I am trying to create a windows forms app for a CE.NET device that has one big main form as a background and several forms that shall run within that form. Normally I would work with IsMDIContainer and MDIParent but those do not exist in the Compact Framework. So I tried to play with the "Parent"-field. This seems to do the trick but does not work with modal forms like a LoginForm.

If I'm not using "Parent", I'm getting a new entry in the Taskbar for each new form I'm calling. That is not what I want and allows the user to accidentally bring the MainForm to front hiding the current task-form.

Another approach would be to completely avoid the task-forms and work with panels that I add and remove to the MainForm as needed.

Thanks for any Idea on how to solve this best.