[RichTextBox] [Helper] - Emoticonizer Helper Class

[bergerkiller]

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

Four key components are used:

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

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):

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

Public Shared Sub Dispose()

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.

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

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.

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

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:

    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

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.