Listbox

[brianh]

A combo box has a property of text, if you use this property whatever is slected in the combo box is equal to the text property. If you have a list box what is the equivalent for this? In other words if I fill a listbox and want to select sometyhing out of it what is the property for this?

[rabih]

This is how you select something in a listbox
List1.Selected(Index) = True

If you have five entries in the listbox, then Index should range from 0 to 4.

[brianh]

If you are filling this list box in dynamically then how owuld you identify the item? I can't hard code the index number in because the list box is being filled in a runtime.

The Listbox has a .Text property for when something is selected.

[YoungBuck]

If you are allowing multiple items to be selected (i.e. if the MultiSelect property is set to 1-Simple or 2-Extended)then you should probably use a formula similar to this....

    Dim iCt As Integer
    
    For iCt = 0 To (List1.ListCount - 1)
    
        If List1.Selected(iCt) = True Then
        
            Debug.Print List1.List(iCt)
            
        End If
    
    Next iCt

[brianh]

When I use the text property and try and open the file selected it opens acrobat reader (I am using the shell command) and then it says cannot open file, file does not exist. I know that it does because I can go to the directory and find it.

Here is the code

If lstQuery.Text <> "" Then
Shell ("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\") & lstQuery.Text, vbMaximizedFocus
Else
MsgBox "Please select a file from the list box", vbExclamation
End If

This list box gets filled in according to a query that I wrote.

[rabih]

Don't use lstQuery.text, instead use lstQuery.list(iCt) to retieve the filename in your listbox.

[rabih]

qoute:
Shell ("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\") & lstQuery.Text, vbMaximizedFocus

remove the second bracket, and place it after lstQuery.text like this:
Shell ("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\" & lstQuery.Text), vbMaximizedFocus

[brianh]

How owuld I set the index argument to what ever is selected. In other words if I put this piece of code in it still wants a value for iCt. How do I tell it that iCt is equal to whatever is selected?

[rabih]

Shell "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\" & lstQuery.Text, vbMaximizedFocus

[YoungBuck]

If you want to return the current index of the listbox then use this

   List1.List(List1.ListIndex)

but I think that has the same effect as List1.Text??

[crptcblade]

use lstQuery.List(lstQuery.ListIndex)

[rabih]

'Make a loop like this one
For Index = 0 To lstFiles.ListCount - 1
If lstFiles.Selected(Index) = True Then
Shell "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0 Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\" & lstQuery.Text, vbMaximizedFocus
Else
MsgBox "Please select a file from the list box", vbExclamation
End If
next Index

[brianh]

List Files?????

[rabih]

by lstFiles, I really meant lstQuery... alright.
Just one little tip...
use the listIndex property, if your lstQuery is not set to multiline. Otherwise use the loop I'd given you, for multiline selections, it's more accurate.

enjoy coding...

[brianh]

Ok when I do this it works great, there is only one thing that is holding me back I believe. I still get a file not found error the problem is that it is not seeing the .pdf extension on the file name. Here is my code (rabih's actually)

For index = 0 To lstQuery.ListCount - 1
If lstQuery.Selected(index) = False Then
Shell "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0 Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\" & lstQuery.Text, vbMaximizedFocus
Else
MsgBox "Please select a file from the list box", vbExclamation
End If
Next index

If I put a break point on the line

Shell "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0 Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\" & lstQuery.Text,


It will get the file selected at lstquery.text (if I put my mouse over that it has the correct file name in it). The problem is that the file does not have the .pdf extension, is there a way to tack that on automatically?

[rabih]

Listen Brian:
1. Are using a ListBox or a FileListBox ?
If you're using a ListBox then how are you filling it? Show me your code...
If you're using a fileListBox then file extensions, are automatically added to each file.
If you haven't used FileListBoxes before... they are just like ListBoxes but mainly for displaying the contents of folders, eg: if you place a FileListBox on your form called File1 then add this to form_Load

Private Sub form_Load()
File1.Path = "G:\efile's\"
End Sub

then you'll see all the files in that directory complete with an extension.

