Conversion Problem

[John]

Hi

This .net is driving me crazy!!

In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional arrays
which i used to create and read records:

Type AAA
:
Array1(10,10,2) as Integer
Array2(20,20,4) as Integer
:
End Type

I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use the
fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc

vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i cannot
declare it correctly in the structure declaration.

What i have done is:

Structure z
:
dim Array1(,,) as short
dim Array2(,,) as short
:
End Structure


Dim x as z
I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:


redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
redim x.array2(20,20, 4)

But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong

Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record structures
with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only allow 2
dementions?????

Cheers
John

[Nathan Sokalski]

Re: Conversion Problem

It sounds like you are still adjusting to VB.NET. Have you looked at the
documentation for the Len method? What you want to use is the GetLength (or
the GetLongLength) method of the Array class. For example:

x.GetLength(0)
x.GetLength(1)
x.GetLength(2)

would return the values:

10
10
2

Hopefully this helps.
--
Nathan Sokalski
njsokalski@hotm ail.com

http://www.nathansokalski.com/

"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:uh$p3Bo4IH A.4448@TK2MSFTN GP05.phx.gbl...

Hi
>
This .net is driving me crazy!!
>
In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional arrays
which i used to create and read records:
>
Type AAA
:
Array1(10,10,2) as Integer
Array2(20,20,4) as Integer
:
End Type
>
I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use the
fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>
vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>
What i have done is:
>
Structure z
:
dim Array1(,,) as short
dim Array2(,,) as short
:
End Structure
>
>
Dim x as z
I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>
>
redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>
But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>
Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
structures with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only
allow 2 dementions?????
>
Cheers
John

[John]

Re: Conversion Problem

i am totally confused by this reply, in your example it looks like the total
length is 22? but an array of (10,10,2) would be 400 or more depending on
the type of data. then there is all the other elements of the structure as
well

how exactly does your reply work when evaluating the record length to put in
the FileOpen statement?

sorry if i seem a bit dim :-) but i really don't understand your reply at
all


"Nathan Sokalski" <njsokalski@hot mail.comwrote in message
news:%23sh5LNq4 IHA.2060@TK2MSF TNGP02.phx.gbl. ..

It sounds like you are still adjusting to VB.NET. Have you looked at the
documentation for the Len method? What you want to use is the GetLength
(or the GetLongLength) method of the Array class. For example:
>
x.GetLength(0)
x.GetLength(1)
x.GetLength(2)
>
would return the values:
>
10
10
2
>
Hopefully this helps.
--
Nathan Sokalski
njsokalski@hotm ail.com

http://www.nathansokalski.com/

>
"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:uh$p3Bo4IH A.4448@TK2MSFTN GP05.phx.gbl...

>Hi
>>
>This .net is driving me crazy!!
>>
>In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional arrays
>which i used to create and read records:
>>
>Type AAA
>:
>Array1(10,10,2 ) as Integer
>Array2(20,20,4 ) as Integer
>:
>End Type
>>
>I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use the
>fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>>
>vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
>cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>>
>What i have done is:
>>
>Structure z
>:
>dim Array1(,,) as short
>dim Array2(,,) as short
>:
>End Structure
>>
>>
>Dim x as z
>I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>>
>>
>redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
>redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>>
>But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>>
>Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
>structures with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only
>allow 2 dementions?????
>>
>Cheers
>John

>
>

[Patrice]

Re: Conversion Problem

An array is basically a pointer so the Len is not correct.

A trick could be to use <VBFixedArray(1 0 * 10 * 4)x() As Short to read
your data and possibly to copy in the final array (it might be needed anyway
as I'm not sure if .NET arrays and VB arrays are storing data using the same
ordering).

Another option would be to compute the record length
(Runtime.Intero pServices.Marhs l.SizeOf(GetTyp e(Short))*x.Len gth)

Another option could be to read each member, you can add a method to your
structure to do add (youll need just the overall size, is this a constant in
your case ?) and AFAIK datta are read based on the length of the receiving
object (depends also how is was done in VB I suppose).

Your best bet would be likely to create a small test case using VB and
reading use VB.NET wiht easy checkable values to test and diagnose possible
read/write problems more easily...

--
Patrice

"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe de
discussion : uh$p3Bo4IHA.444 8@TK2MSFTNGP05. phx.gbl...

