Code Library

I was thinking that a good project to help me learn, and one that would be useful, would be to write a code library for myself, to store the various bits and pieces I have scattered all about the place.

I was just wondering if people who have already written one for themselves would make some suggestions as to the layout and which controls they have used.
Have they saved the files to a database (not done this yet but ...)
or are they saved as text files in a folder etc.

Any suggestions would be a great help to get me started.

Thanks

aikidokid :wave:

I actually made something like this, that let me put in descriptions, function names, parameters etc. It then formatted it into a HTML file so that I could put them all in a *.chm help file :)

I use a Treeview to display my code categories.

Under each code category are routines or snippets that I've either written or glombed from other sources.

When I find what I'm looking for (a good search feature is indispendsible....I just wish I had one :D ), I click on the node and the associated code is displayed in a Richtextbox.

I store all of my code in an Access database.

Here are some screen shots.

Add New Code screen

Thanks all, this is exactly what I was after, screenshots help me understand what you have done. This is BRILLIANT hack.

I definately have my work cut out here, but there is a great incentive to get going now.

Thanks again and I will be back with plenty of questions I am sure. :bigyello: :p

Any more ideas feep 'em coming.

Search Screen

Properties Page

I created a similar application that can store any text in tree like format. I've just added syntax-highlighting feature and use it as my codebank.

For syntax files, you can use free Editplus user syntax files. That will save you lot of typing. :D
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/6571/notebestxv8.jpg


Static has a similar application in UtilityBank. I think that will give you more ideas.


.

I like what you did with the URL's.

I store URLs in the same place as the code. It works just fine, but I kind of like the way you set that up.

Thanks.
I thought it will be easier if I just doubleclick and open an link using ShellExecute.

You can also drag/drop another node to this listview if the codes are related. It will create a direct 'link' to that node (code).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iPrank

You can also drag/drop another node to this listview if the codes are related. It will create a direct 'link' to that node (code).

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What are you draging and dropping?

I have a function that will programmatically create a new node under the Parent Node of Source Code, but I'm not getting what could be dragged and dropped.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7...tebest2xm2.jpg
I mean, the editor is currently showing "HScrollBar" code.
The "SmoothScrolling" code is somewhat related.
Drag&Drop the "SmoothScrolling" node on the listview of "HScrollBar" code, and it will create a 'link' for the "SmoothScrolling" node.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hack

I have a function that will programmatically create a new node under the Parent Node of Source Code, but I'm not getting what could be dragged and dropped.

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Please explain this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iPrank

Please explain this.

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These are my existing Treeview nodes. When I need to add another (for a different development platform) I can either right click on the Parent "Source Code" node, click one of the toolbar buttons or access a drop down menu under Edit, enter the name of the new platform node and it creates a record for me in my database, which is used to populate the treeview.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iPrank

http://www.vbforums.com/
I mean, the editor is currently showing "HScrollBar" code.
The "SmoothScrolling" code is somewhat related.
Drag&Drop the "SmoothScrolling" node on the listview of "HScrollBar" code, and it will create a 'link' for the "SmoothScrolling" node.

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So, in effect, you are creating a "favorites" list?

My app works similarly.

As I said, my application originally was a 'generic' note-taking s/w, so I used zipped rtf to store text and pictures (pic of the table).

Unlike your app, I don't have any "Add New Code" form. Every code and 'normal notes' in my app are treated as 'normal notes'. It helps me to store codes+descriptions+screenshots in same place. (But searching becomes a little less accurate. :()

When you want to add a new code, you need to manually create the note, select the code and select appropriate syntax file from the "syntax" menu for formatting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hack

So, in effect, you are creating a "favorites" list?

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Not 'favorites' like IE.
Every note has its own list. Like the See also links in Wiki.

You should build an Add New Code thing for your app.

For me, my "Search" leaves MUCH to be desired. For quite a while I've been telling myself I need to overhaul that thing and make it more robust, and more accurate, but as I'm the only person that uses it, I keep putting it off until "some day". :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hack

but as I'm the only person that uses it, I keep putting it off until "some day". :D

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Great minds think alike. :D

My Library also has the ability to rename a Code entry and to move an entry from one category to another (I forgot about those yesterday as I don't use them all that much, but they are really handy when you need them.)

