[RESOLVED] Editing 3rd party calendar control

I know I'm probably breaking protocol by asking this question here, but I'm not sure who else can help me.

I'm trying to use a 3rd party calendar control found at http://www.codeproject.com/KB/select...hCalendar.aspx. The control is great and significzantly expands on the MS MonthCalendar control. However, I'm using VB not C# so I'm having trouble manipulating the properties of the control.

Specifically, I'm at a loss for how to add new dates into the "Dates" property array. I currently have been pulling dates from a database using the following code:

Code:

---

        Using DateItem As New Pabo.Calendar.DateItem           

            Try

                Dim EffectiveDates As New List(Of Pabo.Calendar.DateItem)
                Dim AppointmentDates As New DataTable
                AppointmentDates = Me.TblGroupScheduleTableAdapter1.GetDataByDateFilter()

                For Each r As DataRow In AppointmentDates.Rows
                    'My problem is here: How can I convert the existing Date format to
                    'the new DateItem format in this add statement?
                    EffectiveDates.Add(CDate(r("AppointmentDate")))
                Next

                EffectiveDates.Sort()
                Dim MyDateArray As Pabo.Calendar.DateItem() = EffectiveDates.ToArray

                Me.clndrAppointments.AddDateInfo(MyDateArray)

            Catch ex As Exception
                MsgBox(ex.Message)
                Exit Sub

            End Try

        End Using

---

Here's the author's example:

Code:

---

private void FormatDates()
{
    DateItem[] d = new DateItem[5];
    d.Initialize();
    for (int i = 0;i<5;i++)
        d[i] = new DateItem();

    d[0].Date = new DateTime(2005,6,3);
    d[0].BackColor1 = Color.Red;
    d[0].ImageListIndex = 3;
    d[0].Text = "Help";
    d[1].Date = new DateTime(2005,6,12);
    d[1].ImageListIndex = 2;
    d[2].Date = new DateTime(2005,6,16);
    d[2].BackColor1 = Color.LightBlue;
    d[2].ImageListIndex = 8;
    d[3].Date = new DateTime(2005,6,18);
    d[3].BackColor1 = Color.GreenYellow;
    d[3].ImageListIndex = 1;
    d[3].Text = "NorDev";
    d[4].Date = new DateTime(2005,6,22);
    d[4].ImageListIndex = 1;
    d[4].Text = "Cebit";

    monthCalendar1.AddDateInfo(d);
}

---

I guess I have one other concern, also. Because I'm using a "Using" block (which I've never done before) will I lose these dates from the array once the block ends and the programs discards the new data type?

I know this should be posted on the author's site, and I've done that, but no one seems to be monitoring it anymore. I just need a nudge in the right direction here.

Thanks from anyone who can help.

Ok, the "DateItem" class looks like it has 4 properties:
The "Date", which is the date you want something to happen (12/25/2008).
The "Text", which is the text that'll appear in the calendar box ("Christmas Day").
The "BackColor1", which is probably the color that you want that dat to appear on the calendar (Color.Red).
And the "ImageListIndex", where, if the control is linked to an ImageList filled with pictures, will let you choose which picture to put in that calendar cell.

So... knowing that just from looking over the example... sounds like all you need to do is make a list of DateItem, and add a new one for each date you got:

Code:

---

        Try

            Dim EffectiveDates As New List(Of Date)
            Dim CalendarDates As New List(Of DateItem)
            Dim AppointmentDates As New DataTable
            Dim di As DateItem
            Dim d As Date

            'Use SQL query to pull distinct dates from the database
            AppointmentDates = Me.TblGroupScheduleTableAdapter1.GetDataByDateFilter()

            For Each r As DataRow In AppointmentDates.Rows
                d = CDate(r("AppointmentDate"))
                EffectiveDates.Add(d)
                di = New DateItem
                di.Date = d
                di.BoldedDate = True
                CalendarDates.Add(di)
            Next

            EffectiveDates.Sort()
            Dim MyDateArray As Date() = EffectiveDates.ToArray

            'Set ms calendar control dates to bold
            Me.Calendar.AddDateInfo(CalendarDates)

        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message)
            Exit Sub
        End Try

---

I tried your code, but I rtan into the same problem I was facing before- the editor didn't recognize the user data type. After speaking with someone else, I learned that I could import the controll's data type by using the "Imports" statement. I had never used it before, and I wasn't even sure what it was used for until now. Once I placed that at the top of the code, however, everything else started making more sense. Here's the code I ended up with in case it's usful to anyone else:

Code:

---

    Imports Pabo.Calendar

    Public Class Trial2

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim now As DateTime = DateTime.Now
        Dim EventDate() As DateTime = GetEventDates(now.Month, now.Year)
        Dim EventDays As New List(Of DateItem)()

        For Each EventDateTime As DateTime In EventDate
            Dim EventDay As New DateItem()
            EventDay.Date = EventDateTime
            EventDay.BackColor1 = Color.Yellow
            EventDay.BoldedDate = True
            EventDay.Text = "Group Scheduled"
            EventDays.Add(EventDay)
        Next

        clndrAppointments.AddDateInfo(EventDays.ToArray())
    End Sub

    Private Function GetEventDates(ByVal month As Integer, ByVal year As Integer) As DateTime()
        Dim EventDates As New List(Of Date)
        Dim AppointmentDates As New DataTable
        AppointmentDates = Me.TblGroupScheduleTableAdapter1.GetDataByDateFilter()

        For Each r As DataRow In AppointmentDates.Rows
            EventDates.Add(CDate(r("AppointmentDate")))
        Next

        EventDates.Sort()

        Return EventDates.ToArray()

End Sub

End Class

---

The date sbeing pulled from the database are static in this code- there's no way to change the parameters of the SQL query. Adding parameters would be a simple process, though.

I plan to catch the MonthChange event and use that to specifiy the first and last dates showing on the control, and pass those back to a new query as @StartDate and @EndDate. I think I have to flush the existing datesin the array before doing this, but according to the author's article doing so is a built in method. This should allow users to scroll through the months and always see accurate information while keeping the size of the Dates array to a minimum.

Jenner, thanks for your help on this. Some of your syntax helped me figure out setting parameters for the final array.

Yea, "Imports" just saves on typing.

If you take out the Imports line, then you'd need to type:
Dim di As Pabo.Calendar.DateItem

as opposed to:
Dim di as DateItem