[RichTextBox] [Helper] - Emoticonizer Helper Class

In the attachment is a class that can generate emoticons in a RichTextBox control, called "Emoticonizer".

Four key components are used:

Code:

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Public Shared Sub Init(Optional ByVal smileyfolder As String = "smileys")

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Initializes the smiley images and adds them into a HashTable. You can specify a custom folder path where the smiley images are, but that is optional.
To customize the smileys, change the Init subroutine to contain your new smiley(s):

Code:

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emoticontable.Add(";)", New Bitmap(smileyfolder & "\smiley1.gif"))

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Code:

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Public Shared Sub Dispose()

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Disposes all smiley images and clears the Emoticon Table.
This should be called when your program closes or when you no longer need emoticon support.
If you want to re-initialize, you have to call Dispose first.

Code:

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Public Shared Sub Emoticonize(ByVal RTB As RichTextBox, Optional ByVal startindex As Integer = 0)

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The main emoticonization code. You specify a RichTextBox control and optionally a character index to start at.
This subroutine will then store the current (selection)states and locks the control.
The text fragments that equal a smiley identifier (';)') are selected and replaced by the corresponding smiley image.
Finally it restores and unlocks the control and makes the control redraw itself.

Code:

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Public Shared Sub AddMessage(ByVal RTB As RichTextBox, ByVal message As String)

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Appends the message as a new line to the RichTextBox and calls Emoticonize with as starting index the start of the new message.

You can optionally add a "Buffer RichTextBox control" in the class to obtain the RTF of plain text. Example:

Code:

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    Public Shared Function GetRTF(ByVal text As String) As String
        Dim tmpRTB As New RichTextBox
        tmpRTB.Text = text
        Emoticonize(tmpRTB)
        GetRTF = tmpRTB.Rtf
        tmpRTB.Dispose()
        tmpRTB = Nothing
    End Function

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Finally here a site with smiley images you can test against:
http://chaaarge.rattleserver.de/smilies.html
Not sure if it is copyrighted. If it is, message me and I'll remove the link from this post.

Hi there. How do i call this function? i added this emoticonizer to my project in visual studio 2010. Now i'd like to send an emoticon to my richtextbox.

I have a button to send messages, and on it i have this :

Private Sub bt_enviar_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles bt_enviar.Click

If SerialPort1.IsOpen = True Then
SerialPort1.Write("Msg:" + rtf_escrita.Text + vbCrLf)
rtf_leitura.Text = rtf_leitura.Text + "Joao Says" + " " + "(" + Format(Now, "HH:mm:ss") + "):" + vbCrLf + rtf_escrita.Text + vbCrLf + vbCrLf

rtf_escrita.Text = ""
ElseIf SerialPort1.IsOpen = False Then
MsgBox("No COM port detected.", , "Erro:")
End If

End Sub


Where should i call emoticonizer and how só my richtextbox detects and automaticaly changes ":)" to emoticon?

Thanks in advance.

Hi,

Luckily I got an e-mail notification, otherwise I couldn't answer. Anyhow, in your FORM_LOAD event (or some other place where your program starts) you call Emoticonizer.initialize(). Then, when you want to write a new line to the rich text box, call Emoticonizer.AddMessage(richtextbox1, yourtext) where yourtext is the raw text to append.

You have this code:

rtf_leitura.Text = rtf_leitura.Text + "Joao Says" + " " + "(" + Format(Now, "HH:mm:ss") + "):" + vbCrLf + rtf_escrita.Text + vbCrLf + vbCrLf

This should be slightly altered, because I think using text = will wipe all rich text format from the control. To solve this, you will have to 'insert' text into the control. In this case, inserting it at the end:

rtf_leitura.Select(rtf_leitura.TextLength, 0)
rtf_leitura.SelectedText = "Joao Says" & " " & "(" & Format(Now, "HH:mm:ss") & "):" & vbNewLine
Emoticonizer.AddMessage(rtf_leitura, rtf_escrita.Text & vbNewLine & vbNewLine)

Notice how i used & instead of + and vbNewLine instead of VBCrlf. This has something to do with the text formatting of RTB, and & is a safer operator. (you may end up using numbers and mess things up)
I split up your 'said' message and the actual message, to prevent possible emoticon failures with the time format. (you have ): in that line, for example)

Hope this answers your question :)