[brianh]

Sorry for my ignorance on the subject and I appreciate your patience. I am using a listbox. The following code is how I fill it (through a query with parameters that are passed through an input box).

Dim strSql As String
Dim strLName As String
Dim rsdigiID As New ADODB.Recordset
Dim condigiID As New ADODB.Command

lstQuery.Clear
dbConnect

strLName = InputBox("Please enter the Last Name that you would like to search for")

If strLName = "" Then
MsgBox "Please enter a Last Name", vbOKOnly
Exit Sub
End If

strLName = "select * from tbldigidoc where tbldigidoc.L_Name like '" & strLName & "'"
With condigiID
.ActiveConnection = cnndigi
.CommandType = adCmdText
.CommandText = strLName

Set rsdigiID = .Execute()
End With

Do Until rsdigiID.EOF
lstQuery.AddItem rsdigiID("Name_of_Document")
rsdigiID.MoveNext
Loop

rsdigiID.Close
Set rsdigiID = Nothing
Set condigiID = Nothing

What next?, Thanks a lot!

[rabih]

'Change this line, Hope this one works
Do Until rsdigiID.EOF
lstQuery.AddItem rsdigiID("Name_of_Document") & ".pdf"
rsdigiID.MoveNext
Loop

Tell me what happens, Okay

[brianh]

Well it worked and it didn't at the same time. When I placed that in there it did put a .pdf on the end of it but it still gives the message, filke not found. Ahhhhh! I going nuts with what should be a simple function, anyway any ideas?

[rabih]

Brian...
I'm going nuts too, and my TV got screwed up all of a sudden. If you feel like it, email me with your project files at my email address [email protected]... and I'll see that your code should hopefully run.

[rabih]

Listen Brian...
Sometimes while you're coding, you run into dead ends. You face tiny problems that seem really silly and that could drive you mad. Those kind of situations, are solved with persistance and only persistance. Keep debugging, and use trial and error till you solve it. And when you do, you'd have learnt a valuable lesson.
By the way, how old are you?
I'll goto bed now, good luck.

[Chris]

Hi! Brainh, May be you can try to remove those single qoute in your directry name and use the Trim() function before you add any data into your listbox:

'Do use the With Statement, to speed up your performance too
With rsdigiID 
    If .RecordCount <> 0 Then
       'To ensure all the data is sort accordingly   
       .MoveLast
       .MoveFirst      
       Do Until .EOF 
          'To ensure there is no leading/trailling space
          lstQuery.AddItem Trim(.Fields("Name_of_Document")) 
          .MoveNext 
       Loop 
    End If
End With

Option Explicit
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long

Private Const LB_ERR = (-1)
Private Const LB_GETCURSEL = &H188

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim Idx As Integer
'Get the current list index
Idx = SendMessage(lstQueryList.hwnd, LB_GETCURSEL, 0, 0)
'If not error
If Idx <> LB_ERR Then
    Shell "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0 Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efiles\" & lstQueryList.List(Idx), vbMaximizedFocus
Else
    MsgBox "Please select a file from the list box", vbExclamation
End If
End Sub

[c@lle]

hey, if you want you can use the following code. With this you can open the associated program (like doubleclicking on the file in the explorer)

'function to start file with associated program
 Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long

 Dim lngResult As Long
 Dim sFile As String
    sFile = "c:\temp\test.pdf"
    'this will open acrobat reader
    lngResult = ShellExecute(hwnd, "Open", sFile, "", "", vbNormalFocus)

[brianh]

Well I will try these different methods, I am on Pacific Time so I just got to work. Rabih I am 25, probably a little older than you expected. I am a network administrator (Netware 4.11) but have jumped into this VB project.

