Control Array in VS 2010

I'm trying to lern VS 2010 from VB 6 and one of the things i'm hawing a problem whid is control array.

In vb 6 if you create a text box it's named "Text1" and if you yust copy it and paste it it renames to "Text1(0)" and the new one's name is "Text1(0)"

and the code would lock like this

Code:

---

Private Sub CMD1_Click()
  i=0
  do while i <=3
    R = Int(6 * Rnd + 1)
    Text1(i).Text = S
    i=i+1
  loop
End Sub

---

then it would print for each loop the random result in one of the text boxes corresponding to i.

How do i do this in VS 2010?

it sould be "Text1(0)" and Text1(1)" sorry for dubble post dident find the edit button

Control Arrays no longer exist in .NET because they aren't needed at all. You can just cycle through any grouping of controls; and controls are already members of control groups. Your code would look something like this in .NET:

Code:

---

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim r As New Random
        Dim i As Integer
        For Each c As TextBox In Me.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
            i = r.Next(6) + 1
            c.Text = i.ToString
        Next
    End Sub

---

i = r.Next(6) + 1

I think that should be:

i = r.Next(7)

but I forget how the VB6 rnd function worked.

in the code you provided how do i know in whitch textbox the anser vill be writen?

c is the textbox, so c.Name would show you the name of the textbox. The code Jenner provided would loop through all the textboxes on the form (not counting those that are in a container control on the form). If you wanted to interact with one specific textbox, that would be somewhat different, but the code shown would replicate the code you have, except that there is some difference between Rnd and the Random class in that the Random class is vastly easier to firgure out the range of the random number.

Control arrays is one of the things I do a lot in VB6, guess I could just group controls inside panels and acces them like this then...? :confused:

Code:

---

        ' random
        For Each c As TextBox In Me.Panel1.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
            i = r.Next(6) + 1
            c.Text = i.ToString
        Next
               
        i = 0 ' increment numbers to textboxes in panel2
        For Each c As TextBox In Me.Panel2.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
            i = i + 1
            c.Text = i.ToString
        Next

---

The textboxes are filled in the reverse order they were added at design time! :rolleyes:

This is the whole code i'm trying to convert from vb 6

Code:

---

    T = 0 ' is the sum of all dice's
    R = 0 'R is a random number betwene 1-6
    i = 1
    q = antal 'q is how meny dice's i use and increases on a 6
    P = 0 'is used to emty the textboxes
    sex = 0 ' is used to count hom meny times the dice is 6
            Do While i <= q
                R = Int(6 * Rnd + 1)
                S = R
                Text2(i - 1).Text = S
                If R = 6 Then
                    q = q + 1
                    sex = sex + 1

                ElseIf R < 6 Then
                    T = T + R
                    i = i + 1
                End If
           
            Loop

---

i'm also trying to get it to wurk whid this

Code:

---

Private Sub SKILL1_PLUS_Click(C As Integer)
    If SKILL(C).Text = "" Then
   
    ElseIf SKILL(C).Text < 5 Then
        SKILL(C).Text = 5
        Poäng = Poäng - 1
    ElseIf SKILL(C).Text > 4 And SKILL(C).Text < 10 Then
        SKILL(C).Text = SKILL(C).Text + 1
        Poäng = Poäng - 1
    ElseIf SKILL(C).Text > 9 And SKILL(C).Text < 15 Then
        SKILL(C).Text = SKILL(C).Text + 1
        Poäng = Poäng - 2
    ElseIf SKILL(C).Text = 15 Then
   
    ElseIf SKILL(C).Text < FÄRD_GRUND(C).Text Then
        SKILL(C).Text = FÄRD_GRUND(C).Text
       
    End If
    POÄNG_RÄK.Text = Poäng
End Sub

---

its the same prog but different funktions if you want i can upploade the project uncompiled so you can get a feal for what i want to do or i can take pictures.

Control arrays are not supported in VB.NET because there are better alternatives to it.

