ArcObjects VB.NET forms in ArcMap 10.0

Question

I am trying to create a basic form using ArcObjects (VB.NET) to view in ArcMap 10.0. I have created the form using the designer but can't view it in ArcMap. I have created a button that will call the form and show it using form.show() method but seems it does nothing when I click it.

How can I show GUI forms in ArcMap? I thought by creating a separate button to call the form will work?

Form code:

Public Class ArcGISForm
 Public Sub New(ByVal hook As Object)
 ' This call is required by the Windows Form Designer.
 InitializeComponent()
 ' Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.
 Me.Hook = hook
 End Sub
 Private m_hook As Object
 Public Property Hook() As Object
 Get
 Return m_hook
 End Get
 Set(ByVal value As Object)
 m_hook = value
 End Set
 End Property
 ''' <summary>
 '''creating and disposing the user interface class for the dockable window.
 ''' </summary>
 Public Class AddinImpl
 Inherits ESRI.ArcGIS.Desktop.AddIns.DockableWindow
 Private m_windowUI As ArcGISForm
 Protected Overrides Function OnCreateChild() As System.IntPtr
 m_windowUI = New ArcGISForm(Me.Hook)
 Return m_windowUI.Handle
 End Function
 Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal Param As Boolean)
 If m_windowUI IsNot Nothing Then
 m_windowUI.Dispose(Param)
 End If
 MyBase.Dispose(Param)
 End Sub
 End Class
 Private Sub ArcGISForm_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
 End Sub
 Private Sub CheckBox1_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CheckBox1.CheckedChanged
 End Sub
 Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
 Dim frm2 As New ArcMapAddin2.ArcGISForm(Me.Hook)
 frm2.Hide()
 End Sub
End Class

Here is how I am trying to call the form, from a button.

Public Class showform
Inherits ESRI.ArcGIS.Desktop.AddIns.Button
 Public Sub New()
 End Sub
 Protected Overrides Sub OnClick()
 Dim frm As New ArcMapAddin2.ArcGISForm(Me.Hook)
 frm.Show()
 End Sub
 Protected Overrides Sub OnUpdate()
 End Sub
End Class

Any ideas how I can open the form from the button? Or should I follow a different method?

UPDATE:

I have tried the following and still doesn't work:

Dim oForm As ArcGISForm
oForm = New ArcGISForm(Me.Hook)
oForm.ShowDialog()
oForm = Nothing

All it does is close ArcMap down. When I click the button.

• George Silva: try ShowDialog method. perhaps your form is hidden or beneath the ArcMap's form. I did not reviewed the whole code in detail, but do a simple experiment. Create a brand new form, without anything and try to do a showdialog on it. It should work.
• Kersten: Hi @user65266 Seems like you misplaced your password. Maybe you want to join these two accounts.
• Daz: Hi .not sure how that happened. I fixed the issue by using VB standard form template rather than the ESRI Arcobjects one.
• Daz: I think my accounts are merged now.

Answer 1

This worked. As long as i didnt use the ESRI ArcMap Addin form template it was ok. With ArcMap addin forms it always gives an error about using Hooks. When you call the form must have a hook variable passed through it or something. Didnt quite understand it. But using the standard VB.net form was ok.

Dim oform As New ArcMapAddin2.Form2()
oform.ShowDialog()
oform = Nothing

As long as you dont add any Hooks in the form then the above code should work if you need to call the form from a button in Arcmap.