Hi
>
This .net is driving me crazy!!
>
In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional arrays
which i used to create and read records:
>
Type AAA
:
Array1(10,10,2) as Integer
Array2(20,20,4) as Integer
:
End Type
>
I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use the
fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>
vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>
What i have done is:
>
Structure z
:
dim Array1(,,) as short
dim Array2(,,) as short
:
End Structure
>
>
Dim x as z
I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>
>
redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>
But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>
Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
structures with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only
allow 2 dementions?????
>
Cheers
John

[John]

Re: Conversion Problem

thanks Patrice for that - i considered doing a fudge but the values are out
so there seems to be an overhead in the array structure differences in the
vb6 and vb8 - the 2 values do not come out the same anyway- they are a few
hundred bytes different so the chances of reading and writing correctly into
the old records is zero, and i don't fancy spending the rest of my life just
trying to fudge something that works.

i tried Runtime.Interop Services.Marsha l.SizeOf(GetTyp e(Short))*x.Len gth but
it just gives me an error saying length is not a member of x so i don't know
whether this would work or not!!

god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement that
is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows, i've used vb
since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do in this turns out
to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and fixed in my ways


"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
news:5117F78C-EEF3-4D66-888B-BCED135B7145@mi crosoft.com...

An array is basically a pointer so the Len is not correct.
>
A trick could be to use <VBFixedArray(1 0 * 10 * 4)x() As Short to read
your data and possibly to copy in the final array (it might be needed
anyway as I'm not sure if .NET arrays and VB arrays are storing data using
the same ordering).
>
Another option would be to compute the record length
(Runtime.Intero pServices.Marhs l.SizeOf(GetTyp e(Short))*x.Len gth)
>
Another option could be to read each member, you can add a method to your
structure to do add (youll need just the overall size, is this a constant
in your case ?) and AFAIK datta are read based on the length of the
receiving object (depends also how is was done in VB I suppose).
>
Your best bet would be likely to create a small test case using VB and
reading use VB.NET wiht easy checkable values to test and diagnose
possible read/write problems more easily...
>
--
Patrice
>
"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe
de discussion : uh$p3Bo4IHA.444 8@TK2MSFTNGP05. phx.gbl...

>Hi
>>
>This .net is driving me crazy!!
>>
>In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional arrays
>which i used to create and read records:
>>
>Type AAA
>:
>Array1(10,10,2 ) as Integer
>Array2(20,20,4 ) as Integer
>:
>End Type
>>
>I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use the
>fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>>
>vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
>cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>>
>What i have done is:
>>
>Structure z
>:
>dim Array1(,,) as short
>dim Array2(,,) as short
>:
>End Structure
>>
>>
>Dim x as z
>I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>>
>>
>redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
>redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>>
>But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>>
>Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
>structures with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only
>allow 2 dementions?????
>>
>Cheers
>John

>
>

[John]

Re: Conversion Problem

Ok i've got the Runtime.Interop Services.... bit to work

I've done it on all the elements of the structure and added them together
but i'm 4 bytes out?

I suppose i could just hard code the record length - but it seems a very
poor way of doing things.


"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:e%23pXH0r4 IHA.3804@TK2MSF TNGP03.phx.gbl. ..

thanks Patrice for that - i considered doing a fudge but the values are
out so there seems to be an overhead in the array structure differences in
the vb6 and vb8 - the 2 values do not come out the same anyway- they are a
few hundred bytes different so the chances of reading and writing
correctly into the old records is zero, and i don't fancy spending the
rest of my life just trying to fudge something that works.
>
i tried Runtime.Interop Services.Marsha l.SizeOf(GetTyp e(Short))*x.Len gth
but it just gives me an error saying length is not a member of x so i
don't know whether this would work or not!!
>
god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement that
is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows, i've used
vb since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do in this turns
out to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and fixed in my ways
>
>
"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
news:5117F78C-EEF3-4D66-888B-BCED135B7145@mi crosoft.com...

>An array is basically a pointer so the Len is not correct.
>>
>A trick could be to use <VBFixedArray(1 0 * 10 * 4)x() As Short to read
>your data and possibly to copy in the final array (it might be needed
>anyway as I'm not sure if .NET arrays and VB arrays are storing data
>using the same ordering).
>>
>Another option would be to compute the record length
>(Runtime.Inter opServices.Marh sl.SizeOf(GetTy pe(Short))*x.Le ngth)
>>
>Another option could be to read each member, you can add a method to your
>structure to do add (youll need just the overall size, is this a constant
>in your case ?) and AFAIK datta are read based on the length of the
>receiving object (depends also how is was done in VB I suppose).
>>
>Your best bet would be likely to create a small test case using VB and
>reading use VB.NET wiht easy checkable values to test and diagnose
>possible read/write problems more easily...
>>
>--
>Patrice
>>
>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe
>de discussion : uh$p3Bo4IHA.444 8@TK2MSFTNGP05. phx.gbl...