[rabih]

'I just added the trim function here, 'cause your DB may have the Name_Of_Document containing unnecessary spaces
'tell me what happens
Private Sub cmdView_Click()
If lstQuery.List(lstQuery.ListIndex) <> "" Then
Shell "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe G:\efile's\" & Trim(lstQuery.List(lstQuery.ListIndex)), vbMaximizedFocus
Else
MsgBox "Please select a file from the list box", vbExclamation
End If
End Sub

[brianh]

You'll never guess what happened. It will open some files and not others. I went to confirm that a certain file was there and ried to open it and it opens Adobe Acrobat and then gives me the error message (Cannot open file, file does not exist). I try another one and it works fine... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, am I going nuts? By the way how old are you?

[rabih]

I'm 23, just two years younger than you. I bet you thought I was 14 or something. You won't believe it, by some of the VB gurus on this forum, are this old. AAHHHHHHHHH, I'm ready to help you, tell me exactly what went wrong this time? Atleast, something worked right.. !

[brianh]

OK here goes:

When I run one of the queries it fills the list box as it should. I then click on one of the names in the list box and click on the view button. Each time it will being up Adobe Reader as it should but sometimes it (Adobe) will say "There was an erro opening this document, this file does not exist", and about 50% of the timew it will actually open the file. I am verifying that the files exist and I have tried it with files created by different owners, the only thing else that I can thing of as far as file properties is size, I have also tried it with various dates. There is know sensible explanantion that I can come up with right now, thanks for all of your help.

[rabih]

Could it be, that you're logged on as a user, and when you try to open files belonging to other users, that could be inaccessible to you.?

[brianh]

No because I have supervisor rigths to the root. I can opne any file in my container. I have tried opening various files, it doe snot matter how big or small, date created, owner, file name size, anything. I can't seem to pin point what is causing the inconsistency.

[rabih]

You know what Brian? you're facing many problems, due to the way the Name_Of_Document field is storing document names. Even though we are trimming unnecessary spaces from Name_Of_Document... what if the filename actually contains a space just before the dot and the extension.

To demonstrate this problem, this is an example:
If you have a file called Pamela.pdf, that is stored in the Name_Of_Document field as Pamela .pdf - that's with a space- then we display the name in the lstQuery as Pamela.pdf 'cause we trimmed it. Now this works fine.

But if you have a file called Pamela .pdf -with a space in it- then you display it in the lstQuery without the space as Pamela.pdf after being trimmed. So when you try to run it, it won't... 'cause it expects a file called Pamela .pdf. You get my point.

So this problem as I said, is due to the way you stored the document names in the database under Name_Of_Document... You must check each filename and whehter it contains any Leading or tailing spaces in your directory and thier correspondent names in the database. You could also code a small program to do that trimming in the database for you.
That's as much as my grey cells could do, Brian...
Tell me what happens? alright
Remember what I said about persistance... You need patience too.

[rabih]

Brian, you had a lunch break.. or what?
Keep me updated, will you ?

[brianh]

Sorry, I have to take care of some user problems and on top of that my email portion of the application just stopped working. What a day. There is no reason for that part to stop functioning as I have not made any changes to the coding. Anyway, I will let you know as soon as I can about the other part I am just trying to catch my breath. If you have anymore suggestions I sure would appreciate them and thank you for your help thus far.

[rabih]

Wow, I finally connected.
I know you're too busy Brian, take your time...
I'm always there...

[brianh]

Well you figured it out. It was a space problem. The DB had a space in the names and the files did also but when I trimmed the name at the list box it would cause an error because that was not the correct name anymore. I have manually changed all of the names that were like that to get rid of all spaces (there were only about 45 entries). I have also got it so it trims the name before renming it. I hopefully have got this one tasken care of. Thanks for all of your help, I could have not made it without you!

[rabih]

I'm really happy Brain, that things are working out fine for you. W
ish you all the best, in your coding...
Cheers