Updating Labels Through button Click action

[h3llo]

Hello, I'm currently trying to create a create account form with two textboxes (PlayerUsername, PlayerPassword), a label (ErrorMsgLbl) and a button (CreateAccountBtn). My current aim is to get the Error label to update if the requirements for the name and password are not met. Currently I dont have any errors! Except it won't display the message if the input wrong, there's no response. Sorry this is probably a silly error. Pasted below is my code and I was wandering how to call for my functions to work because I made them private but im trying to make ti public and I feel like the errors right infront of me. This is VB 6 by the way. Any help is appreciated.

Imports  Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices

Public Class FrmCreateAccount
    Dim PlayerNameValid As Boolean = False
    Dim PlayerPasswordValid As Boolean = False

    Private Sub CreateAccountBtn_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CreateAccountBtn.Click

        While PlayerNameValid = True And PlayerPasswordValid = True

            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Account creation successful. Please sign in")
            Me.Hide()
            FrmLogin.Show() 'this is intended to navigate the user back to the login page where they use these creditentials (im planning to write them to a file later)

        End While

    End Sub


    Private Function ValidatePlayerName(PlayerUsername As String)

        If PlayerUsername.Length < 3 Then

            PlayerNameValid = False

            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too short. Aim to have more than 3 characters.")

        ElseIf PlayerUsername.Length > 10 Then

            PlayerNameValid = False

            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too long. Aim to have less than 10 characters.")

        Else

            PlayerNameValid = True


        End If

        Return PlayerNameValid

    End Function



    Private Function ValidatePlayerPassword(PlayerPassword As String)

        Dim PlayerPasswordValid As Boolean = False

        If PlayerPassword.Length < 6 Then

            PlayerPasswordValid = False

            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Password is too short. Aim to have more than 6 characters.")


        ElseIf PlayerPassword.Length > 10 Then

            PlayerPasswordValid = False

            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Password is too long. Aim to have less than 10 characters.")


            PlayerPasswordValid = True

        End If

        Return PlayerPasswordValid

    End Function

End Class

[jmcilhinney]

This is VB 6 by the way.

No it isn't. It's VB.NET. Maybe you're targeting .NET 6 in your project, but that's very different to VB6. Thread moved to VB.NET forum.

[jmcilhinney]

You have this:

Dim PlayerNameValid As Boolean = False
Dim PlayerPasswordValid As Boolean = False

and you have this:

While PlayerNameValid = True And PlayerPasswordValid = True

How are those fields ever going to be set to True? You have methods that can set them to True but they are Private and I don't see where they are called anywhere, so I don't see how they'll ever be executed.

[h3llo]

You have this:

Dim PlayerNameValid As Boolean = False
Dim PlayerPasswordValid As Boolean = False

and you have this:

While PlayerNameValid = True And PlayerPasswordValid = True

How are those fields ever going to be set to True? You have methods that can set them to True but they are Private and I don't see where they are called anywhere, so I don't see how they'll ever be executed.

I'm sorry for mixing the VB Net and 6 up. Sorry again. How would you go about making the functions public or returning the value of the inputs public? I'm sorry I'm not very good at this and I'm struggling to find sources online. Sorry

[themindgoblin]

Imports  Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices


Public Class FrmCreateAccount

    Private Sub CreateAccountBtn_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CreateAccountBtn.Click

    If ValidatePlayerName(txtUsername.Text.Trim) And ValidatePlayerPassword(txtPassword.Text.Trim) Then
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Account creation successful. Please sign in")
            Me.Hide()
            FrmLogin.Show() 'this is intended to navigate the user back to the login page where they use these creditentials (im planning to write them to a file later)
        End If
    End Sub

    Public Function ValidatePlayerName(PlayerUsername As String) As Boolean
        Dim PlayerNameValid As Boolean = False
        If PlayerUsername.Length < 3 Then
            PlayerNameValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too short. Aim to have more than 3 characters.")
        ElseIf PlayerUsername.Length > 10 Then
            PlayerNameValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too long. Aim to have less than 10 characters.")
        Else
            PlayerNameValid = True
        End If
        
        ValidatePlayerName = PlayerNameValid

        Return ValidatePlayerName
    End Function

    Public Function ValidatePlayerPassword(PlayerPassword As String) As Boolean
        Dim PlayerPasswordValid As Boolean = False
        If PlayerPassword.Length < 6 Then
            PlayerPasswordValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Password is too short. Aim to have more than 6 characters.")
        ElseIf PlayerPassword.Length > 10 Then
            PlayerPasswordValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Password is too long. Aim to have less than 10 characters.")
            PlayerPasswordValid = True
        End If

        ValidatePlayerPassword = PlayerPasswordValid

        Return ValidatePlayerPassword
    End Function
End Class

You create the same variable at the class level and in your ValidatePlayerPassword function. I would get rid of the class level variables and just create local ones in the functions. Originally you did not call the functions anywhere, so they would never run and check the validity of the username and password. Using them as boolean and checking if they are valid is one way to do that. I wouldn't use While in your button click event, either. I would use a single check using each of your functions. To make your functions public, you just use "Public" instead of "Private". I'm not sure that is needed in this case as it's all in the same class, but switching to Public lets you access the functions from any other form or module in your code. This is helpful if you have a lot of functions that will be used all over your program. You can make a module or code file with your public functions and call them from wherever you need them.

Looks like my indentations got screwed up, along with extra line spacing? Awesome. Sorry about that.