>>Hi
>>>
>>This .net is driving me crazy!!
>>>
>>In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional arrays
>>which i used to create and read records:
>>>
>>Type AAA
>>:
>>Array1(10,10, 2) as Integer
>>Array2(20,20, 4) as Integer
>>:
>>End Type
>>>
>>I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use
>>the fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>>>
>>vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
>>cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>>>
>>What i have done is:
>>>
>>Structure z
>>:
>>dim Array1(,,) as short
>>dim Array2(,,) as short
>>:
>>End Structure
>>>
>>>
>>Dim x as z
>>I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>>>
>>>
>>redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
>>redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>>>
>>But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>>>
>>Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
>>structures with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only
>>allow 2 dementions?????
>>>
>>Cheers
>>John

>>
>>

>

[John]

Re: Conversion Problem

OK forget it - there is a more serious problem with this, it seems that vb8
does not support arrays declared like arr1(10,10,10) because when you try to
do the Fileput it just gives an error saying only 2 dimentional arrays are
supported - what a load of tat!!!

i think i'll go back to vb6 that was a true RAD piece of kit, my only other
option it seems is to scrap all my hundreds of records and then design the
structure in vb8 so that it is something like

dim arr1(100,2)
dim arr2(100,2)
:
:
dim arr100(100,2)


just to get the same thing as dim arr1(100,100,2)

"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:%23EbLzPs4 IHA.1892@TK2MSF TNGP06.phx.gbl. ..

Ok i've got the Runtime.Interop Services.... bit to work
>
I've done it on all the elements of the structure and added them together
but i'm 4 bytes out?
>
I suppose i could just hard code the record length - but it seems a very
poor way of doing things.
>
>
"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:e%23pXH0r4 IHA.3804@TK2MSF TNGP03.phx.gbl. ..

>thanks Patrice for that - i considered doing a fudge but the values are
>out so there seems to be an overhead in the array structure differences
>in the vb6 and vb8 - the 2 values do not come out the same anyway- they
>are a few hundred bytes different so the chances of reading and writing
>correctly into the old records is zero, and i don't fancy spending the
>rest of my life just trying to fudge something that works.
>>
>i tried Runtime.Interop Services.Marsha l.SizeOf(GetTyp e(Short))*x.Len gth
>but it just gives me an error saying length is not a member of x so i
>don't know whether this would work or not!!
>>
>god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
>nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement
>that is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows, i've
>used vb since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do in this
>turns out to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and fixed in my
>ways
>>
>>
>"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
>news:5117F78 C-EEF3-4D66-888B-BCED135B7145@mi crosoft.com...

>>An array is basically a pointer so the Len is not correct.
>>>
>>A trick could be to use <VBFixedArray(1 0 * 10 * 4)x() As Short to read
>>your data and possibly to copy in the final array (it might be needed
>>anyway as I'm not sure if .NET arrays and VB arrays are storing data
>>using the same ordering).
>>>
>>Another option would be to compute the record length
>>(Runtime.Inte ropServices.Mar hsl.SizeOf(GetT ype(Short))*x.L ength)
>>>
>>Another option could be to read each member, you can add a method to
>>your structure to do add (youll need just the overall size, is this a
>>constant in your case ?) and AFAIK datta are read based on the length of
>>the receiving object (depends also how is was done in VB I suppose).
>>>
>>Your best bet would be likely to create a small test case using VB and
>>reading use VB.NET wiht easy checkable values to test and diagnose
>>possible read/write problems more easily...
>>>
>>--
>>Patrice
>>>
>>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe
>>de discussion : uh$p3Bo4IHA.444 8@TK2MSFTNGP05. phx.gbl...
>>>Hi
>>>>
>>>This .net is driving me crazy!!
>>>>
>>>In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional
>>>arrays which i used to create and read records:
>>>>
>>>Type AAA
>>>:
>>>Array1(10,10 ,2) as Integer
>>>Array2(20,20 ,4) as Integer
>>>:
>>>End Type
>>>>
>>>I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use
>>>the fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>>>>
>>>vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
>>>cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>>>>
>>>What i have done is:
>>>>
>>>Structure z
>>>:
>>>dim Array1(,,) as short
>>>dim Array2(,,) as short
>>>:
>>>End Structure
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Dim x as z
>>>I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
>>>redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>>>>
>>>But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>>>>
>>>Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
>>>structures with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only
>>>allow 2 dementions?????
>>>>
>>>Cheers
>>>John
>>>
>>>

>>

>

[Ken Halter]

Re: Conversion Problem

"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:e%23pXH0r4 IHA.3804@TK2MSF TNGP03.phx.gbl. ..

