[RESOLVED] Trying to set a property on a UserControl?

[blakemckenna]

I am creating a usercontrol. It's name is VPort (I'm creating a viewport). In the UserContrl_Initialize event when I try to reference VPort.ScaleHeight...it gives me the error "Object Required". What am I doing wrong?

Here's my code:

Private Sub UserControl_Initialize()
    UserControl_Resize
End Sub
 
Private Sub UserControl_Resize()
    Pic1.Top = 0
    Pic1.Left = 0
    Pic1.Width = VPort.ScaleWidth   <<<<< Object Required Error >>>>>
    Pic1.Height = VPort.ScaleHeight
    
    Pic2.Top = 0
    Pic2.Left = 0
    Pic2.Height = Pic1.ScaleHeight
    Pic2.Width = Pic1.ScaleWidth
    
    V1.Height = Pic1.Height
    V1.Top = 0
    V1.Left = Pic1.Width - V1.Width
    
    H1.Top = Pic1.Height - H1.Height
    H1.Left = 0
    H1.Width = Pic1.Width
End Sub

Thanks

[longwolf]

If your VPort is the size of your Usercontrol use this:

Pic1.Width = UserControl.ScaleWidth  
    Pic1.Height = UserControl.ScaleHeight

[Merri]

At Initialize phase there is still no usercontrol object. The usercontrol starts to exist after Initialize: this would mean (I think) InitProperties [the first time control is created, ie. drawn on a form] and ReadProperties [every time otherwise].

Also, yes, use UserControl, not VPort.


Edit!
This ActiveX tutorial is a good reading, although you don't need to make your UserControl an OCX/ActiveX file. Especially take look at extender and ambient objects chapter. It has some information about how user controls are "hacked" together and where properties and features of your control come from.

[longwolf]

At Initialize phase there is still no usercontrol object. The usercontrol starts to exist after Initialize: this would mean (I think) InitProperties [the first time control is created, ie. drawn on a form] and ReadProperties [every time otherwise].

Didn't know that one.

He could just pull the UserControl_Resize call out of UserControl_Initialize()

The control won't be shown before that Resize fires on it's own.

[longwolf]

Blake,
Another tip for you, use:

Pic1.Move = 0, 0, VPort.ScaleWidth, VPort.ScaleHeight

It's faster and your pictures won't have jump around as much.

[Merri]

I made a quick test:

Private Sub UserControl_Initialize()
    Debug.Print "Initialize"
End Sub
 
Private Sub UserControl_InitProperties()
    Debug.Print "InitProperties"
End Sub
 
Private Sub UserControl_ReadProperties(PropBag As PropertyBag)
    Debug.Print "ReadProperties"
End Sub
 
Private Sub UserControl_Resize()
    Debug.Print "Resize"
End Sub

When control is first put on form:

• Initialize
• InitProperties
• Resize

When running program:

• Initialize
• Resize
• ReadProperties

When restoring to design time:

• Initialize
• Resize
• ReadProperties

So apparently you don't ever have a need for UserControl_Resize except in ReadProperties if you read properties that require you to redraw, repaint or resize the control.

[longwolf]

Another tip for you Blake,

I'm assuming that by View Port, you mean a Scrollable Container control.
If so, and if you're using the standard VB scroll bars, you're going to hit a 32767 value limit very easily.

You'll be much better off useing another Usercontol as your scroll bar.

Here's a link to a pretty good one.
http://www.planet-source-code.com/vb...63046&lngWId=1

[Merri]

This might actually be a better solution than "heavyweight" other usercontrols: adding scrollbars to Forms, PictureBoxes and UserControls. Adds scrollbars to basically any container with some API.

[blakemckenna]

Thanks guys for the help. All the suggestions were great!!!