I use MDI quite a lot, I like it much more (where it can be used) than multiple floating forms.
But to get the best from it you need to get to grips with your own events. It makes life so much easier for you.
A skeletal example.
Have your own interupt types,
//Clock, Stock and Accoubts represent the actual forms in
//the MDI application. When I have multiple copies of a form
//I also give them an ID, at the time they are created, then
//include that ID in the Args class.
public enum InteruptSource
{
IS_CLOCK = 0, IS_STOCKS, IS_ACCOUNTS
}
//This particular event type is time based,
//but you can add others to it, such as document
//based.
public enum EVInterupts
{
CI_NEWDAY = 0, CI_NEWMONTH, CI_NEWYEAR, CI_PAYDAY, CI_STOCKPAYOUT,
CI_STOCKIN, DO_NEWEMAIL, DO_SAVETOARCHIVE
}
Then your own Args type
public class ControlArgs
{
//MDI form source
public InteruptSource source { get; set; }
//Interrupt type
public EVInterupts clockInt { get; set; }
//in this case only a date is needed
//but normally I include optional data (as if a C UNION type)
//the form that responds to the event decides if
//the data is for it.
public DateTime date { get; set; }
//CI_STOCKIN
public StockClass inStock { get; set; }
}
Then use the delegate within your namespace, but outside of a class
namespace MyApplication
{
public delegate void StoreHandler(object sender, ControlArgs e);
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
//your main form
}
Now either manually or using the GUI, have the MDIparent respond to the events of the child forms.
But with your owr Args, you can reduce this to a single function. and you can have provision to interupt the interupts, good for debugging, but can be usefull in other ways too.
Just have al of your mdiparent event codes point to the one function,
calendar.Friday += new StoreHandler(MyEvents);
calendar.Saturday += new StoreHandler(MyEvents);
calendar.Sunday += new StoreHandler(MyEvents);
calendar.PayDay += new StoreHandler(MyEvents);
calendar.NewYear += new StoreHandler(MyEvents);
A simple switch mechanism is usually enough to pass events on to appropriate forms.