>
god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement that
is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows, i've used
vb since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do in this turns
out to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and fixed in my ways

It's not you... the dotNet "VB Team" hasn't a clue what VB is. They're all C
programmers and re-wrote VB basically from the ground up, when the actual VB
team bailed out. I'd almost bet the current VB team has never written an app
in VB6, other than quick hacks to try something out.

just to get the same thing as dim arr1(100,100,2)

.....and, don't forget... those dimensions are 0 based, so that's 101 * 101 *
3 elements... but that's all I have <gI use VB6 100% of the time at work
and home, so I actually get stuff done..

Just passin' thru

[Tom Shelton]

Re: Conversion Problem

On 2008-07-10, John <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote:

Hi
>
This .net is driving me crazy!!
>
In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional arrays
which i used to create and read records:
>
Type AAA
>:
Array1(10,10,2) as Integer
Array2(20,20,4) as Integer
>:
End Type
>
I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use the
fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>
vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i cannot
declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>
What i have done is:
>
Structure z
>:
dim Array1(,,) as short
dim Array2(,,) as short
>:
End Structure
>
>
Dim x as z
I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>
>
redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>
But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>
Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record structures
with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only allow 2
dementions?????
>
Cheers
John
>

You can alawys use COM interop and put your file access in a VB6 dll :) There
are a lot of differences between VB6's array implementation (SafeArray) and
..NET's implementation - and so, there are probably going to be some differences
that might be hard to account for when reading binary files created in VB6...

--
Tom Shelton

[John]

Re: Conversion Problem

glad to know its not just me, i would not even have considered using vb8 but
i do like the new updated appearance and i was worried that eventually vb6
would not work with microsofts operating system updates.

practically everything i try and do that took a few seconds in vb6 takes
hours in this to sort out and then like this example i have spent nearly the
whole day trying to achieve something that cannot be done simply (the best
solution being create a vb6 dll to handle it (says it all really doesn't
it). I have many more examples, no contol arrays so you have to build them
at run time and spend hours trying to get the layout correct, - printing -
you cannot easily specify a new page without going into a recursive print
handler which takes more time trying to handle your printing, etc etc all
simple stuff but a nightmare in this product.



"Ken Halter" <Ken_Halter@Use _Sparingly_Hotm ail.comwrote in message
news:uyZ6I4s4IH A.4492@TK2MSFTN GP04.phx.gbl...

"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:e%23pXH0r4 IHA.3804@TK2MSF TNGP03.phx.gbl. ..

>>
>god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
>nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement
>that is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows, i've
>used vb since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do in this
>turns out to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and fixed in my
>ways

>
It's not you... the dotNet "VB Team" hasn't a clue what VB is. They're all
C programmers and re-wrote VB basically from the ground up, when the
actual VB team bailed out. I'd almost bet the current VB team has never
written an app in VB6, other than quick hacks to try something out.
>

>just to get the same thing as dim arr1(100,100,2)

>
....and, don't forget... those dimensions are 0 based, so that's 101 * 101
* 3 elements... but that's all I have <gI use VB6 100% of the time at
work and home, so I actually get stuff done..
>
Just passin' thru
>

[Tom Shelton]

Re: Conversion Problem

On 2008-07-10, John <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote:

glad to know its not just me, i would not even have considered using vb8 but
i do like the new updated appearance and i was worried that eventually vb6
would not work with microsofts operating system updates.
>
practically everything i try and do that took a few seconds in vb6 takes
hours in this to sort out and then like this example i have spent nearly the
whole day trying to achieve something that cannot be done simply (the best
solution being create a vb6 dll to handle it (says it all really doesn't
it). I have many more examples, no contol arrays so you have to build them
at run time and spend hours trying to get the layout correct, - printing -
you cannot easily specify a new page without going into a recursive print
handler which takes more time trying to handle your printing, etc etc all
simple stuff but a nightmare in this product.
>

LOL... The problem is John, that you are not familiar enough with the
framework and .NET. Once you become so, on the whole things are MUCH easier
then VB6. I know, I spent years doing VB work. I'm not claiming every thing
is easier, just most.

