Question:

i am attaching a single context menu to multiple text box. so, i need to get the control name/reference that used to show the context menu.

below is the sample image of my context menu:

<a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/QCyzC.png" rel="nofollow"><img alt="enter image description here" class="b-lazy" data-src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/QCyzC.png" data-original="https://i.stack.imgur.com/QCyzC.png" src="https://etrip.eimg.top/images/2019/05/07/timg.gif" /></a>

Below is the code for green marked "paste" item click event:

Dim objTSMI As ToolStripMenuItem Dim objCMS As ContextMenuStrip Dim objTxtBox As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox objTSMI = CType(sender, ToolStripMenuItem) objCMS = CType(objTSMI.Owner, ContextMenuStrip) objTxtBox = CType(objCMS.SourceControl, System.Windows.Forms.TextBox) If Clipboard.ContainsText(TextDataFormat.Text) = True Then objTxtBox.SelectedText = Clipboard.GetText(TextDataFormat.Text) End If

it works very fine.

but below is my code for red marked "Page count" item click event:

Dim objTSMI As ToolStripMenuItem Dim objCMS As ContextMenuStrip Dim objTxtBox As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox objTSMI = CType(sender, ToolStripMenuItem) objCMS = CType(objTSMI.Owner, ContextMenuStrip) objTxtBox = CType(objCMS.SourceControl, System.Windows.Forms.TextBox) MessageBox.Show(objTxtBox.Name)

but above throws following error :

Unable to cast object of type 'System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDownMenu' to type 'System.Windows.Forms.ContextMenuStrip'.

here is the screenshot of the error:

<a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/AVMhR.png" rel="nofollow"><img alt="enter image description here" class="b-lazy" data-src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/AVMhR.png" data-original="https://i.stack.imgur.com/AVMhR.png" src="https://etrip.eimg.top/images/2019/05/07/timg.gif" /></a>

so, i can't figure it out what is the issue.

any help would be highly appreciated

If you check <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12094528/contextmenustrip-owner-property-null-when-retrieving-from-nested-toolstripmenuit" rel="nofollow">this C# thread</a> the accepted answer notes it is a bug. The workaround presented there uses a private variable to store the SourceControl on the Opening event of the ContextMenuStrip. I've converted to VB.NET and used the Tag of the ContextMenuStrip instead of using the variable. You then refer to the Tag property instead of the faulty SourceControl property:

Imports System.ComponentModel Public Class Form1 Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load Me.TextBox1.ContextMenuStrip = Me.ContextMenuStrip1 Me.TextBox2.ContextMenuStrip = Me.ContextMenuStrip1 End Sub Private Sub ContextMenuStrip1_Opening(sender As Object, e As CancelEventArgs) Handles ContextMenuStrip1.Opening Me.ContextMenuStrip1.Tag = CType(Me.ContextMenuStrip1.SourceControl, Control) End Sub Private Sub TestToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles TestToolStripMenuItem.Click ' first level of context menu strip Dim Strip As ContextMenuStrip = CType(sender, ToolStripMenuItem).Owner Dim Box As TextBox = Strip.Tag MessageBox.Show(Box.Name) End Sub Private Sub ChildToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ChildToolStripMenuItem.Click ' second level of context menu strip Dim Strip As ContextMenuStrip = CType(sender, ToolStripMenuItem).OwnerItem.Owner Dim Box As TextBox = Strip.Tag MessageBox.Show(Box.Name) End Sub End Class