how to get IWin32Window of form using reflection

Question

I have a windows form that I am displaying as non-modal dialog. As a result I am calling the overloaded Show(IWin32Window owner) method on that form. Only problem is that one of the parent forms that I want to use here is not accessible in the project. As a result I want to load it using reflection using something like code below.

var frm = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().GetTypes().Where(f => f.Name == "ParentForm").FirstOrDefault();

However this give following compilation errors.

The best overloaded method match for

'System.Windows.Forms.Form.Show(System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window)' has some invalid arguments

Argument 1: cannot convert from 'System.Type' to 'System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window'

Any suggestions on how to achieve this?

With reflection, you're getting the Type corresponding to ParentForm, not an actual ParentForm instance. — Tim S.
– Tim S., Commented Nov 21, 2013 at 21:51
You cannot get instances using reflection. It is used only for discovering a Type and related properties — xenolightning
– xenolightning, Commented Nov 21, 2013 at 21:52
To get what, exactly? An existing instance of it, or a new instance of it? The latter is easy, Activator.CreateInstance(frm). For the former, you need to know how to get a reference to it, it can't just be done automatically. — Tim S.
– Tim S., Commented Nov 21, 2013 at 21:52

Ben Voigt · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-21 23:40:38Z

2

You probably will want to search through the Application.OpenForms collection.

Form f = Application.OpenForms.Where(x => x.GetType().Name == "ParentForm").FirstOrDefault();

edited Nov 21, 2013 at 23:40

answered Nov 21, 2013 at 21:58

Ben Voigt

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2 Comments

crazy novice Over a year ago

That's a great idea. By reflection I first searched for the type and then looked for that type in all open forms from the API you mentioned. Problem solved... You are the man!!!!!!!!!!!

Ben Voigt Over a year ago

@PaulSnow: I think I would have called GetType() on each Form in the collection, and checked the name. Getting the name of the type of each form is a bit less work for .NET than getting the name and other metadata of every type. But glad you got it working.

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