Your example of control arrays is pretty funny - I
don't even miss them. First off, the main reason in VB.CLASSIC for control
arrays was 1) common event handling and 2) avoiding the 256 unique control
names per form limit (or was it 255?). 2 doesn't apply in VB.NET and 1 is
handled by the fact that VB.NET events allow an event to be assigned to
multiple controls (heck, they don't even have to be the same type)...

' you can do this in the ide - just select all of the controls you want, go
' to the event tab in the properties window and add the handler - the ide will
' automatically add the handles list :)
Private Sub Button_Click (ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) _
Handles Button1.Click, Button2.Click, Button3.Click

Dim clickedButton As Button = DirectCast (sender, Button)
' do button stuff
End Sub

There are times that using index's to access a control are helpful... And
even that is a fairly simple task.

Public Class MyForm
Inherits System.Windows. Forms.Form

Private buttons() As Button = new Button() {Button1, Button2, Button3}

...

Private Sub DoCoolStuff(ByV al btnIndex As Integer)
Dim theButton As Button = buttons(btnInde x)
' do cool stuff with the button
End Sub
End Class

Or you can index them from the containser controls collection at runtime by
the name:

Dim theButton As Button = DirectCast(Me.C ontrols("theBut ton"), Button)

There is no need to dynamically generate controls... You just have to
understand the differences and the capabilites of VB.NET and then you don't
have these types of issues (well, at least not as often).

As for your file issue, I only was half joking about your file access - the
fact is that .NET is a different target platform then VB6. VB6 targeted COM
and so it has a lot of COM'isms - such as SafeArrays - and so in some ways is
not compatable. Personally, if I were you I would create a VB6 component that
would be able to convert the files into a more .NET friendly format and then
access them using the System.IO namespace classes. The FileXXX VB.NET native
functions are crap...

--
Tom Shelton

[John]

Re: Conversion Problem

You are quite correct in saying i am not familiar enough with the framework
and .NET. My problem seems to be i'm trying to do the same things in vb.net
as i did in vb6 rather than taking the new approach to it. Frustrating never
the less.

It would certainly assist if the help provided more practical examples. I
suppose i should buy a book!

"Tom Shelton" <tom_shelton@co mcastXXXXXXX.ne twrote in message
news:3rmdnZmPI7 VnFOvVnZ2dnUVZ_ qXinZ2d@comcast .com...

On 2008-07-10, John <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote:

>glad to know its not just me, i would not even have considered using vb8
>but
>i do like the new updated appearance and i was worried that eventually
>vb6
>would not work with microsofts operating system updates.
>>
>practically everything i try and do that took a few seconds in vb6 takes
>hours in this to sort out and then like this example i have spent nearly
>the
>whole day trying to achieve something that cannot be done simply (the
>best
>solution being create a vb6 dll to handle it (says it all really doesn't
>it). I have many more examples, no contol arrays so you have to build
>them
>at run time and spend hours trying to get the layout correct, -
>printing -
>you cannot easily specify a new page without going into a recursive print
>handler which takes more time trying to handle your printing, etc etc all
>simple stuff but a nightmare in this product.
>>

>
LOL... The problem is John, that you are not familiar enough with the
framework and .NET. Once you become so, on the whole things are MUCH
easier
then VB6. I know, I spent years doing VB work. I'm not claiming every
thing
is easier, just most.
>
Your example of control arrays is pretty funny - I
don't even miss them. First off, the main reason in VB.CLASSIC for
control
arrays was 1) common event handling and 2) avoiding the 256 unique control
names per form limit (or was it 255?). 2 doesn't apply in VB.NET and 1 is
handled by the fact that VB.NET events allow an event to be assigned to
multiple controls (heck, they don't even have to be the same type)...
>
' you can do this in the ide - just select all of the controls you want,
go
' to the event tab in the properties window and add the handler - the ide
will
' automatically add the handles list :)
Private Sub Button_Click (ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) _
Handles Button1.Click, Button2.Click, Button3.Click
>
Dim clickedButton As Button = DirectCast (sender, Button)
' do button stuff
End Sub
>
There are times that using index's to access a control are helpful... And
even that is a fairly simple task.
>
Public Class MyForm
Inherits System.Windows. Forms.Form
>
Private buttons() As Button = new Button() {Button1, Button2, Button3}
>
...
>
Private Sub DoCoolStuff(ByV al btnIndex As Integer)
Dim theButton As Button = buttons(btnInde x)
' do cool stuff with the button
End Sub
End Class
>
Or you can index them from the containser controls collection at runtime
by
the name:
>
Dim theButton As Button = DirectCast(Me.C ontrols("theBut ton"), Button)
>
There is no need to dynamically generate controls... You just have to
understand the differences and the capabilites of VB.NET and then you
don't
have these types of issues (well, at least not as often).
>
As for your file issue, I only was half joking about your file access -
the
fact is that .NET is a different target platform then VB6. VB6 targeted
COM
and so it has a lot of COM'isms - such as SafeArrays - and so in some ways
is
not compatable. Personally, if I were you I would create a VB6 component
that
would be able to convert the files into a more .NET friendly format and
then
access them using the System.IO namespace classes. The FileXXX VB.NET
native
functions are crap...
>
--
Tom Shelton

