Selecting Random Button

Hello, I have a control with 16 buttons on it, each called Button1 through Button16. I have a random number that selects one of those buttons, how do I make it so I can change the properties of that selected button?

I'm looking for something like

Code:

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Dim rand As New Random
Dim start_1 = rand.Next(1,16)
Button+start_1.Text = "This"

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Any help appreciated. Thanks

Here's one way to do it...

Code:

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  Private Sub RandomButton()
      Dim rand As New Random
      Dim start_1 = rand.Next(1, 16)
      'iterate through the forms controls
            For Each ctl As Control In Me.Controls
              'If the control is a button then do stuff
                If ctl.GetType() Is GetType(Button) Then
                    'Check if it's the button you're looking for
                    If CType(ctl, Button).Name = "Button" & start_1 Then
                          'If it is the button then change the text of the button to This
                          CType(ctl, Button).Text = "This"
                          Else
                            'If not the button change text of button to Not This
                                CType(ctl, Button).Text = "Not This"
                            End If
                        End If
                Next
        End Sub

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There may be a more direct path to the button using I think reflection maybe but it's early and I can't think of it yet.

If you put them in an array it becomes a thing of just a couple of lines

Me.Controls(yourButtonNameHere)

is the shorter way to get to it, but I prefer what Kaliman suggested even more. After all, the Me.Controls route only works if the buttons are directly on the form rather than being on a panel, in a groupbox, on a tab, or in any other container.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kaliman79912

If you put them in an array it becomes a thing of just a couple of lines

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so maybe like this? makes sense.

Code:

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  Private _aButtons(15) As Button

    Private Sub Form2_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        _aButtons(0) = Me.Button1
        _aButtons(1) = Me.Button2
        _aButtons(2) = Me.Button3
        _aButtons(3) = Me.Button4
        _aButtons(4) = Me.Button5
        _aButtons(5) = Me.Button6
        _aButtons(6) = Me.Button7
        _aButtons(7) = Me.Button8
        _aButtons(8) = Me.Button9
        _aButtons(9) = Me.Button10
        _aButtons(10) = Me.Button11
        _aButtons(11) = Me.Button12
        _aButtons(12) = Me.Button13
        _aButtons(13) = Me.Button14
        _aButtons(14) = Me.Button15
        _aButtons(15) = Me.Button16
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Dim rand As New Random
        Dim start_1 = rand.Next(1, 16)
        CType(_aButtons(start_1 - 1), Button).Text = "this"
    End Sub

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Why are you doing the CType in that? The array is already declared as Button.

more like:

Code:

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    Public arrButton() As Button

    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        arrButton = {Button1, Button2, Button3}
    End Sub

    Private Sub ChangeCaption(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs)
        Dim intRnd As New Random
        Dim start_1 As Integer = intRnd.Next(1, 16)
        arrButton(start_1).Text = "this"
    End Sub

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vb Code:

Dim button = Me.Controls.OfType(Of Button)().OrderBy(Function(n) rng.NextDouble()).First

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

Why are you doing the CType in that? The array is already declared as Button.

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good point

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ident

vb Code:

Dim button = Me.Controls.OfType(Of Button)().OrderBy(Function(n) rng.NextDouble()).First

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This is slick but I got a not defined for rng

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kaliman79912

more like:

Code:

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    Public arrButton() As Button

    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        arrButton = {Button1, Button2, Button3}
    End Sub

    Private Sub ChangeCaption(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs)
        Dim intRnd As New Random
        Dim start_1 As Integer = intRnd.Next(1, 16)
        arrButton(start_1).Text = "this"
    End Sub

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very clean. much better than mine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thetimmer

good point

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You also would not seed the random in the method and convert the object each time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thetimmer

This is slick but I got a not defined for rng

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define at class level private readonly rng as new random