TForm.FormStyle Property

Determines the form's style.

Pascal

property FormStyle: TFormStyle;

C++

__property TFormStyle FormStyle;

Description

Use FormStyle to get or set the form's style. FormStyle is one of the following values:

Value	Meaning
fsNormal	The form is neither an MDI parent window nor an MDI child window.
fsMDIChild	The form is an MDI child window.
fsMDIForm	The form is an MDI parent window.
fsStayOnTop	This form remains on top of the desktop and of other forms in the project, except any others that also have FormStyle set to fsStayOnTop. If one fsStayOnTop form launches another, neither form will consistently remain on top.

If the form is the main form of an MDI application, its FormStyle property must be set to fsMDIForm.

Note: It is not advisable to change FormStyle at runtime.

Warning: TGraphicControl descendants placed in the client area of a form with FormStyle set to fsMDIForm will not paint.

C++ Examples:

Copy Code

/*
This example uses several forms. The first form has its
FormStyle property set to MDIForm. The others have their
FormStyle properties set to MDIChild and their Visible
properties set to true. Add a main menu component and name
one of the menu items MyArrangeIcons. This is code for the
MyArrangeIconsClick handler.  When the user chooses the
ArrangeIcons command, minimized child forms are arranged
so that they are evenly spaced and don't overlap.  DO NOT
name the menu items "ArrangeIcons" as that will override
the TForm method.
*/
void __fastcall TForm1::MyArrangeIconsClick(TObject *Sender)
{
  Form1->ArrangeIcons();
}

Copy Code

/*
This example ensures that the main form of the application
is an MDI parent:
*/
void __fastcall TForm1::FormCreate(TObject *Sender)
{
  if(FormStyle != fsMDIForm)
          FormStyle = fsMDIForm;
  if(FormStyle == fsMDIForm)
          Edit1->Text = "MDI form";
  else
    //This line never executes
    Edit1->Text = "Not an MDI form";
}

Copy Code

/*
This example uses three forms. The first form has its
FormStyle property set to MDIForm. The other two have their
FormStyle properties set to MDIChild and their Visible
properties set to true. Add a main menu component and name
one of the menu items TileForms. This is code for the
TileFormsClick handler.  When the user chooses the TileForms
command, the child forms tile vertically within the MDI frame
form.
*/
void __fastcall TForm1::TileFormsClick(TObject *Sender)
{
  TileMode = tbVertical;
  Tile();
}

Delphi Examples:

Copy Code

{
This example uses several forms. The first form has its
FormStyle property set to MDIForm. The others have their
FormStyle properties set to MDIChild and their Visible
properties set to true. Add a main menu component and name
one of the menu items MyArrangeIcons. This is code for the
MyArrangeIconsClick handler.  When the user chooses the
ArrangeIcons command, minimized child forms are arranged
so that they are evenly spaced and don't overlap.  DO NOT
name the menu items "ArrangeIcons" as that will override
the TForm method.
} 
procedure TForm1.MyArrangeIconsClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Form1.ArrangeIcons;
end;

Copy Code

{
This example ensures that the main form of the application
is an MDI parent:
}
type
  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    Edit1: TEdit;
  private
    { Private declarations }
  public
    { Public declarations }
    constructor Create(AOwner : TComponent); override;
  end;

var
  Form1: TForm1;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

constructor TForm1.Create(AOwner : TComponent);

begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  if FormStyle <> fsMDIForm then
          FormStyle := fsMDIForm;
  if FormStyle = fsMDIForm then
          Edit1.Text := 'MDI form'
  else
    //This line never executes
    Edit1.Text := 'Not an MDI form';
end;

Copy Code

{
This example uses three forms. The first form has its
FormStyle property set to MDIForm. The other two have their
FormStyle properties set to MDIChild and their Visible
properties set to true. Add a main menu component and name
one of the menu items TileForms. This is code for the
TileFormsClick handler.  When the user chooses the TileForms
command, the child forms tile vertically within the MDI frame
form.
}
procedure TForm1.TileFormsClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  TileMode := tbVertical;
  Tile;
end;