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A form is dialog box with controls that let a user access and possibly change data. You may want to develop an application in which the user chooses from a selection of forms. Commonly, a forms-based application lets the user access forms by selecting New from the File menu. A dialog-based application, which does not give users access to a New option in the File menu, is also considered a forms-based application.
To create a forms-based application:
If you create an MDI, forms-based application, the program will be able to support multiple instances of the same form.
An SDI or MDI forms-based application both use the document/view architecture.
Any dialog-based application, by definition, is forms based. However, you will not be able to add additional forms to the dialog-based application via the New Form option in the Insert menu. Because a dialog-based application does not use the document/view architecture, you will have to manage the creation and access methods for your own additional forms.
Even if you choose a base class such as CView, you can later make your applications forms-based by adding forms with the New Form option of the Insert menu.
After you finish with the wizard, your project will open and if you selected CFormView (or a class that inherits from CFormView) as your base class, Visual C++ will open the dialog editor and you will be ready to design your first form.
See Also Form Topics.