Though there are many ways to it,
In the simplest form, you can easily get the effect of a control array like this.

vb.net Code:

Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3, TextBox4, TextBox5, TextBox6}

Do that at the form level, and you should be able to use the MyTextBoxes just like you used control arrays.

ok how do i call it so it increases whid i in a code like this

Code:

---

Public Class Form1
    Dim q As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim r As Integer
    Dim tot As Integer
    Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3, TextBox4, TextBox5, TextBox6}

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Randomize()
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        q = 1
        i = 1
        tot = 0
        Do While i <= q
            r = Int(Rnd() * 6) + 1
            tot = tot + r
            If r = 6 Then
                q = q + 1
            ElseIf r < 6 Then
                MyTextBoxes(i) 'getting a error "Expression is not ametod."
                i = i + 1
            End If
        Loop
        TextBox7.Text = tot
    End Sub
End Class

---

Code:

---

MyTextBoxes(i).Text = i.ToString

---

Whid that and MyTextBoxes(i).Text = r.ToString i get this error when i press the button "Use the "new" keyword to create an object instance."

Can you show the declaration of MyTextBoxes? Did you declare as I suggested?

Araced a rar file so you can hawe a lock at it if you fel for it its done in VS 2010

Code:

---

Public Class Form1
    Dim q As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim r As Integer
    Dim tot As Integer
    Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3, TextBox4, TextBox5, TextBox6}

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Randomize()
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        q = 1
        i = 1
        tot = 0
        Do While i <= q
            r = Int(Rnd() * 6) + 1
            tot = tot + r
            If r = 6 Then
                q = q + 1
            ElseIf r < 6 Then
                MyTextBoxes(i).Text = i.ToString
                i = i + 1
            End If
        Loop
        TextBox7.Text = tot
    End Sub
End Class

---

get the same error if i change it to MyTextBoxes(i).Text = r.ToString

A couple points:

1) Get away from using Randomize and Rnd. Those are legacy VB6 methods which have been replaced, and greatly improved, by the Random object. Jenner showed an example of using the Random object back in post #3. There is no longer any need for the Randomize call, and it shouldn't be made. Random.Next is considerably easier than Rnd, as you just specify the range that you want a random value to fall into, and you get it, without the multiplication and addition of 1.

2) Turn Option Strict ON. You will get lots of errors when you do because you have a bunch of implicit conversions in there which will have to be turned into explicit conversions. However, there are good reasons to do this. For one thing, you will catch lots of subtle bugs that would otherwise just cause you trouble. Another reason is that the code will run faster. Those implicit conversions are shorter to write, but they take more compiler time to perform.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Edgemeal

Control arrays is one of the things I do a lot in VB6, guess I could just group controls inside panels and acces them like this then...? :confused:

---

What's the panel for? The form has a controls collection, too.

Quote:

---

The textboxes are filled in the reverse order they were added at design time! :rolleyes:

---

Don't rely on that. The textboxes are added based on the way they were added to the controls collection which can be found in the .designer.vb file for the form.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pradeep1210

Code:

---

MyTextBoxes(i).Text = i.ToString

---

---

Could you show an example how you are getting that to work becasue I get the same error as the OP does in post #12.

One way I got it to work was like this, but if its anything like VB6 you avoid using strings whenever possible as they are slow.

Code:

---

' - VB10 -
Public Class Form1
    'Form contains 3 text boxes named: TextBox1, TextBox2 and TextBox3

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        ' add some text to each text box
        For I As Integer = 1 To 3
            Me.Controls.Item("TextBox" & I).Text = "I'm Textbox #" & I.ToString
        Next
    End Sub

End Class

---

In that case, you are using a string that is a key into a Dictionary. Is that slow? Well, it is slower than using an integer, but it may not be all that slow, depending on how the indexing of the Dictionary works. In general, I don't prefer it either, though.

