PRB: Using SHOW(1) Does Not Make a Form in a Formset Modal

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

If you use the SHOW method to make one form of a formset modal, the form remains a modeless form.

If you make a form modal, the user should not be able to move to any other window in the application. A modeless form allows the user to click any other form in the application.

Modal forms are used to display custom dialogs, warnings, or error messages.

CAUSE

This is by design. The SHOW method affects the modality of the entire formset. You cannot use the SHOW method to make one form within a formset modal. You must make the entire formset modal.

RESOLUTION

The easiest way to handle modal forms is to make them separate form files, instead of part of a formset. The following steps create two forms. When a command button on the first form is clicked, the second form appears. The user cannot activate the other window until the command button on the second form is clicked.

1. Create a form called frmModls. Add a label to the form that has the caption "User input screen - modeless." Add a command button to the form, and add the following code to the click event of the command button:

   DO FORM frmModal frmModal.show(1)

2. Save the first form. Create a second form called frmModal. Add a label to this form that has the caption "Modal dialog screen." Add a command button to the form, and place the following code in the click event:

   THISFORM.RELEASE frmModls.show(2)

   Alternately, set the WindowType property of the frmModal form to 1 for Modal. This change must be made at design time; it cannot be made at run time. Use the WindowType property if the form will always be displayed in a modal state. Use the Show method to change a form to modal if the form should sometimes be displayed in a modal state and sometimes in a modeless state.

3. Save and close the form. Then type the following command in the Command window:

   DO FORM frmModls

If you click the command button, the form named frmModal should appear. You should not be able to click into the Command or View windows, and most menu options should be grayed out.

If you click the command button on the second form, the form should disappear. The form named frmModLs should reappear, and you should once again be able to activate other windows.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

If you want to use the SHOW method to display a modal formset, you must set the modality of the entire formset as follows:

   THISFORMSET.SHOW(1)   && to make the formset modal

The formset's WindowType property may also be used.

REFERENCES

For more information on using the SHOW method, please search the topics in the Help file.