Create a Taskbar of Open MDI Child Forms

Here's an example how you can do that.
Add a StatusStrip to your mdi form, create a new ToolStripStatusLabel on the StatusStrip and use this code adapting for your needs:

Public Class Form1
 
    Private x As Byte
    Private WithEvents TaskbarMenu As ContextMenuStrip
 
    ' When clicked on the label ...
    Private Sub ToolStripStatusLabel1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ToolStripStatusLabel1.Click
 
        ' Checks if the menu is already created
        If TaskbarMenu IsNot Nothing Then
            TaskbarMenu.Dispose()
        End If
        TaskbarMenu = New ContextMenuStrip
 
        ' Adds new itens to the ContextMenuStrip
        For Each f As Form In Me.MdiChildren
            TaskbarMenu.Items.Add(f.Text)
        Next
 
        ' Shows the menu
        TaskbarMenu.Show(Me.StatusStrip1, New Point(StatusStrip1.Location.X, 0), ToolStripDropDownDirection.AboveRight)
    End Sub
 
    ' Adds a new form with diferent names
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim f As New Form2
        f.MdiParent = Me
        f.Name = "Form" & x
        f.Text = "Form" & x
        f.Show()
        x += 1
    End Sub
 
    ' When a item is clicked
    Private Sub TaskbarMenu_ItemClicked(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItemClickedEventArgs) Handles TaskbarMenu.ItemClicked
 
        ' Gets the selected form and show it
        Dim frm As Form = My.Application.OpenForms(e.ClickedItem.Text)
        If frm IsNot Nothing Then
            frm.BringToFront()
        End If
 
    End Sub
 
End Class

Select allOpen in new window

Hi Jpaulino,

How do I make the status strip just show the form names along the bottom, instead of as a menu item... similar to the Windows Taskbar?  

Thanks

Have you tried ?

Yes, I have, but can't figure out what to declare it as.

Dim ft As New frmMembers
        TaskbarMenu = New ContextMenuStrip

        ft.MdiParent = Me
        ft.WindowState = Me.WindowState
        ft.Show()
        ' Dim f As New Form2
        ' f.MdiParent = Me
        ft.Name = "frmMembers" & x
        ft.Text = "Teams/Members" & x
        ft.Show()
        TaskbarMenu.Items.Add(ft.Text)
        x += 1

You don't need that .. I have only used to have diferent names for the forms. You just need to use ToolStripStatusLabel1 click event.

I do have all your code in there and when I click on the status bar it does say what the form text is... but
I wanted the status strip to display the forms that are open something like...

Members 0     Timers 0     Members 1   Races 0

Above is an example of the statusstrip which displays all the child forms that are open.   They toolstripstatuslabel should display the name of the form and then when they click on the name, it brings that instance of the form to the front.

Right now I have to click on the status strip to get a name to display.

Thanks,

Ok, I have understood it wrong !
You want the names in the status bar ? But for that you have to call a function each time you open or close a new child form.

Yes,  that is why I added the add.item to the click event of the form being opened.
I figured it shouldn't be declared as contextmenu etc., but not sure.  I tried with the intellisence to see if there was anything else that made since, but with no luck.
I don't mind calling a function when I load a form, just don't know what the code would be.
Thanks

So far this is great.
Only problem I'm having is I put the call to the showform sub procedure in...

Private Sub StatusStrip1_ItemClicked(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItemClickedEventArgs) Handles StatusStrip1.ItemClicked
        showForm(sender, e)

        'Dim frm As Form = My.Application.OpenForms(e.ClickedItem.Text)
        'If frm IsNot Nothing Then
        '    frm.BringToFront()
        'End If

    End Sub

Unfortunetly the sender is not of the same type.  Where should I put the call to the showform procedure?
Thanks

You don't need this code you have showed!
When you create the new ToolStripStatusLabel in the form load it adds handler to the showForm. The showForm does that already

Hi jpaulino,

I tried to click on it without using the statusbar itemclick event, but nothing happens.
I added ...
Dim ts As New ToolStripStatusLabel
        ts.Text = Me.Text
        AddHandler ts.Click, AddressOf showForm
        My.Forms.frmMain.StatusStrip1.Items.Add(ts)  

to every child forms load event.
I also added your sub procedure to a module.

Public Sub showForm(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)

        Dim t As ToolStripStatusLabel = DirectCast(sender, ToolStripStatusLabel)

        ' Gets the selected form and show it
        Dim frm As Form = My.Application.OpenForms(t.Text)
        If frm IsNot Nothing Then
            frm.BringToFront()
        End If

    End Sub

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks

Hi JPaulino,

I have it working.  
I only added name to both the load procedure and the module.
ts.Name = Me.Name  (in load)
Dim frm As Form = My.Application.OpenForms(t.Name)   (In module)

You are GREAT!   I really appreciate all your help.

Thank you,
Sheri

Excellent!!!!

Sorry I was out for some hours!
Glad I could help!
jpaulino