You should not be getting that error using Pradeep's code, but it has to do with how you set up the MyTextBoxes array or list. Drago87 made a mistake here:

Code:

---

Public Class Form1
    Dim q As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim r As Integer
    Dim tot As Integer
    Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3, TextBox4, TextBox5, TextBox6}

---

The problem is that this line:

Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3, TextBox4, TextBox5, TextBox6}

will run before the constructor (Sub New) runs. The first line in Sub New (you can find the constructor in the .designer.vb file for the form if you have not written a custom constructor) is a call to the function InitializeComponents. That function can also be found in .designer.vb. If you look at the function, you will see that it creates all of the controls and adds them to the form. However, by putting that declaration at form scope, it is running before the constructor, which means that it is running before InitializeComponents has created all those textboxes. Therefore, the textboxes are Nothing at that time, which is why you get the error.

To solve this, either add your own constructor (which has to call InitializeComponents as its first line) and set up the array there, or set up the array in the Load event.

OK thanks, these quick tests worked for me.

Code:

---

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3}
        For i As Integer = 0 To 2
            Debug.Print(MyTextBoxes(i).Name)
        Next
    End Sub

---

Or

Code:

---

Public Class Form1
    Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        MyTextBoxes = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3}
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        For i As Integer = 0 To 2
            Debug.Print(MyTextBoxes(i).Name)
        Next
    End Sub
End Class

---

Ok ty for all the help only one last question if i want to use a button as a contoll array do i write it like this?

Code:

---

Public Class Form1
    Dim MyButtons1() As Button
    Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
       
        MyButtons1 = {Button1, Button2}
        MyTextBoxes = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3, TextBox4}
    End Sub
End Class

---

and call it like this

Code:

---

    Private Sub MyButtons1_Click(c As Integer) Handles MyButtons1.Click
          MyTextBoxes(c).Text = MyTextBoxes(c + 2).Text
    End Sub

---

then it will copy whats in text box 3 to text box1 if i press button 1 and copy text box 4 to text box 2 if i press button 2

The signature of the click event handler is not correct, so it won't work like that. However, there is a better way:

1) Get rid of the button array, it isn't needed.
2) Double click on one of the buttons so that you get the proper signature of the handler, which will look something like this:

Code:

---

Public Sub Button1_OnClick(ByVal sender as Object, e as EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

End Sub

---

I may have a few minor pieces of that wrong, such as the type of the e argument, and the names of the events, but that's why you let VS write it for you.

3) Now you can chain all the other buttons onto that one handler. See that Handles at the end? Just change that to:

Handles Button1.Click,Button2.Click,Button3.Click, and so forth.

Now the one handler routine will handle the click events for all of the buttons that you have attached it to. So how do you determine which button called it? That's what the sender argument is. In this case, you can do this:

Dim btn = DirectCast(sender,Forms.Button)

and voila, you have the button that raised the event. If you just left the name Button1, Button2, and so forth, you can strip the number off the right side of the button. Alternatively, all controls have a Tag property, which can hold anything. It is intended for things like this. You can put 1, 2, 3, and so forth as the Tag of each button. You would then be able to improve that last line to this:

Code:

---

MyTextBoxes(CInt(DirectCast(sender,Forms.Button).Tag)).Text =
  MyTextBoxes(CInt(DirectCast(sender,Forms.Button).Tag) + 2).Text

---

A single line, though a mighty complex one. I am casting sender to a button, which it actually is, getting the Tag property, converting that to an integer, and using it as an index into the array of textboxes.

Where sould i put Dim btn = DirectCast(sender,Forms.Button)?
in Public Class Form1 or Private Sub Form1_Load

and i get errors whid that line
in publick class i get " 'sender' is not decleard. it maybe inaccessible due to the protection level" and "Type 'Forms.Button' is not defined."
and in form1_load i only get "Type 'Forms.Button' is not defined."

You're asking where you should cast the sender and you've already tried one of the two options and it said that sender wasn't defined. That should pretty much answer that question. As for the other, just use Button.