[Patrice]

Re: Conversion Problem

What is the overall intent ? It's true that VB.NET is different. For example
the way to persists data is totally different so if you need to read legacy
data, it might be usefull to consider the other options that .NET could
bring to the table ("serialization " i..e the ability to persist data
structure to disk or using datasets that are a in memory db representation
(suitable only for small amouts of data) or a real db.

Let me know if you are still heading to VB.NET I'll try to give this a
closer look with a working sample...


--
Patrice


"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe de
discussion : uF9Fmes4IHA.996 @TK2MSFTNGP04.p hx.gbl...

OK forget it - there is a more serious problem with this, it seems that
vb8 does not support arrays declared like arr1(10,10,10) because when you
try to do the Fileput it just gives an error saying only 2 dimentional
arrays are supported - what a load of tat!!!
>
i think i'll go back to vb6 that was a true RAD piece of kit, my only
other option it seems is to scrap all my hundreds of records and then
design the structure in vb8 so that it is something like
>
dim arr1(100,2)
dim arr2(100,2)
:
:
dim arr100(100,2)
>
>
just to get the same thing as dim arr1(100,100,2)
>
"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
news:%23EbLzPs4 IHA.1892@TK2MSF TNGP06.phx.gbl. ..

>Ok i've got the Runtime.Interop Services.... bit to work
>>
>I've done it on all the elements of the structure and added them together
>but i'm 4 bytes out?
>>
>I suppose i could just hard code the record length - but it seems a very
>poor way of doing things.
>>
>>
>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
>news:e%23pXH0r 4IHA.3804@TK2MS FTNGP03.phx.gbl ...

>>thanks Patrice for that - i considered doing a fudge but the values are
>>out so there seems to be an overhead in the array structure differences
>>in the vb6 and vb8 - the 2 values do not come out the same anyway- they
>>are a few hundred bytes different so the chances of reading and writing
>>correctly into the old records is zero, and i don't fancy spending the
>>rest of my life just trying to fudge something that works.
>>>
>>i tried Runtime.Interop Services.Marsha l.SizeOf(GetTyp e(Short))*x.Len gth
>>but it just gives me an error saying length is not a member of x so i
>>don't know whether this would work or not!!
>>>
>>god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
>>nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement
>>that is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows,
>>i've used vb since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do
>>in this turns out to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and fixed
>>in my ways
>>>
>>>
>>"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
>>news:5117F7 8C-EEF3-4D66-888B-BCED135B7145@mi crosoft.com...
>>>An array is basically a pointer so the Len is not correct.
>>>>
>>>A trick could be to use <VBFixedArray(1 0 * 10 * 4)x() As Short to
>>>read your data and possibly to copy in the final array (it might be
>>>needed anyway as I'm not sure if .NET arrays and VB arrays are storing
>>>data using the same ordering).
>>>>
>>>Another option would be to compute the record length
>>>(Runtime.Int eropServices.Ma rhsl.SizeOf(Get Type(Short))*x. Length)
>>>>
>>>Another option could be to read each member, you can add a method to
>>>your structure to do add (youll need just the overall size, is this a
>>>constant in your case ?) and AFAIK datta are read based on the length
>>>of the receiving object (depends also how is was done in VB I suppose).
>>>>
>>>Your best bet would be likely to create a small test case using VB and
>>>reading use VB.NET wiht easy checkable values to test and diagnose
>>>possible read/write problems more easily...
>>>>
>>>--
>>>Patrice
>>>>
>>>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de
>>>groupe de discussion : uh$p3Bo4IHA.444 8@TK2MSFTNGP05. phx.gbl...
>>>>Hi
>>>>>
>>>>This .net is driving me crazy!!
>>>>>
>>>>In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional
>>>>arrays which i used to create and read records:
>>>>>
>>>>Type AAA
>>>>:
>>>>Array1(10,1 0,2) as Integer
>>>>Array2(20,2 0,4) as Integer
>>>>:
>>>>End Type
>>>>>
>>>>I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use
>>>>the fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>>>>>
>>>>vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
>>>>cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>>>>>
>>>>What i have done is:
>>>>>
>>>>Structure z
>>>>:
>>>>dim Array1(,,) as short
>>>>dim Array2(,,) as short
>>>>:
>>>>End Structure
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>Dim x as z
>>>>I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
>>>>redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>>>>>
>>>>But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>>>>>
>>>>Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
>>>>structure s with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray only
>>>>allow 2 dementions?????
>>>>>
>>>>Cheers
>>>>John
>>>>
>>>>
>>>

