ComboBox Multiple Fields [Resolved -Superbly]

[taxes]

HI,,

I need to display a Surname field and a Forenames field when the record is selected in a Combobox. I also need to have an ID field stored in the ValueMember property. I can see nothing in previous threads or MSDN Help on this. Is it so simple it does not need comment or can it not be accomplished?

[unisse]

You could alway use a multicolumn combobox.

Edneeis made one that I think works great. go to www.edneeis.com

/Unisse

[taxes]

Hi unisse,

"You could alway use a multicolumn combobox.

Are you sure? I thought the multicolumn property simply used verticle columns to reduce the amount of scrolling required, not that they could show different fields.

[nswan]

what about creating a collection of custom objects and binding that to the combobox?

[taxes]

Hi nswan,

"what about creating a collection of custom objects and binding that to the combobox?"

Fine. But how do I locate the various fields of the data row? Where are they in the combobox?

[nswan]

i thought you wanted to bind FirstName & " " & Surname to the combo box textvalue and personID to the valuemember?

[taxes]

Hi nswan,

Yes, exactly.

I misunderstood your previous post. What you are saying is bind e.g. a textbox to the database and then bind the combobox to the textbox?

I had hoped I could retrieve the info. direct from the combobox.

[nswan]

Hi taxes,

i'm not sure if i've got the wrong end of the stick for what you want but this is what i meant anyway

Public Class person
    Dim intPersonID As Integer
    Dim strPersonName As String

    Public Property personID() As Integer
        Get
            Return intPersonID
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            intPersonID = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Property personName() As String
        Get
            Return strPersonName
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As String)
            strPersonName = Value
        End Set
    End Property

End Class

'then in your form
Dim myCol As New System.Collections.ArrayList
Dim person1 As New person
person1.personName = "Andy" & " " & "Smith"
person1.personID = 1
myCol.Add(person1)

Dim person2 As New person
person2.personName = "Chris" & " " & "Jones"
person2.personID = 2
myCol.Add(person2)

cboFriends.DataSource = myCol
cboFriends.DisplayMember = "personName"
cboFriends.ValueMember = "personID"

obviously you'd set "andy" and "smith" to firstname and surname from the database, and id would be got from there as well.

Don't know if this is what you are after but if not at least it's bought the thread alive again

cheers
Nick

[Edneeis]

Originally posted by taxes
Hi unisse,

"You could alway use a multicolumn combobox.

Are you sure? I thought the multicolumn property simply used verticle columns to reduce the amount of scrolling required, not that they could show different fields.

I don't think he meant the multicolumn property, I made an actual mutlicolumn combobox control (somewhat like the access one).

[taxes]

Hi Edneeis,

Sounds just what I need. I have downloaded and unzipped the files but can't see the .DLL. How do I put your control into my toolbox please?

[Edneeis]

It's there under \Control\bin\Edneeis.Controls.MultiColumnCombo.dll and to add it to the toolbox you just right click on the toolbox and click 'Add/Remove items' then browse to the dll.

[taxes]

Hi Edneeis,

Many thanks. It definitely has possibilities. It does not suit my present problem, however. How can I access the other fields in the record of the selection shown in a ComboBox.Display property? I would like to show them in a textbox or label.

[taxes]

Hi Nick,

"obviously you'd set "andy" and "smith" to firstname and surname from the database, and id would be got from there as well. "


I like the look of what you suggest, but I'm afraid I can't figure out how to get the data from the database (Access) into the arraylist. I've tried messing around with a DataAdapter and a DataSet with no success. Any ideas please?

Also, would it be possible to load the data from the database into a multidimension array, i.e. each element representing a row and each dimension containing one column?

Many thanks.

[Edneeis]

Originally posted by taxes
Hi Edneeis,

Many thanks. It definitely has possibilities. It does not suit my present problem, however. How can I access the other fields in the record of the selection shown in a ComboBox.Display property? I would like to show them in a textbox or label.

You would use databinding and bind to the same source as the combo. Although on a re-read it doesn't seem that you really are wanting a multicolumn thing for a combo but just want to access the selected item from the combo. You can use binding as I mentioned or simply use the SelectedItem object to reach the selected item. Its a matter of what are you actually storing in your combo? A string? An object? A dataset?

[taxes]

Hi Edneeis,

"Its a matter of what are you actually storing in your combo? A string? An object? A dataset?"

I am using a Dataset, but I want to display, either in the ComboBox or in a textbox, two other fields - as well as leaving the ID field in the combo valuemember. Perhaps this is just not possible and I will have to take another route, but the combo is so convenient.

I am looking at nswan's suggestion, but I cannot see how to populate the ArrayList from the dataset.

Many thanks.

[nswan]

give me an hour or so and i'll have some code for you

Nick

[nswan]

ok here you go

Imports System.Data.OleDb

Dim blnFinishedLoading As Boolean = False

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim strConnection As String = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.Oledb.4.0;Data Source=c:\friends.mdb"
        Dim myConnection As New OleDbConnection(strConnection)
        Dim daFriends As New OleDbDataAdapter("select * from tblFriend", myConnection)
        Dim dsFriends As New DataSet()

        Try
            daFriends.Fill(dsFriends, "friends")

            Dim intCount As Integer
            Dim friendsArray As New System.Collections.ArrayList()

            For intCount = 0 To dsFriends.Tables("friends").Rows.Count - 1
                Dim newFriend As New person()
                Dim strName As String
                newFriend.personID = dsFriends.Tables("friends").Rows(intCount).Item("ID")
                strName = dsFriends.Tables("friends").Rows(intCount).Item("Firstname") & _
                          " " & _
                          dsFriends.Tables("friends").Rows(intCount).Item("Surname")
                newFriend.personName = strName
                friendsArray.Add(newFriend)
            Next

            cboFriend.DisplayMember = "personName"
            cboFriend.ValueMember = "personID"
            cboFriend.DataSource = friendsArray

            blnFinishedLoading = True
        Catch ex As OleDbException
            MsgBox(ex.ToString)
        End Try
    End Sub

    Private Sub cboFriend_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cboFriend.SelectedIndexChanged
        If blnFinishedLoading Then
            TextBox1.Text = cboFriend.Text
            TextBox2.Text = cboFriend.SelectedValue
        End If
    End Sub


'THE ACTUAL CLASS#######################
Public Class person
    Dim intPersonID As Integer
    Dim strPersonName As String

    Public Property personID() As Integer
        Get
            Return intPersonID
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            intPersonID = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Property personName() As String
        Get
            Return strPersonName
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As String)
            strPersonName = Value
        End Set
    End Property

End Class

The reason for blnFinishedLoading is that when you bind to a combobox the selectedindexchanged event seems to fire for each item you add. Obviously you don't want that to happen until the user actually clicks on the combo box!

Hope this helps
Nick

[taxes]

Hi Nick


Brilliant! Many thanks. When I used your code I changed some of the variable and property names to suit my actual application (it handles tennis player's rankings) so I'm not absolutely sure but should you have included

strConnection.open

I have had a look at your site and I can hardly believe what you are freely offering. Congratulations. I have a proposition you may be interested in and will phone you within 2 weeks when I have researched it a little further.

Once again, many thanks.

[nswan]

glad to have been of help and look forward to hearing from you.

Nick

[bobochacha29]

can edneeis or someone please up load file Edneeis.Controls.MultiColumnCombo.dll for me? i can't download it anywhere

[taxes]

can edneeis or someone please up load file Edneeis.Controls.MultiColumnCombo.dll for me? i can't download it anywhere

Hi,

I thought this one was long dead!

Look at posts 10 & 11 above