(VB6) How can I have a MultiColumn ListBox? (Emergency)

Hello

It's 4 days I'm searching google and asking different people about how to have a "multicolumn" listbox, but nobody could help.

Some say :"Use a ListView", but I can't find "ListView" in "Components" list.
Some say : "Add single strings with "vbTab" characters to your "Single-Column" listbox, so that it seems to be "Multicolumn", but this is only useful for specific "Fonts" and doesn't always work properly.
Some say: Use a DataGrid, but I don't want a grid or table, I want a listbox. (So that when I select a field, the whole record (row) is selected)

I also tried using "MS-Forms 2.0 Listbox", but all professionals are saying : It has distributional problems. "

I am getting frustrated. Can anybody please give me a good advice for either adding multicolumn data to a regular listbox or adding a new component to my project that really be a "Multi-column" listbox?

Thank you very much

You can find the ListView if you go to Projects|Components and select Microsoft Common Controls 6.0.

I've attached an example that uses it.

It's as simple as setting the Columns property to whatever value suits.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pnish

It's as simple as setting the Columns property to whatever value suits.

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Yes but it results in a difficult to manage control.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pnish

It's as simple as setting the Columns property to whatever value suits.

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It has no value what so ever...
As Martin mentioned using Listview control is much better option, however take a look at this sample - not exactly columns but imitation.

I faced a similar problem in the past and this is how it was solved. (credits to Hack)
Have a like at this post.
Multi-column Listbox

Pradeep :)

@Pradeep:
look at the link I posted - it's the original. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MartinLiss

Yes but it results in a difficult to manage control.

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Works for me. But most of the data I display in multiple columns is fixed length. It can get a bit unmanageable with varying length data I agree.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by javad2000

It's 4 days I'm searching google and asking different people about how to have a "multicolumn" listbox, but nobody could help.

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The answer to the question is Set the listbox's Column property. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pnish

The answer to the [javad2000's] question is Set the listbox's Column property. :)

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No, it isn't - all it does it creates a list with sort of horizontal layout rather than vertical so "columns" are pretty useless - unlike those found in nthe Listview or some Grid control.

As I said, it works for me. By setting the Columns property it creates 'snaking' columns in the listbox which are populated vertically then horizontally, ie 'down then across' which is perfect for my purpose. Let's just agree to disagree shall we?

We may agree or disagree - who cares? The point is - what you (and original developer of that listbox) refer as "Column" isn't exactly column.
Column (by definition I guess) is data presented in the columnar (true vertical) way. Also, columns usually have column headers.
Columns in the "columnar" listbox are depending on the height of listbox so control is populated "horizontally" as soon as the "bottom" is reached...
How can anyone consider that a columns I have no idea (but I know that it "serves your purpose").

Regards.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RhinoBull

We may agree or disagree - who cares?

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Exactly ;)

Thank you everybody.
I found the listview and I also think it's the best choice.

Now that we've helped you, you can help us by pulling down the Thread Tools menu and clicking the Mark Thread Resolved button which will let everyone know that you have your answer.

I have faced a problem with ListView.
The ListView doesn't have a "Right-to-Left" property, and I want it to be "Right to Left", because my language is Farsi.
I'm getting frustrated. Isn't there a good Multi-Column Listbox in VB6?

Thank you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by javad2000

Thank you everybody.
I found the listview and I also think it's the best choice.

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I don't know but maybe this will help.

That would help if I was a professional, but I'm not looking for API methods, I'm looking for an easy and clean way to show my multi-column data in a "List". So that the SelectionMode is "By Row".

Thank you

Are you willing to use a fixed width font like this one?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MartinLiss

Are you willing to use a fixed width font like this one?

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Yes, and I know how to use this method to make Signle-column Listboxes appear in "Multi-column" view, but I don't know which Farsi font is a 'fixed-width font'. I will ask it from my persian freids.

If there is a better way to make "multi-column" listboxes, please let me know.

Thank you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MartinLiss

You can find the ListView if you go to Projects|Components and select Microsoft Common Controls 6.0.

I've attached an example that uses it.

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The examples i have found for the ListView was not clear. but yours was clear

Thank you for the example

Ahhh, I see that this is a slightly aged thread that got popped.

I also use the ListView extensively, but I also do occasionally use a ListBox to display columnar data.

The following are what I use to do that, along with the vbTab character to separate the columns when adding to the ListBox.

Code:

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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
'

Public Sub SetOneTabStopInListBox(lst As ListBox, ColWidth As Long)
    Dim ColWidths(0 To 0) As Long
    '
    ColWidths(0) = ColWidth
    SetTabStopsInListbox lst, ColWidths()
End Sub

Public Sub SetTabStopsInListbox(lst As ListBox, ColWidths() As Long)
    Const LB_SETTABSTOPS = &H192
    ' A character is approximately 4 "width" units.
    ' ColWidths() is in character widths of some standard character.
    ' ColWidths() can be either zero or one based.
    ' SADLY: This does not work for listboxes with the style set to checkbox.
    Dim NumCols As Long
    '
    NumCols = UBound(ColWidths) - LBound(ColWidths) + 1 ' Calculate the number of columns.
    SendMessage lst.hWnd, LB_SETTABSTOPS, 0&, ByVal 0& ' Clear any existing tabs.
    SendMessage lst.hWnd, LB_SETTABSTOPS, NumCols, ColWidths(LBound(ColWidths)) ' Set new tabs.
End Sub




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Enjoy,
Elroy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by javad2000

I have faced a problem with ListView.
The ListView doesn't have a "Right-to-Left" property, and I want it to be "Right to Left", because my language is Farsi.
I'm getting frustrated. Isn't there a good Multi-Column Listbox in VB6?

Thank you

---

Hello Compatriot :)

In the following thread @krool designed an upgraded version of ListView that supports unicode. It's free and opensource

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...mmon-controls)

last update of the ocx that @krool sent me:

http://krool.mooo.com/Data/VBForums/...BCCR13.OCX.zip

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Elroy

Ahhh, I see that this is a slightly aged thread that got popped.

I also use the ListView extensively, but I also do occasionally use a ListBox to display columnar data.

The following are what I use to do that, along with the vbTab character to separate the columns when adding to the ListBox.

Code:

---


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
'

Public Sub SetOneTabStopInListBox(lst As ListBox, ColWidth As Long)
    Dim ColWidths(0 To 0) As Long
    '
    ColWidths(0) = ColWidth
    SetTabStopsInListbox lst, ColWidths()
End Sub

Public Sub SetTabStopsInListbox(lst As ListBox, ColWidths() As Long)
    Const LB_SETTABSTOPS = &H192
    ' A character is approximately 4 "width" units.
    ' ColWidths() is in character widths of some standard character.
    ' ColWidths() can be either zero or one based.
    ' SADLY: This does not work for listboxes with the style set to checkbox.
    Dim NumCols As Long
    '
    NumCols = UBound(ColWidths) - LBound(ColWidths) + 1 ' Calculate the number of columns.
    SendMessage lst.hWnd, LB_SETTABSTOPS, 0&, ByVal 0& ' Clear any existing tabs.
    SendMessage lst.hWnd, LB_SETTABSTOPS, NumCols, ColWidths(LBound(ColWidths)) ' Set new tabs.
End Sub




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Enjoy,
Elroy

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Elroy thank you

Elroy i'm using the listbox in (Microsoft Forms 2.0 Object Library)

Because it supports unicode and align very well

Today i have decided to make it multicolumn, but i don't know why addnew adds items from down to up (not up to down) !!!


Call ListBox2.AddItem(CStr(OBJRS("Summary")), 1)

Ahhh Mahdi, I see.

You've probably been told, but the licensing on the Forms2.0 controls doesn't allow free re-distribution with your package. Also, years ago, for similar reasons, I took a hard look at the Forms2.0 controls as well. However, I found them to be quite glitchy, and just fundamentally buggy on several accounts (improper use of carat, and other problems). IMHO, there are far better options than these Forms2.0 controls.

I'm not terribly familiar with Krool's stuff, but I know he's got good stuff that he works hard to make bullet-proof. I'd definitely start there, possibly "cutting out" the ListBox if that's all you need/want.

Also, there are options like this that have been around for a while, and are probably pretty good.

