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Windows 11, VS 2022, version 17.7.6
The goal is to create a project with multiple dialogs. I found the process to create some dialogs, but the dialogs cannot be renamed and when the dialogs are closed within the VS windows I cannot reopen it.
Here is my current status.
Each dialog is to be what I call an interactive drag and drop tool, meaning, the dialog is displayed within the Visual Studio framework and the user gets to use the Toolbox and drag and drop items onto the dialog. For example, push buttons.
Create an MFC Application, C++, Windows, Desktop
Name it multi_dialog_4.
Application Type:
Dialog Based
Dialog based options <none> (my best guess)
Advanced Features: Turn off ActiveX, not needed.
Set the name of the dialog. Right click it and select Properties. The name cannot be changed. What are the steps to change the name?
Now to add a second dialog.
File -> New -> File -> … no option for a new dialog
File -> Add -> … not here
From the main tool bar click: View -> Resource View, opens “Resource View – multi_dialog_4
Open these items: multi_dialog_4 -> multidialog4.rc -> Dialog
Right click on Dialog -> Add Resource and click on Dialog then New to get a new dialog.
Right click it to get Properties and go to Misc -> Name. I cannot change the name. What are the steps to change the name of this dialog?
Note also, because of my long names the names in the tabs for the two dialogs are identical. This is a problem.
Now, just for the exercise, close both dialogs in the Visual Studio editor, then open them again. To open them again, display the Resource view. Open the group Dialog to find:
Note that neither dialog is listed. When I clicked IDRETRY one of the dialogs was displayed but the name was not shown.
In summary:
Have I found the right method to create new dialogs?
What are the steps to rename the dialogs?
What are the steps to open the dialogs after the edit window for them has been closed?
By the way, VS2022 is up to version 17.10.5 and you should consider updating yours
How I add a new dialog.
Create the MFC project resulting in the VS 2022 displaying the first, or top dialog, with the Solution Explorer in the left panel.
From the top tool bar click View -> Resource view to get
The name IDD_MULTI_DIALOG_6_DIALOG is just too much and not enough. To change it
Right click the dialog and select properties. Edit field ID to be: top_dialog and close properties.
I don’t know why it took me this long to find this, but I have it now. Next, add another dialog.
Right click on “Dialog” in the Resource View panel -> Add Resource -> Dialog -> New
Change the caption to “Long Multiply” so I can more easily identify the dialog.
Scroll down to the end of the properties list to find category “Misc” and field “(Name)” that cannot be changed. Next to the last item is ID so change that to long_multiply. Click out, still there. Close Properties, and all looks good.
Now the two dialogs are shown as named in the Resource View.
Again, I don’t know why it took me this long to get here.
BUT, I do thank you for your time and patience.
Right click on “Dialog” in the Resource View panel -> Add Resource -> Dialog -> New
The dialog resource that you create by doing this is not associated with any code. No MFC dialog class was created for it. Again, I suggest that you follow my earlier guidance that is specifically for MFC.
Did you remember to change the design time code in the header file for the MFC dialog class that was created for the initial IDD_MULTI_DIALOG_6_DIALOG resource as shown in the last image that I posted for the proper way to add dialogs to an MFC application? If you didn't make that change you have broken the design time connection between the dialog and its related MFC code.
Much has occurred since last post to include complete system crash and upgrade to VS 2022, Version 17.13.3. Now I am quite surprised that I cannot find guidance on how to open a dialog. Just in case, MFC project, C++.
New dialog is named DLG_SHOW_ADDITION. In the original dialog is a button named IDC_SHOW_ADDITION. Right click to button and select Add Event Handler to get to this function:
void CAboutDlg::OnBnClickedShowAddition()
{ // TODO: Add your control notification handler code here
show
}
I was hoping the VS code completion assistant would show something along with the word “show”. Putting the dialog name in there was of no help.
Where can I look to find code and instructions about opening a dialog and things to do with that dialog?
When you properly add a dialog to an MFC application the dialog resource is created, a new MFC class to encapsulate that dialog is also created and the related header (.h) and implementation (.cpp) files are added to the project.
Assuming that the class name of the new dialog is CShowAdditionDlg you would do the following -
void CAboutDlg::OnBnClickedShowAddition()
{
CShowAdditionDlg dlg;
dlg.DoModal();
}
Refer to CDialog::DoModal
and
VS 2022 Version 17.13.3,
Continuing the question of: How to open a dialog in a MFC project with C++?
Per my post on 3 Jul 2024, click View -> Resource. But Resource does not exist under view. That is a minor problem.
