Question on closing forms

Hey. Ok so i'm having a problem in my program, so instead of trying to find the bug right away, I decided to test the problem that I'm having by creating a new basic program with two forms. It seems that if I make a new instance of a form, and don't set it to visible, then that form won't run the .closing method. Here's what I did:

Form1- contains 1 button

VB Code:

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        If f2 Is Nothing Then
            f2 = New Form2
        End If
    End Sub

form 2
- contains 1 timer
- modified .closing method

VB Code:

Private Sub Timer1_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Timer1.Tick
        MsgBox("time to run the closing code")
        Me.Close()
    End Sub

VB Code:

Private Sub Form2_Closed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Closed
        MsgBox("doing the actual closing now!")
        Me.Dispose()
        f2 = Nothing
    End Sub

Module

VB Code:

Friend Module DuckyModule
    Friend f1 As Form1 ' can now be accessed from anywhere.
    Friend f2 As Form2
 
End Module

Ok so, the timer is designed to within 5 seconds close form2 when it starts. If I don't do anything about seting the form visible (like .showDialog) then when the timer calls .close() then nothing happens! If I put in .setDialog() then the when the timer calls .close() then it works!. Is this normal? Any ideas on what I could do?

Thanks
John

Well I don't understand. The code you have set doesn't have the Form2 open with either showdialog or show. Here's the code that works for me that should work for you:

Form1:

VB Code:

Public Class Form1
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        If f2 Is Nothing Then
            f2 = New Form2
            f2.ShowDialog()
        End If
    End Sub
End Class
Friend Module DuckyModule
    Friend f1 As Form1 ' can now be accessed from anywhere.
    Friend f2 As Form2
 
End Module

Form2:

VB Code:

Public Class Form2
 
    Private Sub Timer1_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Timer1.Tick
        Timer1.Stop()
        MsgBox("time to run the closing code")
        Me.Close()
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Form2_FormClosed(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.FormClosedEventArgs) Handles MyBase.FormClosed
        MsgBox("doing the actual closing now!")
        Me.Dispose()
        f2 = Nothing
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Form2_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Timer1.Start()
    End Sub
End Class

This code worked for me.

well the wya i have it designed is that the form2 isn't actually supposed to be visible. By making a new one of it, it actually starts the timer and stuff, but doesn't show it. But when I do this, it doesn't run the .closing() method. I have the make it visible inorder to use the .close method

Then make it visible. You shouldn't make a new form2. Why is form2 being called at the beginning when the application starts? In my programs form2 isn't the startup form and it doesn't show up unless it is called.