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Create The Application

Create a new C# application project named Db Browser.

I’ve not yet given up on changing the form name. As much trouble as it is, it offends me no end to see names like ‘Form1’ out there. Granted, the majority of programmers who have dealt with VS 7 will be used to seeing Form1 as the main class’s code implementation but I’ve not yet resolved myself to such meaningless nomenclature.

We want the application to do a lot of things. We want it to open a database, present of a list of tables to the user and allow the user to look at both the column definitions and the actual data itself. Each of these functions requires a somewhat different mode of display and it would be useful to have these various windows hang around at the same time. One way of doing that is to use an MDI interface. Specify that the container form is an MDI container.

As long as we’re playing with the main form’s properties, let’s assert a meaningful title for the main window.

The main window is going to be an MDIParent window. Let’s rename it to reflect that. Click on the Class View tab, select Form1 and change its name to MDIParent.

This brings us to a problem. The code produced by the Wizard already has specified a bunch of Form1 values. We’ll need to go into the code and rename them. Go ahead and do it now. We’ll wait until you’ve had a chance to catch up.