Miscellany

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;
using System.Net.Sockets;

namespace WindowsApplication1
{
    public class BaseForm : Form
    {
        public MySqlConnection ConnectAndShowStatus()
        {
            
            this.toolStripStatusLabel1.Text = "Connecting...";
            string connectionStatus = "Connected";

            MySqlConnection Conn = new MySqlConnection(ConnectionString);
            try
            {
                Conn.Open();
            }
            catch (Exception)
            {
                connectionStatus = "FAILED";
            }

            this.toolStripStatusLabel1.Text = connectionStatus;
            // SHOW UP toolStripStatusLabel1
            return Conn;
        }
    }

    public partial class Form1 : BaseForm
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // call BaseForm's (it returns null if fails)
            MySqlConnection Conn = ConnectAndShowStatus();
        }
    }
}