[RESOLVED] How do I?: Tabbed MDI application in WPF and VB 2010.

[JoeQuanson]

I've just recently switched from WinForms to WPF after studying the "vast" advantages WPF has over WinForms. I've also learned to use Microsoft Expression Blend 4. I'm also learning MVVM.

I wish to create a Data Client application in WPF (and VB 2010 which i know quite well) which runs on Windows 7 machines that accesses an SQL Server 2005 database on a Windows Server 2003 machine, in a LAN or/and WLAN environment. The application must be resolution independent (hence WPF). It must also be a Tabbed MDI application with tool-windows and MDI child-windows that can be docked in the application's workspace as in Visual Studio 2010 and Microsoft Access 2010 (without the ribbon).

In my googling and searching Visual Studio Gallery, I found tools from Actipro, DevExpress and SandDock which can perform exactly what I need and more, however, they are all trial versions that expire in 30 days and require that I purchase serial keys for the full versions. The problem is that I am in West Africa where credit cards and paypal don't function.

I would therefore want to know if its possible of me to create my Tabbed MDI application from scratch. I may need the XAML and VB code for at least the MDI parent and dockable MDI child and tool windows.

[jedifuk]

i am not expert in WPF, but i believe WPF doesn't support MDI anymore

[szlamany]

The thing with WPF is that you implement all that yourself - it is all possible.

Here is a link to a MSDN that has what I believe is a free solution for you

https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/wind...ument-059b96a8

[JoeQuanson]

Alright... yep!

I think I've got it!

No WPF MDI Parent or child windows intuitively in Visual Studio... I must implement such an MDI parent UI from scratch using the MainWindow, a Grid panel to carve up my UI into the dock areas I need, Dockpanels and other UI elements as required, and then the child windows would be UserControls to be hosted in a Tabcontrol with various TabItems!... Or something like that right?!!

Ureeeekah!!!...........

Thanks a gazillion guys... I know I could bank on you!

If there are more ideas (such as the "pinned and auto-hide" features of the dockable items) they are gladly welcomed!

[jedifuk]

maybe you can share with us, give us some information about how you manage to solve this..
thank you

[szlamany]

Sounds like the details are in fact there. You have to create all this from scratch. Meaning how far you go with functionality is up to you.