Ok this is the code

Code:

---

Public Class Form1
    Dim MyTextBoxes() As TextBox

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click, Button2.Click
        MyTextBoxes(CInt(DirectCast(sender, Button).Tag)).Text = MyTextBoxes(CInt(DirectCast(sender, Button).Tag) + 2).Text

    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim btn = DirectCast(sender, Button)
        MyTextBoxes = {TextBox1, TextBox2, TextBox3, TextBox4}
    End Sub
End Class

---

and ive attached a picture of the visual part

but when i try pressing the buttons i get "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." for the line "MyTextBoxes(CInt(DirectCast(sender, Button).Tag)).Text = MyTextBoxes(CInt(DirectCast(sender, Button).Tag) + 2).Text"

If you're going to be doing all these control clusters that all behave identically, then it's best to just make a single UserControl and repeat THAT on your forms. A simple UserControl is like a micro-form that holds other controls and the code for how they all work together. So you could make a single UserControl with 2 TextBoxes and a Button, and write the code for the button event in the UserControl.

Then you drop two or however many of those UserControls on your form you need.

Do you know of a good guide for it in VS 2010?

You don't really need a guide. Just add a UserControl to your project just like you add a Form. Design it just like you design a Form. Finally, add it to a Form just like you do any other Control. There's nothing different about it to what you have already done.

Right. Best to hack your way through it, then come on here and ask "Is there some more standardized or proper way to do this?" and we'll fill in the gaps. If you're looking at online examples of VS.NET code... ANY VS.NET code for that matter, things will start popping out. Go ahead, mimic it, emulate it, even if it doesn't make sense to you at first. We'll fill in the gaps for you, that's what we're here for.

You don't learn anything by not trying; so above all, that's what users of this forum want you to do first. You got a pretty good start going on, keep at it and gestalt of the language will come.

Ok i hawe now done a usercontrol and made it lock like i want it and coded it like i want.

How can i import and use it in my prog send info to and read fom it?

Go back to your form. If you look at your tool-box on the left, you'll see your UserControl now at the top of the list in a special area at the top with a gear as it's default icon. If it's not there, try clicking "Build->Build Solution" and see if it appears after that. Sometimes it takes closing and reopening the form for the development environment to realize you made a new UserControl and add it to the toolbox.

Then you just click and drag it onto your form. You talk to it like any other control, through it's properties and events. The UserControl has some basic properties that are part of it's class, but specific ones you'll have to make yourself. Same with events. It has some basic events as part of it's class, but if you want any custom events to trigger, you'll need to create them.

Examples:

Maybe my UserControl has a textbox that I want to be able to read and edit. I can make a property to read/write it:

Code:

---

    Public Property MainText() As String
        Get
            Return TextBox1.Text
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            TextBox1.Text = value
        End Set
    End Property

---

It's really not that much typing, after you type "Public Property (name) As (type) and hit enter, Visual Studio will automatically create the Get and Set parts for you. You just need to type in the details; i.e. Get what? Set what?

Now in my form, all I need to do is:

Code:

---

        UserControl1.MainText = "Blah"

---

Maybe my usercontrol has a button I want the main form to know when it gets pressed. I can make an Event like this and call it when I press the button on my UserControl. So, in my UserControl's code:

Code:

---

    Public Event ButtonPressed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        RaiseEvent ButtonPressed(Me, e)
    End Sub

---

Now, when it's on my form, I can make an EventHandler function like this:

Code:

---

    Private Sub UserControl11_ButtonPressed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles UserControl11.ButtonPressed
        'Do something
    End Sub

---

Notice how I set up "sender" to be my UserControl in the above. I told it to use "Me" in the RaiseEvent statement.

UserControls are units of isolation as well. All the controls used to create the UserControl are only accessible from WITHIN the UserControl. It's like a Black-Box. To pipe anything into or out of it, you'll need to make some properties and events as I stated. Don't make properties and events for EVERYTHING, only make what you need to use. It cuts down on unnecessary code and makes for a better program. Only make tons of properties and events if you need them; for example, if you're making some special, full-featured control that you plan to use on many other projects.