>>

>

[John]

Re: Conversion Problem

Hi Patrice

My overall intent is to convert an existing VB6 application into vb.net so I
can still use multiple records I created in the new application. I have
managed to handle all the other type conversions so vb net handles then
using the fileopen, fileget, fileput but the following record as stopped the
conversion in its tracks because of the multidementiona l array aspect.

The vb6 type structure is as follows:

Type satlocation

origin As Integer

locationfixed As Boolean

timefixed As Boolean

numberofsets As Integer

xcoords(100, 10, 2) As Single

ycoords(100, 10, 2) As Single

stamp As Date

End Type

What I need to do is to be able to read and write to randomly to existing
data in the above record set that was created under vb6 - as you can see
there are literally thousands of cords that I certainly do not want to input
again, so basically I need to use the this same record set.



"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
news:9F09107A-9FEE-42DC-B775-A2EDB7FDB744@mi crosoft.com...

What is the overall intent ? It's true that VB.NET is different. For
example the way to persists data is totally different so if you need to
read legacy data, it might be usefull to consider the other options that
.NET could bring to the table ("serialization " i..e the ability to persist
data structure to disk or using datasets that are a in memory db
representation (suitable only for small amouts of data) or a real db.
>
Let me know if you are still heading to VB.NET I'll try to give this a
closer look with a working sample...
>
>
--
Patrice
>
>
"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe
de discussion : uF9Fmes4IHA.996 @TK2MSFTNGP04.p hx.gbl...

>OK forget it - there is a more serious problem with this, it seems that
>vb8 does not support arrays declared like arr1(10,10,10) because when you
>try to do the Fileput it just gives an error saying only 2 dimentional
>arrays are supported - what a load of tat!!!
>>
>i think i'll go back to vb6 that was a true RAD piece of kit, my only
>other option it seems is to scrap all my hundreds of records and then
>design the structure in vb8 so that it is something like
>>
>dim arr1(100,2)
>dim arr2(100,2)
>:
>:
>dim arr100(100,2)
>>
>>
>just to get the same thing as dim arr1(100,100,2)
>>
>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
>news:%23EbLzPs 4IHA.1892@TK2MS FTNGP06.phx.gbl ...

