Using a structure as a property

[mpdeglau]

I am creating a custom control and I need to be able to collect an array of names and for each name an array of options as a property. One way I thought I could do it was to create a structure, but when the collection dialog comes up I click add but value is the only option and it's grayed out. How can I go about doing this?

Here is what I tried

Public Structure TheStructure
    Public AName as String
    Public ANameOptions() as String
End Structure
 
Private _TheCollection() as TheStructure
 
Public Property TheCollection as TheStructure()
   Get
     Return _TheCollection
   End Get
   Set(ByVal Value As TheStructure())
     TheCollection = Value
   End Set
End Property

[mendhak]

What collection are you talking about? Show the code that you are using to add values.

[mpdeglau]

Well basically I am at a complete loss. I've tried using a structure and that didn't work at all as you can see above. Right now I am working with the Collections sample in the vb 101 but I'm not getting very far with that either. Any help to push me in the right direction would be great.

What I need to have is one property that has an array of names and reach name has an array of options.

Thanks

[jmcilhinney]

You should be defining a strongly-typed collection class derived from CollectionBase and creating a ReadOnly property of that type. That will then behave basically the same way as an ArrayList but it will only store objects of the type you specify.

[mpdeglau]

Ok. I got that to work. But is there a way that I can make it so that the Property is editable in the IDE?

[jmcilhinney]

That would require the use of attributes I would imagine, which is the usual way of controlling design-time behaviour. I've never done it myself so I couldn't tell you how exactly.