided just to do some 4fun upgrade simulation i need anything on github that proves that i do like anything connected to coding to even get an internship or sth my 3rd year of college starts soon D: and we learned basically nothing there what i learned from doing this app is like 10x more than in college

TheRanger•3y ago

cool

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

so i passed a boolean through other class menu but nto i need to click the button again to refresh it so button upgrade enables

        private void BtnViewStats_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            tbItemStats.Text = null;
            btnRollValues.Enabled = true;

            if (sender is not Button button) return;
            var toolTip = new ToolTip();
            var caption = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];

            btnRollValues.Name = button.Name;
            toolTip.SetToolTip(tbItemStats, caption.ToString());
            tbItemStats.Text = caption.ToString();
            button.BackColor = Color.Blue;

            SharedClass.ImageToDisplay = button.Image;
            SharedClass.UpgradeLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.RarityLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.ItemId = button.Name;
            SharedClass.BtnEnable = true;
        }

        private void BtnViewStats_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            tbItemStats.Text = null;
            btnRollValues.Enabled = true;

            if (sender is not Button button) return;
            var toolTip = new ToolTip();
            var caption = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];

            btnRollValues.Name = button.Name;
            toolTip.SetToolTip(tbItemStats, caption.ToString());
            tbItemStats.Text = caption.ToString();
            button.BackColor = Color.Blue;

            SharedClass.ImageToDisplay = button.Image;
            SharedClass.UpgradeLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.RarityLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.ItemId = button.Name;
            SharedClass.BtnEnable = true;
        }

this is the button that should enable the menu button Upgrade

        private void EnableButtons()
        {
            btnUpgrade.Enabled = SharedClass.BtnEnable;
        }

        private void EnableButtons()
        {
            btnUpgrade.Enabled = SharedClass.BtnEnable;
        }

public static bool BtnEnable { get; set; }

public static bool BtnEnable { get; set; }

TheRanger•3y ago

its a private method, so u cant access it outside its class

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

ah yes nvm i tought it worked then it crashed the app Error CS0120 An object reference is required for the non-static field, method, or property 'MainMenu.EnableButtons()'

TheRanger•3y ago

what is MainMenu anyway

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

a form

TheRanger•3y ago

Form1 or the sidebar with the 3 buttons on the left?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

form1 it's sidebar + background for other forms

TheRanger•3y ago

you need a reference of your current MainMenu instance ur accessing EnableButtons as if its a static method, when it isnt even if you did make it static, you can't access its controls because they are not static

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

how do i do that reference

TheRanger•3y ago

what did you try? where are u trying to call EnableButtons anyway? because i feel ur just copying code without understanding it

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

in the button that should enable it

TheRanger•3y ago

in which class?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

ItemSelectionMenu.cs

TheRanger•3y ago

can you show code? thats not really a class, thats just a file name

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

        private void BtnViewStats_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            tbItemStats.Text = null;
            btnRollValues.Enabled = true;

            if (sender is not Button button) return;
            var toolTip = new ToolTip();
            var caption = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];

            btnRollValues.Name = button.Name;
            toolTip.SetToolTip(tbItemStats, caption.ToString());
            tbItemStats.Text = caption.ToString();
            button.BackColor = Color.Blue;

            SharedClass.ImageToDisplay = button.Image;
            SharedClass.UpgradeLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.RarityLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.ItemId = button.Name;
            SharedClass.BtnEnable = true;
            MainMenu.EnableButtons();
        }

        private void BtnViewStats_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            tbItemStats.Text = null;
            btnRollValues.Enabled = true;

            if (sender is not Button button) return;
            var toolTip = new ToolTip();
            var caption = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];

            btnRollValues.Name = button.Name;
            toolTip.SetToolTip(tbItemStats, caption.ToString());
            tbItemStats.Text = caption.ToString();
            button.BackColor = Color.Blue;

            SharedClass.ImageToDisplay = button.Image;
            SharedClass.UpgradeLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.RarityLvlValue = Equipment.Equipments[button.Name];
            SharedClass.ItemId = button.Name;
            SharedClass.BtnEnable = true;
            MainMenu.EnableButtons();
        }

TheRanger•3y ago

a file can contain many classes a file's name can even be different from the class name defined inside the file

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

yeah buti keep it simple new class = new file

TheRanger•3y ago

EnableButtons isnt a static method and u cant make it static because forms arent static

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

yeah i understand that

TheRanger•3y ago

you need a reference of your MainMenu instance assigned in a field of your class _mainMenu.EnableButtons(); for example will call the method from the instance of your current MainMenu that is assigned in _mainMenu

Mkp•3y ago

I typically do this too, unless I need Extension methods on an enum Or its a factory

TheRanger•3y ago

but then you need to figure out how to assign the reference of your current MainMenu instance to your field

