Select A String In A TextBox

[Louix]

How do I select/highlight a string in a TextBox control?
I can detect if text is there but I can't select the specified text.

 Private Sub Button5_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button5.Click
        If TextBox1.Text.Contains(TextBox2.Text) Then

            MsgBox("Found The Text")

        Else

            MsgBox("Text Not Found")

        End If
    End Sub

[Negative0]

Use the .SelectionStart and .SelectionLength methods.

[Louix]

How!!?

[Negative0]

The same way you would use any other method or property:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...th(VS.85).aspx

[Louix]

I'm sorry, but I don't get it!
It's not working for me!!!

[Negative0]

Set your selection start property to the location of the text you find and set your selection length property to the length of the string.

[Louix]

Public Property SelectionLength() As Integer
        Get
            Dim instance As TextBox
            Dim value As Integer

        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            value = instance.SelectionLength

            instance.SelectionLength = value
        End Set
    End Property

X. Name 'Instance' is not declared.

[gnaver]

remember to give the textbox focus

If TextBox1.Text.Contains(TextBox2.Text) Then
            TextBox1.Focus()
            TextBox1.Select(TextBox1.Text.IndexOf(TextBox2.Text), TextBox2.Text.Length)
        Else
            MsgBox("Text Not Found")
        End If

[Louix]

Thank you! I now have it working! Just one more question, if there is more than one instance of the string in a textbox, how would I do a "find next"?

[NickThissen]

Are you trying to create a Find function like the one found in Notepad? If so you would be better of using a RichTextBox and it's 'Find' function. This will search for the text you specify, starting at the position you specify, and automatically select it for you. If you need to search for the next instance, simply call the Find function again, but this time set the starting position to the position of the previous 'hit', + 1... If you get what I mean.

Eg, if you found your string at position 482 (the Find function will return this number for you), you call the Find function again but starting from position 483 (this way, you don't find the same instance again).

If the string is not found in the specified range, the Find function returns -1 allowing you to handle that properly (messagebox etc..)