In Solution Explorer, right click on Resource Files -> Add -> Resource -> Dialog
Right click on the dialog -> Properties and the ID is IDD_DIALOG1. But this is an integer. What is the name of the object that is this dialog. From what I can figure out, the object is what needs to be opened. As in this code generated from: right click on a button -> Add Event Handler to get this starter code:
<code>
[code]
void CAboutDlg::OnBnClickedShowAddition() {
// TODO: Add your control notification handler code here
IDD_DIALOG1->ShowWindow(SW_SHOW); // my attempt at the code needed
}
[/code]
</code>
Side issue: I click the tool that looks like "<>" and it did absolutely nothing. So I tried two methods of marking code and, as I edit, neither did anything at all.
And, recognizing that IDD_DIALOG1 is an integer, not the name of the object.
So try to find the object. Press Ctrl-F, the find operation, and, nothing, no find dialog. What happened to that?
Ok, go to tool bar: Edit -> Find and Replace and it shows Ctrl-F is the shortcut. Why does the shortcut not work?
Still does not work. Oops, its under the Toolbox dialog. To my opinion, Visual Studio should have brought it to the top. Another minor problem.
Regardless, open FIND, search for IDD_DIALOG1, select option for “Entire solution”
The only place found is in Resource.h where the constant is created with #define.
Where is this object just created with the above actions to create a dialog? What is that object’s name?
This is getting too long. Next I will follow the instructions from RLWA32’s two posts on Jul 27 and see where I get. But as I look through them, I don’t recognize the code to open the dialog and display it on the screen. I definitely want a non-modal dialog.
Read my comment from March 29, 2025 which shows how to invoke a modal dialog. Also read the documentation at Working with Dialog Boxes in MFC.
This thread already has an accepted answer and has become long and confusing. Posting comments and follow-on questions as answers doesn't help.
I suggest you ask a new Question about how to use modeless dialog boxes after you have revisited the correct way to add a dialog to an MFC application and read the abovementioned documentation.
RLWA32, in your post of Mar 29, 2025 at 12:22, and in the comment on Apr 3, 2025, is a link to here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/mfc/creating-and-displaying-dialog-boxes?view=msvc-170
For a modeless dialog that leads the reader to here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/mfc/creating-modeless-dialog-boxes?view=msvc-170
That really does not answer the question. But it leads the user to here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/mfc/life-cycle-of-a-dialog-box?view=msvc-170
It still does not describe how to create and open a dialog box. But it has a link to here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/mfc/creating-and-displaying-dialog-boxes?view=msvc-170
And, gosh, that is the first link posted. The link is circular and does not provide the guidance sought. (Derogatory comments about this set of guidance are omitted.)
The Question
So I am back to the original question. This is a bit redundant, but I would like all the information in one place.
What is the code to open a new dialog? A dialog that is created using the Visual Studio built in utilities so that I can drag and drop controls on to it using “Toolbox”
Details
Create an MFC app using C++, Application type: Dialog based. Name if multi_dialog_5. Build it, run it, the dialog is displayed.
Use the built in functions to create a new dialog so that I can add controls with the built in utility called Toolbox.
Here is a method I discovered: In Solution Explorer, right click on Resource Files. Click Add -> Resource -> Dialog -> New. A new dialog is created. To ensure it is identifiable, change the caption to New Dialog. On my computer, in Properties, the name is IDD_DIALOG1 and the ID is IDD_DIALOG1.
Go back to the first automatically created dialog and add a button. Give it the text: Open Dialog. Right click it and select option: Add Event Handler. Take the defaults and click OK. Here is the code that is automatically created:
void CAboutDlg::OnBnClickedButton1()
{
``// TODO: Add your control notification handler code here
}
The Question
What is the code needed to open that dialog that was just created? Where must the object of the new dialog be declared, and what is the code to open that new dialog?
Again, you previously wrote -
The instructions to add new item to the project seems imprecise. In Solution Explorer, right click on the project name and select Add. This does not get me to a place to add a class.
Did you read my comment on April 4, 2025 in which I answered your follow-on question about how to add a new item for an MFC dialog class? It should have resolved your earlier confusion and by now you should be able to follow the guidance I have provided to you so that you can properly add a new dialog to an MFC application. And "properly" means that VS2022 adds a dialog resource and the related .h and .cpp files for a new MFC class that encapsulates that dialog to the project.
When you have successfully completed that task I will be happy to work with you on the nuances of modeless MFC dialogs in response to a new Question.
Step through the reply of Jul 27, 2024, 12:01 AM
Create the application, display dialog properties, change the ID to IDD_MULTI1, refresh Properties and see the name change.
“And adding a new dialog as described above – “
I presume this references my descriptions. Did that but difficult. In the past VS had Resource View under the tool bar item “View” Now one must click View -> Other Windows -> Resource View. That move was not a good idea.
Right click it, Add -> Resource -> Dialog -> New
Thought: Why like this? So I will have a dialog on to which items from “Toolbox” can be dropped rather than write code to add each control one at a time.
Leave the name IDD_DIALOG1.
This marks the end of the noted post. No instructions or example code on how to open the dialog.
Continue with the RLWA32 post jul 27 2024, 5:17 AM
Quote: Add a new Item to the project and select MFC->Add MFC Class
This seems to presume that a project has already been created. Where is this dialog found? How is it shown?
Try: File -> Add -> Existing Project, nothing like the example dialog
Try: Project -> Add Class The top dialog is nothing close, the next dialog has the fields in different order.
Hmmm. RLWA32, are you using VS 2022? It does not look like it. If not, be so kind as to say so, and that might make things easier. If you are using VS2022, then why are our dialogs so much different? To continue.
Use exactly the same names. But, my dialog does not have the field: Dialog ID. My results will be different and my new class will not be directly associated with the dialog. But, try anyway.
A new dialog was created, added some static text to identify it.
Open file CMultiDlg2.h, empty class. Type in all the text from the 4th dialog of this post.
Two problems here. First, VS squiggles the constructor saying its an over load, and squiggles the destructor saying: invalid destructor definition.
Second: it still does not show the code to open the dialog.
Please, I have searched multiple times and cannot find the answer. Here is the function created as the event handler for a button to open a dialog.
void CAboutDlg::OnBnClickedShowAddition() {
``// TODO: Add your control notification handler code here
``IDD_DIALOG1->ShowWindow(SW_SHOW);`` ``// my attempt at the code needed
}
Please: What is the code that goes in here to open the dialog I have described several times?
The Visual Studio dialog editor manages dialogs using their resource identifier (ID). What you see as the dialog Name in the property page is only a display name based on the dialog ID. If you change the dialog ID the display name will change accordingly.
For example, create the multi_dialog_4 application as described above -
Notice that the initial dialog had IDD_MULTI_DIALOG_4_DIALOG (based on the project name) as its initial dialog.
Display the dialog properties -
As you can see, the "Name" is based on the dialog's ID and cannot be directly edited.
Now in the property page lets change the dialog ID to IDD_MULTI1 -
At this point the dialog ID has been changed but the VS dialog editor has not refreshed the displayed "Name" yet.
To have VS refresh the display "Name" first click the dialog id in the Resource View --
Now click back on the dialog image to show the property page again -
Now the displayed "Name" has been refreshed.
And adding a new dialog as described above -
If you change the new dialog's default ID from IDD_DIALOG1 to something else that you prefer you now know how to see that change reflected in the dialog editor.
To reopen a closed dialog double-click on its ID in the resource view.
Although the VS dialog editor uses numeric resource Ids by default it is possible to use text strings. In the example below, the dialog resource identifier enclosed by double quotes is a text string -
It is quite complicated, not intuitive until it has been used multiple times. I am doing better now.
Thank you for your time.
I'm glad you found this discussion of dialog resource identifiers to be helpful. However, if you are actually going to work with MFC dialogs I strongly suggest that you follow the procedures I described in my other posted answer.
The proper way to add a dialog to an MFC application is as follows -
Add a new Item to the project and select MFC->Add MFC Class
Configure the Add Class dialog to set CDialog (or CDialogEx) as the Base class and enter the dialog ID that you want to use -
After you click OK the dialog resource will be added and the related .h and .cpp files for the MFC dialog class for that dialog will be created and added to your project.
Your project now has everything it needs so that you can add controls to the dialog and customize it using Class Wizard and or context menus.
Visual Studio automatically adds information to the dialog class header file that is used at design time to connect the dialog with the related code.
After creating a dialog and the related .h and .cpp files if you later change the dialog resource identifier you must conform this information in the dialog's .h file.
My advice to you is to use meaningful resource identifiers when you create dialogs and then leave them alone. That's the best way to ensure that Visual Studio's dialog and code wizards/editors function as intended.
RLWA32 started the reply with:
The proper way to add a dialog to an MFC application is as follows -
Add a new Item to the project and select MFC->Add MFC Class
The words indicate that a new dialog is to be added to an existing project. But the dialog looks more like the creation of a project. I just updated VS 2022 to version 17.10.5. Those dialogs are not present when I create a new project or when I am trying to edit an existing project.
Please clarify the situation and how I can acquire the shown dialog.
Thank you for your time.
The words indicate that a new dialog is to be added to an existing project. But the dialog looks more like the creation of a project.
Appearances can be deceiving. Carefully read the first instruction about adding a new item to the project. In the first posted image look at the caption of the window. It says "Add New Item - multi_dialog_4". Don't be confused by the fact that the intitial dialog for a newly created MFC dialog based application has a similar appearance to the dialog added to an existing MFC application when using "Add New Item".
Those dialogs are not present when I create a new project or when I am trying to edit an existing project.