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

im too green to even understand what u just said so i have this field in UpgradeMenu private MainMenu _mainMenu; and this is the method in Main Menu

        public void EnableButtons()
        {
            btnUpgrade.Enabled = SharedClass.BtnEnable;
        }

        public void EnableButtons()
        {
            btnUpgrade.Enabled = SharedClass.BtnEnable;
        }

but when i run it i get "object reference not se to an object"

Mkp•3y ago

enum ABC
{
  A = 1,
  B = 2,
  C = 3
}

static class ABCExtensions
{
    public static double Half(this ABC example) => ((double) example) / 2.0;
}

ABC.B.Half() == 1

enum ABC
{
  A = 1,
  B = 2,
  C = 3
}

static class ABCExtensions
{
    public static double Half(this ABC example) => ((double) example) / 2.0;
}

ABC.B.Half() == 1

TheRanger•3y ago

because your field is null

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

TheRanger•3y ago

its null, it has no value you need to find a reference of your current MainMenu Form and assign to it

Mkp•3y ago

Probably by passing this through a constructor

TheRanger•3y ago

how? you can either pass through a method, through a constructor, or any other many ways you can pass through the constructor, the recommended way

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

        public ItemSelectionMenu(MainMenu mainMenu)
        {
            _mainMenu = mainMenu;
        }

        public ItemSelectionMenu(MainMenu mainMenu)
        {
            _mainMenu = mainMenu;
        }

so i have the constructor

TheRanger•3y ago

yeah that

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

and it should be where it is in ItemSelectMenu not main menu right?

TheRanger•3y ago

if you are calling new ItemSelectMenu from your MainMenu use new ItemSelectMenu(this) where this is a reference to your current MainMenu instance

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

but i am not? ;-;

TheRanger•3y ago

where are you calling it?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

i don't quite understand your question

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();
        }

        private void OpenChildForm(Form childForm, object btnSender)
        {
            if (btnSender is null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(btnSender));
            }

            _activeForm?.Close();

            _activeForm = childForm;
            childForm.TopLevel = false;
            childForm.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
            childForm.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            panelDesktop.Controls.Add(childForm);
            panelDesktop.Tag = childForm;
            childForm.BringToFront();
            childForm.Show();
        }

this is how i open another forms

TheRanger•3y ago

yes but where are u calling OpenChildForm

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

        private void BtnItemSelect_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            btnItemSelect.Image = Image.FromFile(@"")
            OpenChildForm(new ItemSelectionMenu(), sender);
        }

        private void BtnItemSelect_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            btnItemSelect.Image = Image.FromFile(@"")
            OpenChildForm(new ItemSelectionMenu(), sender);
        }

TheRanger•3y ago

there it is where is this defined?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

in MainMenu

TheRanger•3y ago

exactly so do

OpenChildForm(new ItemSelectionMenu(this), sender);

OpenChildForm(new ItemSelectionMenu(this), sender);

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

this is not what i expected XD

TheRanger•3y ago

what is?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

i clicked the button

TheRanger•3y ago

what button

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

this

TheRanger•3y ago

weird, did u change something? other than passing the reference of ur mainmenu to ur constructor

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

hmm

        public void EnableButtons()
        {
            btnUpgrade.Enabled = true;
        }

        public void EnableButtons()
        {
            btnUpgrade.Enabled = true;
        }

this in main menu the constructor is the same nah i don't know

TheRanger•3y ago

what is btnUpgrade

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

the button that i want to enable

TheRanger•3y ago

comment btnUpgrade.Enabled = true; and see what happens //btnUpgrade.Enabled = true;

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

same thing goes blank

TheRanger•3y ago

issue is somewhere else probably

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

i removed "this" from the call of OpenChildForm and it doesn't go blank

TheRanger•3y ago

ah then you have 2 constructors in your ItemSelectionMenu() the other one initializes your components

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

ah yea

TheRanger•3y ago

you should only have 1 constructor

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

TheRanger•3y ago

yes, InitializeComponent method needs to be called the other constructor doesnt

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

ayy works as it should

TheRanger•3y ago

and ur btnUpgrade got enabled?

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

yes

TheRanger•3y ago

cool

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

thank you so in the end error was two same constructors xD

Accord•3y ago

✅ This post has been marked as answered!

TheRanger•3y ago

those 2 constructors arent the same

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

well yes but it this caused error because the OpenChildForm never called the 1st one

TheRanger•3y ago

1 constructor can inherit from another

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

or didn't call InitializeComponent() so menu never loaded

TheRanger•3y ago

public ItemSelectionMenu(MainMenu mainMenu) : this() this will call the other constructor first then calls its own in case you want to add more logic that you dont want to repeat in the other

WhiteboyOP•3y ago

makes sense ty again

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Enable button from another Form [Answered]