Dident realy get how i would add it i hawe draged the gear to the form and it is placed next to the Menu strip icone.

The smal immage on the button left is the UserControl the one in the middle is my form as it is now and the one to the right is how i want it tobe after ive added 2 of maby 20 User controls.

-:EDIT:-

Found it used the wrong usercontol

-:EDIT2:-
I'm hawing a little problem sending

this is in my UserControl

Code:

---

Public Class UserControl1
    Dim Poäng As Integer
    Dim Points As Integer

    Public Property Poäng_Send() As Integer
        Get
            Return Poäng
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            Poäng = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Property Points_Send() As Integer
        Get
            Return Points
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            Points = value
        End Set
    End Property



End Class

---

i also need to know how i do to make it feel when i change the text in one of the textboxes

where sould i incert this code?

Code:

---

UserControl1.MainText = "Blah"

---

but in my case it sould be more like this i think

Code:

---

points=UserControl1.Points_Send

---

Ore i'm i miles away?

-:bump:-

No, you're right on the money. You'd put that line wherever you need to get the value of your usercontrol on the form; just like if you were getting the value of any other control. Think of UserControls as "mini-sub-forms". You can make them all self-contained like a little black box so their code doesn't clutter up the form you're working with. It makes for less coding and a lot less headaches and maintenance.

I'm getting 2 errors whid this code

Code:

---

    Private Sub UserControl11_ButtonPressed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles UserControl11.ButtonPressed
        points = UserControl1.Points_Send
    End Sub

---

Handles clause requiers a WithEvent variable defined in the containing type or one of its base types.

Reference to a non-shered member requires an object reference.

However if i use this code i only get the lime error

Code:

---

    Private Sub UserControl11_MouseClick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles UserControl11.MouseClick,
        points = UserControl1.Points_Send
    End Sub

---

The first error is because you didn't make an event called "ButtonPressed" in your UserControl. My example shows how to add one but it's only an example. You need to make your own events according to what you want your control to do. MouseClick works because ALL controls have a default MouseClick event. It fires when you click anywhere on the control.

You named your usercontrol "UserControl1". So when you put one on your form, it made a control named "UserControl11". This is just like all other controls. A TextBox is just called a "TextBox", but when you move it to your form, it makes the first one "TextBox1"

What the second error means, is you're referring to the GENERIC name of the control, and not the SPECIFIC control that is sitting on your form.

If you change the line to read: points = UserControl11.Points_Send

Then everything will be fine. Better yet, rename your UserControl to something better than "UserControl1".

I renamed UserControl1.vb to Stats.vb but it still shows as UserControl1 in the toolbox and the controll is still named UserControlx where x is the number even after saving and restarting VS i even tryied to Build a sulotion.

-:EDIT:-
Got it to wurk but now i hawe anouther problem how do i write the code so that when i change a textbox in the main Form (named EoN.vb) it vill change a value in the Usercontroll (now named Stats)?

The fact that you renamed the code file has no effect on the class. Logically, the code file and the class should have the same name, but there's no requirement that they do. Also, if a single code file contains multiple types, the names obviously can't all match.

What i want is to make it look like the attached picture (done)
Then what i want it to do is when i press the red button in Stats1 or 2 it will increase Skillpoints and decrease Points after this

Code:

---

SkillPoints        Points
0-5                -1 point
5-10              -1 per point
11-15            -2 per point

---

Same if i press the black button it will increase Points and decrease SkillPoints (think i got it)

The only thing left is to when i change the walue in points i need to sent the new walue to the usercontrol Stats. As stated in my last posts -:EDIT:-

You're working very hard on this, and at this point, I think you just need a good, solid example to work with. My next post will have a small project attached with an example of a form and a usercontrol that does something similar to what you're trying to do for you to pick apart and study. :)

That would realy help