DOCUMENT:Q180747  11-JAN-2001  [vbwin]
TITLE   :FIX: Focus Does Not Return to an MDI Parent Form
PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
PROD/VER:
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kbGrpDSVB

======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, version 5.0 
 - Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, version 5.0 
 - Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, version 5.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

An MDI child form opens a second modal form and you then switch to another
Windows program. When you switch back to the second modal form and close the
modal form, the focus goes to the other Windows program instead of the MDI child
form.

RESOLUTION
==========

There are two possible workarounds for this problem:

 - Set the focus to the MDI child form after showing the non-MDI child form with
   the SetFocus method.

   -or-

 - Use the SetForegroundWindow API in the unload event of the modal form. The
   MORE INFORMATION section below shows you how to create a project that
   demonstrates this problem. If you want this sample project to include the
   workaround, add the following code to Form2:

         Option Explicit
         Private Declare Function SetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" _
           (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long

         Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
            SetForegroundWindow MDIForm1.hwnd
         End Sub

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article. This bug has been fixed in Visual Basic 6.0.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

1. Start a new Standard EXE project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by
   default. Set the MDIChild property of Form1 to True.

2. Add an MDI form to the project by completing the following steps:

   a. From the Project menu, click Add MDI form to display the Add MDI Form
      dialog box.

   b. From the New tab, check that MDI form is highlighted.

   c. Click Open to close the Add MDI Form dialog box.

3. Add a second form to the project.

4. Add a CommandButton to Form1.

5. Copy the following code to the Code window of Form1:

         Option Explicit
         Private Sub Command1_Click()
            Form2.Show vbModal
         End Sub

6. Start another Windows program, such as Windows Explorer.

7. Switch back to Visual Basic. On the Run menu, click Start or press the F5 key
   to start the program. Click the Command Button to display the Second form.
   Switch to the other Windows program using the ALT+TAB KEYS. Switch back to
   the modal from with the ALT+TAB keys. Close the modal form. Note that the
   focus goes to the Windows program rather than the MDI Parent form.

Additional query words: kbVBp500bug kbVBp600fix kbVBp kbdsd kbDSupport kbNoKeyWord

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbGrpDSVB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVBA500 kbVB500
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS
PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO
EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF
MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION
OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.