Looping through array of option buttons with similar name - seems not to be possible (or easy) in VB .NET

Question

Hello. In VB6 I could set up code to loop through say 10 option buttons to check their values. The code would be something likie this:

For i = 1 To 10

      strNumber = "_" & Cstr(i)

      If frmMain.Controls("optH89Hours" & strNumber).Checked = True Then etc.

Next i

But in VB .NET it seems that if I use the Controls command as above I cannot use/check the Checked property as Control does not take that as a property of Control. It seems also that I may have to use the Find property of Control as in "Controls.Find" etc. How can I do this in VB .NET? I have a very control intensive application and I must be able to easily loop through controls and check their values without writing out 10 x the code required. Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Sanseviera,

There are endless things which were not possible with VB6 and are now with VB10 and even more with the upcoming VB11.

But was there in VB6 one way, there are in VB7 and higher endless ways, you can loop through all controls, you can make yourself a control array, you can recursively go through the controls. (In the newer versions controls are placed on other controls)

Here a simple sample on our website for a recursive way which fits in my idea the best to your question.

http://www.vb-tips.com/ClearTextBox.aspx

Maybe it was easy that 99% of the ways which are now possible were not possible in VB6, but that is the way as you look to it.

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Success
Cor

Answer 2

First thing to be aware of is that VB6 is very different from VB.NET, as you have found. You often need to get out of the habit of thinking the 'VB6 way' as it often holds you back :)

There are several options at your disposal.

First, you can pre-build arrays of the controls you will be looping through. This means that the control names are irrelevant when trying to 'find' them (you can have annoying runtime bugs - incorrectly named controls placed in an array will cause a compile-time bug which is far easier to correct). For example, if you have 3 check boxes that are called FirstCheck, SecondCheck, ThirdCheck, put them in an array:

Dim CheckBoxes(2) as CheckBox

CheckBoxes(0) = FirstCheck

CheckBoxes(1) = SecondCheck

CheckBoxes(2) = ThirdCheck

You can then loop through the array whenever you need to.

An alternative, and an example that you will see most often, is to iterate through the controls collection of containers.

		For Each ctl As Control In Me.Controls
			Dim chk As CheckBox = TryCast(ctl, CheckBox)
			If chk IsNot Nothing Then
				' Perform actions on checkbox
				If chk.Checked Then Debug.WriteLine(chk.Name & ": I'm Checked!")
			End If
		Next

There are a few variations on the above code, but basically you iterate through the controls collection, finding the controls you want, and casting it to the correct type.

Note that nested containers will require you to iterate through that container to find nested controls within that container (a GroupBox for example).

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Stephen J Whiteley

Answer 3

One way is to create a List of controls that contain the ones you are interested in. You can populate the list when the form loads and use it to loop through the controls. Otherwise it is a case of looping through Form1.Controls. Better to have specific types of control in the list rather than a geneic control. You can have as many lists as you want e.g. one with buttons, one with labels, one with textboxes etc.

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Regards David R
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Object-oriented programming offers a sustainable way to write spaghetti code. - Paul Graham.
Every program eventually becomes rococo, and then rubble. - Alan Perlis
The only valid measurement of code quality: WTFs/minute.

Answer 4

Hello John and Stephen. Thanks very much. I think this will the solve the problem for me. I have yet to code it all up but I foresee no problems in doing so. Sorry I was tardy in my reply btw. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

Answer 5

Stephen,

how do I actually do this:

Dim CheckBoxes(2) as CheckBox
 CheckBoxes(0) = FirstCheck 
CheckBoxes(1) = SecondCheck
CheckBoxes(2) = ThirdCheck

For example one of my option button controls is called "frmMain.optC14Hours_1" (as it is in the form frmMain).

Do I put the name of the control in quotes like this:  CheckBoxes(0) =   "frmMain.optC14Hours_1". I have tried just stating

  CheckBoxes(0) =   frmMain.optC14Hours_1  

but of course the IDE throws up a syntax error. 

But then if I do put it into quotes how do I then address it in the decision making code? Can you complete the acode for me above so that I can understand  and use it? Thanks.

Answer 6

Stephen,

how do I actually do this:

Dim CheckBoxes(2) as CheckBox
 CheckBoxes(0) = FirstCheck 
CheckBoxes(1) = SecondCheck
CheckBoxes(2) = ThirdCheck

For example one of my option button controls is called "frmMain.optC14Hours_1" (as it is in the form frmMain).

Do I put the name of the control in quotes like this:  CheckBoxes(0) =   "frmMain.optC14Hours_1". I have tried just stating

  CheckBoxes(0) =   frmMain.optC14Hours_1  

but of course the IDE throws up a syntax error. 

But then if I do put it into quotes how do I then address it in the decision making code? Can you complete the acode for me above so that I can understand  and use it? Thanks.

Where are these checkboxes?  The statement to reference them using an array should be on their container.  You can't refer to a Form within its class as frmMain.  Us "Me" to refer to a class from within the class.  An easy way to reference the checkbones in an array uses the following syntax:

    Dim CheckBoxes() As CheckBox = {optC14Hours_1, CheckBox2, ..., CheckBoxN }  

Answer 7

To do it like you want to try using

     Me.Controls.Find(ControlName, True).FirstOrDefault

That will search all of the forms controls and also the children of its controls.

     

Answer 8

Hi Sanseviera,

To go from what you had.>>

For i = 1 To 10

      strNumber = "_" & Cstr(i)

      If frmMain.Controls("optH89Hours" & strNumber).Checked = True Then etc.

Next i

To the VB.Net way.>>

        Dim cb As CheckBox
        Dim foundControls() As Control

        For index As Integer = 1 To 10
            foundControls = Me.Controls.Find("optH89Hours" & index.ToString, False)
            If Not foundControls Is Nothing And TypeOf foundControls(0) Is CheckBox Then
                cb = CType(foundControls(0), CheckBox)
                If cb.Checked = True Then
                    'Your code here.>>

                End If
            End If
        Next

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Regards,

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