Oh Yes. My app has these features too. aikidokid, you should add these in your app.

Another feature I wanted to add (but couldn't finish intime), is adding zip attatchments.
My idea was to add a working example project in a zip archive with the snippets. Upon doubleclick the app will autometically extract the zip file in Temp directory and ShellExecute the project/solution file.
Sometimes a code snippet needs some pictures/other files etc. This 'attatchment' feature can be used to store them too.

Now that we are on this topic, I started looking around at my menus and discovered things I'd forgotten I'd built in, like:

I have an MRU list for the last 4 code items I've viewed.
I can dump a code snippet to a text file or 3.5 disk (:lol: when was the last time you saw a 3.5 diskette :lol: )
I also have the option of running my Library from my desktop or the system tray (which is where is always is)

WOW, what can I say Hack & iPrank.

Thanks for the feedback and the excellent screenshots. This makes it a lot easier for somebody like me to understand what you describe.

You are both far in advance of what I can do (at the moment ;) ), but I don't see why I shouldn't aim high.

I am only a self-taught guy with a full time job - not in IT, but I love the challenges of all of this.

I will get started on this and no doubt there will be a constant barrage of questions for a long time to come in the future.

Once again, thanks for the great feedback, and any more ideas are always welcome. :wave:

Having problems in finding the Font and Font size control to be able to insert as in reply #14.

How do I insert this?

I have looked through the components, but not sure if it's there, or what it is called :(

You using the Fonts that are installed on the machine running your program.

Code:

---

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim i As Long
    For i = 0 To Screen.FontCount - 1
        Combo1.AddItem Screen.Fonts(i)
    Next
    Combo1.ListIndex = 0
End Sub

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Ah, makes sense, and the font size is just another combo with the numbers in it, and then the code takes this value and does the rest - correct?

Also, how do I get the seperator in the menu editor?

Thanks hack

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aikidokid

Ah, makes sense, and the font size is just another combo with the numbers in it, and then the code takes this value and does the rest - correct?

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To get the font sizes (where cboFonts is the combo with the font names)

Code:

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Private Sub LoadFontSizes()
Dim SaveName As String
Dim SaveSize As Single
Dim Sizes As Variant
Dim i As Long
'place holders for font name and font size
SaveName = cboFontSize.Font.Name
SaveSize = cboFontSize.Font.Size

Sizes = Array(6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 36, 48, 72)
cboFontSize.Clear
'this is the font the user has selected
cboFontSize.FontName = cboFonts.Text
    'whip through the array checking all possible font sizes
    For i = LBound(Sizes) To UBound(Sizes)
        cboFontSize.FontSize = CLng(Sizes(i))
        'font supports this size, add to combo
          If cboFontSize.FontSize = CLng(Sizes(i)) Then
              cboFontSize.AddItem Sizes(i)
          End If
    Next
 cboFontSize.FontName = SaveName
 cboFontSize.FontSize = SaveSize
End Sub

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Thanks again Hack.

Oops :o Just pressed save instead of preview changes!

Just so I understand this code, I have gone through it commenting each line.
Would you check that I have understood it correctly please.
Thanks.

Code:

---

Private Sub LoadFontSizes() <------added into form code
Dim SaveName As String
Dim SaveSize As Single
Dim Sizes As Variant
Dim i As Long
'place holders for font name and font size
SaveName = cboFontSize.Font.Name        <---------creating arraysSaveSize = cboFontSize.Font.Size

Sizes = Array(6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 36, 48, 72)    <----------loading elements of size arraycboFontSize.Clear      <--------------emptying cmb - box
'this is the font the user has selected
cboFontSize.FontName = cboFonts.Text      <---------setting the font style value to what the text already is??
    'whip through the array checking all possible font sizes
    For i = LBound(Sizes) To UBound(Sizes)    <-------Not to sure here. What is Clng(Sizes) - where is it dimmed?
        cboFontSize.FontSize = CLng(Sizes(i))    <------changes the size showing in the size combo box       'font supports this size, add to combo
          If cboFontSize.FontSize = CLng(Sizes(i)) Then    <---if size is supported by this style font then add to cmb box              cboFontSize.AddItem Sizes(i)
          End If
    Next
 cboFontSize.FontName = SaveName    <-----set the values to the combo boxes cboFontSize.FontSize = SaveSize
End Sub

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Yep, you do.

