For Windows desktop applications that already use the OpenEdge GUI, you can add new GUI for .NET forms without changing the ABL windows of the existing user interface. Another way to integrate ABL windows with GUI for .NET forms is to embed the client area of ABL windows into a .NET form.

There are several options for embedding OpenEdge windows in a .NET form. Existing ABL windows can be shown embedded in:

  • A bounded area in a form, inherited from Progress.Windows.WindowContainer. The developer determines the size and location of the container.
  • An MDI child form, inherited from Progress.Windows.MDIChildForm. The size and location of the embedded window are determined by the size of the MDI child form client area.

The embedded window continues to exist on the ABL session window chain.