For my money, I'd stay far away from the Forms2.0.

Best Of Luck,
Elroy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Elroy

Ahhh Mahdi, I see.

You've probably been told, but the licensing on the Forms2.0 controls doesn't allow free re-distribution with your package. Also, years ago, for similar reasons, I took a hard look at the Forms2.0 controls as well. However, I found them to be quite glitchy, and just fundamentally buggy on several accounts (improper use of carat, and other problems). IMHO, there are far better options than these Forms2.0 controls.

I'm not terribly familiar with Krool's stuff, but I know he's got good stuff that he works hard to make bullet-proof. I'd definitely start there, possibly "cutting out" the ListBox if that's all you need/want.

Also, there are options like this that have been around for a while, and are probably pretty good.

For my money, I'd stay far away from the Forms2.0.

Best Of Luck,
Elroy

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I see...

I have replaced it with listbox of the Krool... it seems it supports unicode...

Elroy could you put an example for adding multi column data in a classic vb6 listbox?

is it possible to add 2 or more columns in vb6 classic listbox?

then i can change its width with your API that you described above :D

Started a project and then put a List1 listbox on it:

In IDE design mode:

Attachment 143909

And then, the code I placed in the form:

Code:

---


Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim cols(1 To 3) As Long

    cols(1) = 25
    cols(2) = 70
    cols(3) = 100

    SetTabStopsInListbox List1, cols()


    List1.AddItem "asdf" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "qwer" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "fghj" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "vbnm" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"



End Sub



---

Note that I had the SetTabStopsInListbox procedure in a BAS module. I already gave that to you above.

And now, when running this little test program, you get:

Attachment 143911

Now, I haven't tried setting horizontal tab stops in Krool's ListBox, but I'm thinking it's going to work just fine. Both the VB6 ListBox and Krool's ListBox are just a more fundamental subclassed ListBox that's part of the Windows OS.

Best Of Luck,
Elroy

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elroy

Started a project and then put a List1 listbox on it:

In IDE design mode:

Attachment 143909

And then, the code I placed in the form:

Code:

---


Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim cols(1 To 3) As Long

    cols(1) = 25
    cols(2) = 70
    cols(3) = 100

    SetTabStopsInListbox List1, cols()


    List1.AddItem "asdf" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "qwer" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "fghj" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "vbnm" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"



End Sub



---

Note that I had the SetTabStopsInListbox procedure in a BAS module. I already gave that to you above.

And now, when running this little test program, you get:

Attachment 143911

Now, I haven't tried setting horizontal tab stops in Krool's ListBox, but I'm thinking it's going to work just fine. Both the VB6 ListBox and Krool's ListBox are just a more fundamental subclassed ListBox that's part of the Windows OS.

Best Of Luck,
Elroy

---

Ahhhhh

So the secret was (vbTab) :D Thank you :wave:

Also thank you for using the SetTabStopsInListbox :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elroy

Started a project and then put a List1 listbox on it:

In IDE design mode:

Attachment 143909

And then, the code I placed in the form:

Code:

---


Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim cols(1 To 3) As Long

    cols(1) = 25
    cols(2) = 70
    cols(3) = 100

    SetTabStopsInListbox List1, cols()


    List1.AddItem "asdf" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "qwer" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "fghj" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"
    List1.AddItem "vbnm" & vbTab & "1234124" & vbTab & "zxcv" & vbTab & "piou"



End Sub



---

Note that I had the SetTabStopsInListbox procedure in a BAS module. I already gave that to you above.

And now, when running this little test program, you get:

Attachment 143911

Now, I haven't tried setting horizontal tab stops in Krool's ListBox, but I'm thinking it's going to work just fine. Both the VB6 ListBox and Krool's ListBox are just a more fundamental subclassed ListBox that's part of the Windows OS.

Best Of Luck,
Elroy

---

can fixed?

something like this:

Code:

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    Dim cols(0 To 3) As Long   
    cols(0) = 50 'or whatever value big enough for your first (0th) column.  Experiment
    cols(1) = 300
    cols(2) = 100
    cols(3) = 100

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EDIT: Next time, start your own thread and put a link to an older one...because this one had already been marked RESOLVED, fewer people will look at it.