And, I noticed I forgot to mention, you would call that sub from the click event of cboFonts

utterly brilliant.

Microsoft should check some of these concepts out... they blow VSS into the weeds.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hack

Yep, you do.

And, I noticed I forgot to mention, you would call that sub from the click event of cboFonts

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So when you click on the font style combo it checks this code to check for supported sizes for that font.

When the app first starts, as the cmbFontStyle is loaded, does this automatically fire this code, or would I have to call it the first time the style is selected?
If so, what if I used the default font style?

Thanks

I save all my settings to the registry. This is run from Form_Load from my startup screen.

Code:

---

Private Sub GetMainScreenSettings()
Dim strAmIBold As String
Dim strFontName As String
Dim strFontSize As String
    Me.Left = GetSetting("Code Library", "Settings", "MainLeft", 1000)
    Me.Top = GetSetting("Code Library", "Settings", "MainTop", 1000)
    Me.Width = GetSetting("Code Library", "Settings", "MainWidth", 6500)
    Me.Height = GetSetting("Code Library", "Settings", "MainHeight", 6500)
    strAmIBold = GetSetting("Code Library", "Code Window", "Bold")
            If strAmIBold = vbNullString Or strAmIBold = "No" Then
              MakeBold False
            Else
              mnuViewBold.Checked = True
              MakeBold True
            End If
    strFontName = GetSetting("Code Library", "Appearance", "Font Name")
    If strFontName <> vbNullString Then
        tvTreeView.Font.name = strFontName
        txtCode.Font.name = strFontName
        lblTitle(0).FontName = strFontName
        lblTitle(1).FontName = strFontName
        cboFontName.Text = strFontName
    End If
   
    strFontSize = GetSetting("Code Library", "Appearance", "Font Size")
    If strFontSize <> vbNullString Then
        tvTreeView.Font.Size = Val(strFontSize)
        txtCode.Font.Size = Val(strFontSize)
        cboFontSize.Text = strFontSize
        cboFontName.FontSize = Val(strFontSize)
        lblTitle(0).FontSize = Val(cboFontSize.Text)
        lblTitle(1).FontSize = Val(cboFontSize.Text)
    End If
End Sub

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In that code "GetSetting" I assume is the code to call the values from the registry? I will look into that later. :)

I am running this code, both in the form load and when the cboFontStyle box is clicked.
Now don't ask me why, but it is showing every third element from the array'
EG
6, 9, 12, 18, 24 etc???

Also, how would I know the correct ListIndex to set at start time?
Oh - forget that, just realised what you said about the registry.

BTW, How do I get the seperator in the MenuEditor?

Thanks

A seperator is nothing more than a dash ( - ) indented

Here is a quick example. Look at the Menu Editor after you download this.

Typically I name my separators mnuSepx where x is 0 to however many I have.

Here is a great little tutorial on GetSetting/SaveSetting etc by Martin Liss.

Thanks for the seperator example, I wasn't too far away, I was adding a line of dashes ;)

I took a look at the registry thread you suggested, and I will come back to this a bit later. :thumb:

As for the problem loading the cboFontSizes, I have stepped through this and it loads all of the values into the cboFontSize, but it only displays what I mentioned before, every 3rd entry. :confused:

Examples 'R Us :D

Thanks ever so much Hack, your time is appreciated :thunb:

I'm not sure if I am missing something here, but in your example it only showed the values in the cbofontsize as mine did. I checked in MS Word and it uses all of the sizes you added to the array.

Why is it only showing these values and not all of the expected values?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aikidokid

Why is it only showing these values and not all of the expected values?

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What are the expected values?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hack

What are the expected values?

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I assumed these values would be in the cboFontSizes:

Code:

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Sizes = Array(6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 36, 48, 72)

---

No, the only sizes that should be in the fontsize combo are the font sizes that the font you selected in the Fonts combo supports.

Yeah, I understand this, but I just wondered why the same font in MS Word had the complete list of sizes rather than just the list in my combo box?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aikidokid

Yeah, I understand this, but I just wondered why the same font in MS Word had the complete list of sizes rather than just the list in my combo box?

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My guess is that the code is not 100% accurate, but it is close enough for the needs of most applications.

Well it's more accurate than I would have got in a long time :lol: