Specify the size of Child Frame

[serhiy]

Good day, everybody...

I'm using an MDI Form. Now, I've created a few Child Frames. The problem is: how can I specify the size of the Child Frames when they show up? In other words, I need to specify different sizes for different Child Frame. How do I do that?

Thanks.

[CornedBee]

MDICREATESTRUCT has the necessary fields

[serhiy]

sorry... but i don't quite understand your meaning...

[CornedBee]

are you using MFC?
Well, then it's not that easy... Let me see... *goes off to search the MSDN archives...
...
...
...
*hours pass by
...
...
...
*comes out of archives, dusty all over

Well, I found the solution
Your CChildFrame class must have a member function named PreCreateWindow. You have a reference to a CREATESTRUCT passed to it. This is a structure that contains all information about the window being created. Among other members, it contains the x, y, cx and cy members. Those are x-position, y-position, x-size and y-size.

BOOL CChildFrame::PreCreateWindow(CREATESTRUCT& cs)
{
	// TODO: Modify the Window class or styles here by modifying
	//  the CREATESTRUCT cs

	cs.x = 23;
	cs.y = 14;
	cs.cx = 587;
	cs.cy = 23;
	if( !CMDIChildWnd::PreCreateWindow(cs) )
		return FALSE;

	return TRUE;
}

This creates a very long but flat window at the point 23/14 relative to the upper left corner of your frame window.

[serhiy]

Thanks CornedBee...

Tried it, it works. But what if I have several Child Frames (forms) and each has to be displayed in difference sizes?

For your infomation, I'm using a MDIForm.

Sorry for bothering you...

[CornedBee]

Do you have several child frame classes (you have different ways of showing one document type or you have several document types) or several instances of one child frame class (i.e. those frames all contain the same type of document and show it in the same way)?

case A: every class has it's own PreCreateWindow function

case B: you need to find out which window it is and take the appropriate action.

[serhiy]

Yupe, each child frame has its own class.

I did try to modify the PreCreateWindow function of each child frame classes but nothing seems to happen. In other words, the frames only behave according what is written on PreCreateWindow function of ChildFrm class.

[serhiy]

woh... that's a problem... is it really that hard?

[CornedBee]

Can you prove that you don't use the same child frame class each time? I can't use my compiler, but maybe you can at least show me your document template definitions (in CYourApp::InitInstance)

[serhiy]

Attached is the InitInstance function that I've written.

Thanks.

[CornedBee]

Exactly what I suspected:

// Register the application's document templates. Document templates 
// serve as the connection between documents, frame windows and views. 
m_pMainDocTemplate = new CMultiDocTemplate(
   IDR_ACCOUNTTYPE,
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CAccountsDoc),
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CChildFrame), // custom MDI child frame
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CAccountsView));
AddDocTemplate(m_pMainDocTemplate); //
// 
m_pWContractDocTemplate[WndWCAgreement] = new CMultiDocTemplate(
   IDR_ACCOUNTTYPE,
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CAccountsDoc),
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CChildFrame), // custom MDI child frame
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CWCAgreement_Form)); 
AddDocTemplate(m_pWContractDocTemplate[WndWCAgreement]);

m_pWContractDocTemplate[WndWCProgress] = new CMultiDocTemplate(
   IDR_ACCOUNTTYPE,
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CAccountsDoc),
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CChildFrame), // custom MDI child frame
   RUNTIME_CLASS(CWCProgress_Form));
AddDocTemplate(m_pWContractDocTemplate[WndWCProgress]);

// And and and... 

Now that's a ***** load of document templates...

The problem is that you always use the same child frame class:
RUNTIME_CLASS(CChildFrame), // custom MDI child frame
You need to change this if you want each frame to have a different size.

[serhiy]

So, you reckon that I use different ChildFrame class for each of my FormView, isn't it?

[CornedBee]

Yes, or in PreCreateWindow you find out the view class and act accordingly. But I don't know how to find that out.

[serhiy]

OK. Thanks a lot. You've been very helpful.

I know what I should do now.

Thanks again! Have a nice day...

[paradoxresolved]

. . . that answers an old question I had about starting a child frame maximized. . . thanks CornedBee. . . You help a messload of people on this thing, you know that?