[RESOLVED] drop down textbox

[crater]

I would like to use a textbox in my application that has a dropdown feature to expand something if not exactly like the text property box in VS IDE. I first thought combo with dropdown width set wider but that's not it. Any one got any ideas where that input box came from?

[.paul.]

you mean like a tooltip displaying the full text?

Public Class Form1

    Dim tt As New ToolTip

    Private Sub TextBox1_TextChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles TextBox1.TextChanged
        tt.SetToolTip(TextBox1, TextBox1.Text)
    End Sub

End Class

[.paul.]

actually, I see what you mean now. that's a custom control only used in association with the PropertyGrid control.
you could create your own user control which does the same thing...

[crater]

Thanks guys for the input.

I decide to make my own user control that acts like the text property of the VS IDE.

I'm pretty close , only have one more thing to figure out then I post it share with everyone.

[kebo]

are you referring to the AutoComplete Property of the textbox?

[.paul.]

are you referring to the AutoComplete Property of the textbox?

he's asking how to add a drop down textbox to a regular single line textbox, similar to the Text property in the vb ide properties propertygrid...

[kebo]

ok, for multiline. That's a wonderful thing that could be useful.

[crater]

Ok, here it is. Very simple control that expands when you hit the down arrow.
The control is made up of a single line text box and a button. I used wingdings3 font for the arrow image on the button (the q char in wingdings3) as the text property.

Toggle the multiline property on and off to expand to a predetermined size and return to original size on mouse leave.
You can get the picture from my code below.

<ToolboxBitmap(GetType(TextBox))> Public Class DropDownTextBox

    Private CtrlWidth As Int32

    Private Sub DropDownTextBox_MouseHover(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles txtDropDown.MouseHover
        btnDrop.Visible = True
    End Sub

    Private Sub DropDownTextBox_MouseLeave(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles txtDropDown.MouseLeave
        txtDropDown.Multiline = False
        txtDropDown.SendToBack()
        txtDropDown.Width = CtrlWidth
    End Sub

    Private Sub DropDownTextBox_Resize(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles txtDropDown.Resize
        Me.Height = txtDropDown.Height
        Me.Width = txtDropDown.Width
    End Sub

    Private Sub UserControl1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        CtrlWidth = txtDropDown.Width
        Me.Height = txtDropDown.Height
        Me.Width = txtDropDown.Width
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnDrop_Click(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnDrop.Click
        txtDropDown.Multiline = True
        txtDropDown.Height = 100
        txtDropDown.Width = 250
        txtDropDown.BringToFront()
    End Sub
End Class

I attached the custom control in a zip file.

It certainly could use some work, but for a simple expandable textbox I think I got it.

[si_the_geek]

I have removed your attachment to protect our members, because we have no way of knowing what an executable file actually does - which could include something malicious, such as if there is a virus on your computer.

[crater]

ok, I certainly did not mean to break any forum rules, so you as well as other forum member have my apologizes.

But just a quick question; Can a member attach a solution as a zip. And if so, what about the bin and subsequently the .exe that's in there? If there isn't a quick answer then forget it as I could see this getting way out of control.

[si_the_geek]

Attaching the solution folder in a zip is fine... as long as you remove the Bin and Obj folders.

The Bin and Obj folders aren't needed for sharing code, and if people want the compiled version they can compile it themselves (even using a free Express edition of VB).

[crater]

I see . Thanks for the advice.

I have one more question regarding my user control. And that is how to place it in my toolbox.

I know how to "Choose Items" but that way will require the control to remain in a repository of sorts, I often clean up things and could accidentally delete that directory.

So how do I place it where all the other components are located. As is GAC folder. I used gacutil/I tool, and it was installed into the GAC dir, but it still did not appear in the list of .NET components.

I read that there was a link to the controls dir. in the registry that needed to be created? but then again I think I understood that using gacutil created it for me.

Anyway is there a way to get it to the dir. where the other .Net components are and have it appear in the list of .Net components in VS

[techgnome]

You have to make a reference to it. Even if it's in the GAC, you still need to reference the assembly before it will show up. Once you reference it, then it will be available in your toolbox.

-tg

[crater]

ok my DropDownTextBox.dll is in: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\DropDownTextBox\v4.0_1.0.5415.36471__d21af7372fdbc839\Dro pDownTextBox.dll

I made a key in the reg
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework\AssemblyFolders\DropDownTextBox

Then added new string value: DropDownTextBox and added a value data of:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\DropDownTextBox\v4.0_1.0.5415.36471__d21af7372fdbc839\Dro pDownTextBox.dll

I thought this was it according to :http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306149


That didn't work, but then again I think now that might just add it to the "Add Reference" dialog box not the "Choose Tool box items"

So I'm still lost.

Can you help me make this reference so that my .dll will show up in the Choose Toolbox items dialog box?

[.paul.]

use Browse in Choose Toolbox Items:

[crater]

WOW that was hard.
For some reason I convinced myself that wouldn't work so I never tried it.

Thanks guys.

[techgnome]

You right click, Add reference... and find it... you should only need to browse (as .paul. is showing) if it isn't in the GAC. If you've GAC'd it correctly, the library will show up in that list. If it's not, then it's not in the GAC correctly, and you'll need to browse for it. The Choose Tolbox Items dialog allows you to select the items you have referenced to your toolbox and move them to another section... but by default it should show up somewhere in the General section at the very least.

But before you can select it, you still need to set the reference for it in your project.

-tg

[crater]

TG,
Ah ha, .Pauls way I thought got it, but in actuality it did not.
I think it didn't install to the GAC correctly either cause it doesn't show in the references list either.

I'm gonna gacutil/u to uninstall it and try again. Cause if i'm following, if it is in the GAC correctly it should at least show up in the reference list?

I'll be back.

[crater]

I open explorer and goto C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL and there is my folder "DropDownTextBox" open it and another folder "v4.0_1.0.5415.36471__d21af7372fdbc839" open it and there is my .dll
So the whole path to GAC and .dll is
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\DropDownTextBox\v4.0_1.0.5415.36471__d21af7372fdbc839

So here is the text from CMD window, I think it says success. Yet it is not in "Add Reference" list or "Choose Toolbox Items" list.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC>gacutil/i C:\Users\MATT-C\Deskt
op\DropDownTextBox.dll
Microsoft (R) .NET Global Assembly Cache Utility. Version 4.0.30319.1
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Assembly successfully added to the cache

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC>

Any ideas now?

[techgnome]

Forget the GAC and just add a reference to it... browse to where the dll is and select it. If it still then doesn't appear in the General section of your toolbox, then I'd question whether the assembly actually contains a control in it. Maybe use the ClassBrowser to view what is actually in it.

-tg