I'm not sure what you are referring to with this comment. Did you follow the instructions given above to add a new dialog to an existing MFC dialog-based application? You could clarify your issue by posting some screenshots of the steps you are taking.
Working answer from RLWA32 on Jul 27, 2024, at 5:17 AM
Create new project msdn_mfc_dialog, build and run starter project, looks ok
The first item in the FLWA32 post does not look anything like any of my MFC projects. Here is my development screen, shrunk down to fit better.
The instructions to add new item to the project seems imprecise. In Solution Explorer, right click on the project name and select Add. This does not get me to a place to add a class.
Right click on Header Files, Resource Files, and Source Files, select Add, and an option is Class Wizard. But it is nothing like the answer presented.
I am using Visual Studio 2022, Version 17.13.3 and it looks nothing like the images in the reply. The suggestions here do not appear to be for VS 2022. If these suggestions are for VS2022, please be more precise.
I will try some stuff, but, does anyone have suggestions for VS 2022.
The instructions to add new item to the project seems imprecise. In Solution Explorer, right click on the project name and select Add. This does not get me to a place to add a class.
If you followed the instructions that I posted on July 27, 2024 you should have been able to see the following when using the project node context menu to Add a new item to the project -
After "New Item..." is selected the Add New Item dialog will open and you can then select MFC so you can add an MFC Class as shown in my previously posted images and follow the remaining instructions.
@Bryan Kelly, Since this thread was started a year ago it has become long and confusing. I am using this Answer to summarize the guidance previously provided and again illustrate the proper way to add an additional MFC dialog to an MFC dialog-based application. All of the following was done with VS2022. Lets start with a newly created MFC dialog-based application project.
In solution explorer select the project node and right click to open the context menus as shown here
Upon clicking "New Item..." an "Add New Item" dialog will open. Expand the "Visual C++" node on the left and select "MFC" and also "MFC Class" as shown below. Give your new class a name. Here I use CAnotherDialog. Then click the Add button
After clicking the Add button the "Add MFC Class" dialog will open. Change the Base class from CWnd to CDialog and provide a Dialog ID. Then click OK.
VS2022 will then create and add the CAnotherDialog.cpp file, the CAnotherDialog.h file and the IDD_ANOTHER_DIALOG dialog resource to the project.
Solution explorer AFTER new MFC dialog added to the project
Resource View after new MFC dialog added to the project
RLWA32, Please do not post to any of my questions.
Answer RLWA32 post, Apr 6, 2025, 3:08 AM
Create the same project name, build, run without changes, looks OK.
The reverse color images you provide are a bit difficult to read. After creating the project and running the unchanged project, open Resource View and the dialog options to reveal this. Two items there. The second opens the default dialog of the project.
The second image shows Add –> New Item selected. The third image shows a dialog to create a class. However, when I select add -> New item, the result is not compatible with yours.
Instead I use: Right click -> Add -> Class to get this
Close but clearly not the same. Click OK. Yes, the files were added.
Go to resource view and it looks like this.
It is not the same, nothing new was added. No new dialog.
From that view, right click on “Dialog” -> Add Resource -> Dialog -> New
There is not immediate opportunity to change the name and the default name is IDD_DIALO1, noting that it is actually dialog 2.
Here your instructions stop. There is nothing about how to open the dialog.
AND THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT!
So I go a bit further. Return to the first dialog, add a button, change its ID to ID_OPEN_DIALOG_2. Right click on that new button and select option: Add Event Handler …
Take the defaults for the popup dialog: Event Handler and click OK. This code is created and ready to edit.
void CAboutDlg::OnBnClickedOpenDialog2()
{
// TODO: Add your control notification handler code here
}
So what is the code to open the second dialog? Where should it be declared?
Do ctl-F and search for IDD_DIALOG1 to get the below situation
That should not happen. But maybe its ok. Save, then build, then search again. The only instance is in Resource.h and the constant: #define IDD_DIALOG1
That is not a class or object that can be opened.
Two Questions
First: somewhere,…, there are some pages or instructions that describe class CDialog, and certainly all the default classes. Somewhere,…, there are descriptions of all the functions of that class, and all the default classes. Where can I find those descriptions?
Second: I have added the second dialog and created the shown event handler to be called when the button is clicked. What is all the code needed to open that dialog?
Once again, you did not follow the instructions given to you.
You did not select the project node in solution explorer, and right click to open the context menus as was clearly shown in the image that I posted.
Instead, you used the VS IDE main menu Project->Add New Item to open this -
But all is not lost.
Click the "Show All Templates" button and the dialog will expand. For example -
At this point you can continue with my instructions to select MFC under the "Visual C++" node and then you should see this (image from previous post) -
Continue following my previously posted instructions.
When you have managed to properly add the MFC dialog ask a new Question about implementing a modeless dialog. I will not extend this thread any further to address that issue.