You will also need to get the user input. I added generic names for text boxes, but just substitute those with whatever your actual control names are, or variables or whatever.

I would also suggest storing your error messages to a string, and then display that string in your button click event if there are errors. The way you have it now, ErrorMsgLbl will only show the last error that occurred, which isn't a huge deal, but I would personally display all applicable errors.

If the username is too long, and the password is too short, it will only tell the user that their password is too short. This still works, because when they use the same username but add length to their password, it will then tell them that their username is too long. Honestly I would just use a single generic message from each telling the user what IS a valid entry. Something like: "Password must be between 6 - 10 characters in length." rather than in two different error messages. Same with username.

[h3llo]

Imports  Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices


Public Class FrmCreateAccount

    Private Sub CreateAccountBtn_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CreateAccountBtn.Click

    If ValidatePlayerName(txtUsername.Text.Trim) And ValidatePlayerPassword(txtPassword.Text.Trim) Then
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Account creation successful. Please sign in")
            Me.Hide()
            FrmLogin.Show() 'this is intended to navigate the user back to the login page where they use these creditentials (im planning to write them to a file later)
        End If
    End Sub

    Public Function ValidatePlayerName(PlayerUsername As String) As Boolean
        Dim PlayerNameValid As Boolean = False
        If PlayerUsername.Length < 3 Then
            PlayerNameValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too short. Aim to have more than 3 characters.")
        ElseIf PlayerUsername.Length > 10 Then
            PlayerNameValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too long. Aim to have less than 10 characters.")
        Else
            PlayerNameValid = True
        End If
        
        ValidatePlayerName = PlayerNameValid

        Return ValidatePlayerName
    End Function

    Public Function ValidatePlayerPassword(PlayerPassword As String) As Boolean
        Dim PlayerPasswordValid As Boolean = False
        If PlayerPassword.Length < 6 Then
            PlayerPasswordValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Password is too short. Aim to have more than 6 characters.")
        ElseIf PlayerPassword.Length > 10 Then
            PlayerPasswordValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Password is too long. Aim to have less than 10 characters.")
            PlayerPasswordValid = True
        End If

        ValidatePlayerPassword = PlayerPasswordValid

        Return ValidatePlayerPassword
    End Function
End Class

You create the same variable at the class level and in your ValidatePlayerPassword function. I would get rid of the class level variables and just create local ones in the functions. Originally you did not call the functions anywhere, so they would never run and check the validity of the username and password. Using them as boolean and checking if they are valid is one way to do that. I wouldn't use While in your button click event, either. I would use a single check using each of your functions. To make your functions public, you just use "Public" instead of "Private". I'm not sure that is needed in this case as it's all in the same class, but switching to Public lets you access the functions from any other form or module in your code. This is helpful if you have a lot of functions that will be used all over your program. You can make a module or code file with your public functions and call them from wherever you need them.

Looks like my indentations got screwed up, along with extra line spacing? Awesome. Sorry about that.

You will also need to get the user input. I added generic names for text boxes, but just substitute those with whatever your actual control names are, or variables or whatever.

I would also suggest storing your error messages to a string, and then display that string in your button click event if there are errors. The way you have it now, ErrorMsgLbl will only show the last error that occurred, which isn't a huge deal, but I would personally display all applicable errors.

If the username is too long, and the password is too short, it will only tell the user that their password is too short. This still works, because when they use the same username but add length to their password, it will then tell them that their username is too long. Honestly I would just use a single generic message from each telling the user what IS a valid entry. Something like: "Password must be between 6 - 10 characters in length." rather than in two different error messages. Same with username.

Thank you so much for helping me, I really appreciate you and your suggestions are far more efficient. Thanks for taking your time to help (like greatly appreciated). Your edits work great and its now responds well. Thank you again!!!!!! <3

[rasinc]

If PlayerUsername.Length < 3 Then
            PlayerNameValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too short. Aim to have more than 3 characters.")
 ElseIf PlayerUsername.Length > 10 Then
            PlayerNameValid = False
            ErrorMsgLbl.Text = ("Username is too long. Aim to have less than 10 characters.")
 Else
            PlayerNameValid = True
 End If

If I am reading this correct, there is some ambiguity here or there is a logic error.

The code it saying that there must be more than 3 characters and therefore only 4 or more should work, but you are testing for <3 not <=3. Same with more than 10. 10 is not allowed per the message label but is allowed with the test.

[themindgoblin]

No problem.

rasinc is correct on the ambiguous errors as well. The way it's written is: Username can be 3 - 10 characters in length, and password can be 6 to 10 characters in length. You'll want to change those to <= and >= if you want those to be the rules, or edit your wording in the errors.

I didn't really think about it before, but in both of your validity functions you can remove each line of code that sets your boolean to false. The default value is false so you only need to worry about setting it to True. It's probably got zero impact on the speed or efficiency of the program, but it's unnecessary code that could add confusion later.

[techgnome]

Public Function ValidateEntry(Value As String, MinLength as Integer, MaxLength as Integer) As Boolean
    return Value.Length >= MinLength AndAlso Value.Length <= MaxLength
End Function

'Use:
If !ValidateEntry(txtUserName.Text.Trim, 3, 10) Then
    ErrorMsgLbl.Text = "UserName must be between 3 and 10 characters long."
ElseIf !ValidateEntry(txtPassword.Text.Trim, 6, 10) Then
    ErrorMsgLbl.Text = "Password must be between 6 and 10 characters long."
Else
  ' The user & Password pass, create the account.
End If

-tg