Question

I have two forms and I set one of the forms’ TopMost property to true. Somewhere, while the program runs, I show a MessageBox, but since TopMost is set to true, when the MessageBox pops up it shows under the topmost form so I cannot see it.

1. Is there any way that I make one of my forms always be on top, but when a MessageBox pops up, make the message box show on top of that specific form?

2. Is it possible to give a location to the MessageBox so that it shows not in the middle but for example low down on the screen?

3. Let’s say that I have an orange colored form can I have a pink colored message box only for that specific application. I mean I am NOT referring to playing the windows color properties. (I don’t want all message boxes to be pink.)

Answer 1

1) The MessageBox.Show method has an overload that takes a first parameter of Window type. If you use that overload instead of just Show(string), ie.:

class MyForm : Form {
    void method(){
       MessageBox.Show(this, "blablablablabla");
    }
}

then the MessageBox will show up in a ‘modal’ mode and it will be exactly on top on that form. Now just ensure that you pass that topmost form and you’re done. Side effect is that the ‘modal’ mode will cause the Messagebox to BLOCK the original window until the message is dismissed.

2) No, that is not possible directly. However, you can play hard with .Net and get a “handle” to the messagebox and then move the window via P/Invoke to some WinApi functions, but I recommend you not.

3) No, that’s just not possible with MessageBoxes

What you want to achieve in (2) and (3) is not possible, because the MsgBox is meant to be simple. To get that things you will have to write your own tiny form that will act as a message box, and present that form instead of the message box. That form will be able to have any styling, any position and any behaviour you like.