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Multiple frame windows in SDI application

Posted by Ole Lennert on April 3rd, 1999
I have an application where I need to work with two CFrameWnd with corresponding documents and views (not MDI, more like SDI * 2). But how can I have two main frame windows? I couldn't find anything in the docs or here on www.codeguru.com.

So I fired up Visual Studio, and started to single-step InitInstance of a regular SDI application. It should probably not be a surprise that it was the CDocTemplate class that does most of the work.

My test example is called MultiApp, so the standard App-Wizard generated document is called CMultiAppDoc, and the corresponding view is CMultiAppView.

It is only necessary to change code in the InitInstance() member of your CWinApp-derived class.

Here is how to do it:

1. Create classes CMainFrame2, CMultiAppDoc2 and MultiAppView2 (the base classes of these classes are left as an exercise for the reader :-) ). Remember resources (icons, string table, menus etc.)

2. Create four private member variables in your CWinApp-derived class: 


CSingleDocTemplate* m_pDoc1Template;
CSingleDocTemplate* m_pDoc2Template;
CMainFrame* m_pMainFrame;
CMainFrame2* m_pMainFrame2;
3. Register document templates in InitInstance(): 

 m_pDoc2Template = new CSingleDocTemplate(
  IDR_MAINFRAME2,
  RUNTIME_CLASS(CMultiAppDoc2),
  RUNTIME_CLASS(CMainFrame2), // main SDI frame window
  RUNTIME_CLASS(CMultiAppView2));
AddDocTemplate(m_pDoc2Template);

 m_pDoc1Template = new CSingleDocTemplate(
  IDR_MAINFRAME,
  RUNTIME_CLASS(CMultiAppDoc),
  RUNTIME_CLASS(CMainFrame), // second main SDI frame window
  RUNTIME_CLASS(CMultiAppView));
 AddDocTemplate(m_pDoc1Template);
4. Create mainframes with corresponding views: 

ASSERT(m_pDoc2Template != NULL);
ASSERT_KINDOF(CDocTemplate, m_pDoc2Template);
ASSERT(m_pDoc1Template != NULL);
ASSERT_KINDOF(CDocTemplate, m_pDoc1Template);

m_pDoc2Template->OpenDocumentFile(NULL, FALSE);
ASSERT_KINDOF(CMainFrame2, m_pMainWnd);
m_pMainFrame2 = static_cast(m_pMainWnd);
pTmpMainWnd = m_pMainWnd;
m_pMainWnd = NULL;
m_pDoc1Template->OpenDocumentFile(NULL, FALSE);
ASSERT_KINDOF(CMainFrame, m_pMainWnd);
m_pMainFrame = static_cast(m_pMainWnd);

m_pMainFrame2->ShowWindow(SW_SHOW);
m_pMainFrame2->GetActiveView()->OnInitialUpdate();
m_pMainFrame2->UpdateWindow();

m_pMainFrame->ShowWindow(SW_SHOW);
m_pMainFrame->GetActiveView()->OnInitialUpdate();
m_pMainFrame->UpdateWindow();
5. Remove the call to ProcessShellCommand, and handle command line parameters yourself.

6. When either of the mainframes receives focus, set the m_pMainWnd member of your CWinApp-derived class to either m_pMainFrame2 or m_pMainFrame.

7. Overload members in your frame windows, documents and views. You may have to overload further members in your CWinApp-derived class to get the functionality you desire. Check the demo project, but remember that it is a very simple example.

Download demo project - 76 KB

Date Last Updated: April 3, 1999

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Comments

  • One CMDIFrameWnd , One CFrameWnd

    Posted by guzhenghong on 11/18/2006 12:31am

    I want to create a multi-frame MFC application with Visual C++ 6.0 on Windows 2000 Pro. One frame is CMDIFrameWnd ,and the other frame is CFrameWnd. The application runs as AutoCAD 2000 (Autodesk inc), My problem is : When I switch frame windows by method of clicking frame windows on Windows Task Bar, the frame clicked don't bring to top. Why. Thanks. zhenghong gu from CHINA 11.18.2006

    Reply

  • ???

    Posted by Legacy on 07/17/2003 12:00am

    Originally posted by: Leon

    hallo ,
    Are you forget to put in your dsw file ??? Can't open your workspace...

    Reply

  • Problem to create the docking toolbar in both frames

    Posted by Legacy on 12/17/2002 12:00am

    Originally posted by: Efim Bassis

    I tried to create a docking toolbar by traditional method in both frames and it brings me error. Do you know what's a problem?

    Reply

  • Multi-MDI: problem with maximized child frames - don't forget hMDIMenu

    Posted by Legacy on 05/30/2002 12:00am

    Originally posted by: Stephan

    to make this work with MDI - even with maximized ChildWnd's - switch hMDIMenu and hMDIAccel in OnFrameFocus:

    m_pMainWnd = m_pFrame1;
    m_hMDIAccel = m_hMDIAccel1 ;
    m_hMDIMenu = m_hMDIMenu1 ;

    ok, hMDIAccel may not be necessary. But I wanted to avoid any trouble.

    • one CMDIFrame , one CFrameWnd

      Posted by guzhenghong on 11/18/2006 12:29am

      I want to create a multi-frame MFC application with Visual C++ 6.0 on Windows 2000 Pro. One frame is CMDIFrameWnd ,and the other frame is CFrameWnd. The application runs as AutoCAD 2000 (Autodesk inc), My problem is : When I switch frame windows by method of clicking frame windows on Windows Task Bar, the frame clicked don't bring to top. Why. Thanks. zhenghong gu from CHINA 11.18.2006

      Reply
    Reply

  • You must complete the OnFrameFocus methode

    Posted by Legacy on 01/11/2000 12:00am

    Originally posted by: laurent 

    very fine sample, but, I've tried the same exercice with multi-MDIFrame and I think, it's necessary to change, in your methode SetFocus the attribut of the thread App to :


    HRESULT CMultiAppApp::OnFrame1Focus(WPARAM /* wParam */, LPARAM /* lParam */)

    {

            m_pMainWnd                 = m_pMainFrame;

    	AfxGetThread()->m_pMainWnd = m_pMainFrame;


    	return 0;

    }

    Reply
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