>>Ok i've got the Runtime.Interop Services.... bit to work
>>>
>>I've done it on all the elements of the structure and added them
>>together but i'm 4 bytes out?
>>>
>>I suppose i could just hard code the record length - but it seems a very
>>poor way of doing things.
>>>
>>>
>>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
>>news:e%23pXH0 r4IHA.3804@TK2M SFTNGP03.phx.gb l...
>>>thanks Patrice for that - i considered doing a fudge but the values are
>>>out so there seems to be an overhead in the array structure differences
>>>in the vb6 and vb8 - the 2 values do not come out the same anyway- they
>>>are a few hundred bytes different so the chances of reading and writing
>>>correctly into the old records is zero, and i don't fancy spending the
>>>rest of my life just trying to fudge something that works.
>>>>
>>>i tried Runtime.Interop Services.Marsha l.SizeOf(GetTyp e(Short))*x.Len gth
>>>but it just gives me an error saying length is not a member of x so i
>>>don't know whether this would work or not!!
>>>>
>>>god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
>>>nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement
>>>that is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows,
>>>i've used vb since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do
>>>in this turns out to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and
>>>fixed in my ways
>>>>
>>>>
>>>"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
>>>news:5117F78 C-EEF3-4D66-888B-BCED135B7145@mi crosoft.com...
>>>>An array is basically a pointer so the Len is not correct.
>>>>>
>>>>A trick could be to use <VBFixedArray(1 0 * 10 * 4)x() As Short to
>>>>read your data and possibly to copy in the final array (it might be
>>>>needed anyway as I'm not sure if .NET arrays and VB arrays are storing
>>>>data using the same ordering).
>>>>>
>>>>Another option would be to compute the record length
>>>>(Runtime.In teropServices.M arhsl.SizeOf(Ge tType(Short))*x .Length)
>>>>>
>>>>Another option could be to read each member, you can add a method to
>>>>your structure to do add (youll need just the overall size, is this a
>>>>constant in your case ?) and AFAIK datta are read based on the length
>>>>of the receiving object (depends also how is was done in VB I
>>>>suppose).
>>>>>
>>>>Your best bet would be likely to create a small test case using VB and
>>>>reading use VB.NET wiht easy checkable values to test and diagnose
>>>>possible read/write problems more easily...
>>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Patrice
>>>>>
>>>>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de
>>>>groupe de discussion : uh$p3Bo4IHA.444 8@TK2MSFTNGP05. phx.gbl...
>>>>>Hi
>>>>>>
>>>>>This .net is driving me crazy!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional
>>>>>arrays which i used to create and read records:
>>>>>>
>>>>>Type AAA
>>>>>:
>>>>>Array1(10, 10,2) as Integer
>>>>>Array2(20, 20,4) as Integer
>>>>>:
>>>>>End Type
>>>>>>
>>>>>I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and use
>>>>>the fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>>>>>>
>>>>>vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
>>>>>cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>>>>>>
>>>>>What i have done is:
>>>>>>
>>>>>Structur e z
>>>>>:
>>>>>dim Array1(,,) as short
>>>>>dim Array2(,,) as short
>>>>>:
>>>>>End Structure
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>Dim x as z
>>>>>I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
>>>>>redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>>>>>>
>>>>>But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>>>>>>
>>>>>Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
>>>>>structur es with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray
>>>>>only allow 2 dementions?????
>>>>>>
>>>>>Cheers
>>>>>John
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>

>>

>

[Patrice]

Re: Conversion Problem

So for the array issue I tried the following :

VB6 side Ive got a x(1,2,3) integer array...

VB.NET side I've got the following structure :

<VBFixedArray(2 3)Public _x() As Short

Public Property x(ByVal i As Integer, ByVal j As Integer, ByVal k As
Integer) As Short
Get
Return _x(i + j * 2 + k * 2 * 3)
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Short)
' TODO
End Set
End Property

That is :

- the _x array is a single dimension array whose size is the same as the 3D
array VB6 side. It allows to read the array using FileGet

- I expose this array as a 3D array using a property so that x looks like a
3D array... (each cell is at a position so that each index uses the number
of elements for all the previous indices as an offset)

It should be similar enough to VB6 to be usable while watijgn perhaps to
switch to something better if another idea or a later update gives better
support...

--
Patrice

"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe de
discussion : #6CgA4z4IHA.439 2@TK2MSFTNGP03. phx.gbl...

Hi Patrice
>
My overall intent is to convert an existing VB6 application into vb.net so
I can still use multiple records I created in the new application. I have
managed to handle all the other type conversions so vb net handles then
using the fileopen, fileget, fileput but the following record as stopped
the conversion in its tracks because of the multidementiona l array aspect.
>
The vb6 type structure is as follows:
>
Type satlocation
>
origin As Integer
>
locationfixed As Boolean
>
timefixed As Boolean
>
numberofsets As Integer
>
xcoords(100, 10, 2) As Single
>
ycoords(100, 10, 2) As Single
>
stamp As Date
>
End Type
>
What I need to do is to be able to read and write to randomly to existing
data in the above record set that was created under vb6 - as you can see
there are literally thousands of cords that I certainly do not want to
input again, so basically I need to use the this same record set.
>
>
>
"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
news:9F09107A-9FEE-42DC-B775-A2EDB7FDB744@mi crosoft.com...

>What is the overall intent ? It's true that VB.NET is different. For
>example the way to persists data is totally different so if you need to
>read legacy data, it might be usefull to consider the other options that
>.NET could bring to the table ("serialization " i..e the ability to
>persist data structure to disk or using datasets that are a in memory db
>representati on (suitable only for small amouts of data) or a real db.
>>
>Let me know if you are still heading to VB.NET I'll try to give this a
>closer look with a working sample...
>>
>>
>--
>Patrice
>>
>>
>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de groupe
>de discussion : uF9Fmes4IHA.996 @TK2MSFTNGP04.p hx.gbl...

>>OK forget it - there is a more serious problem with this, it seems that
>>vb8 does not support arrays declared like arr1(10,10,10) because when
>>you try to do the Fileput it just gives an error saying only 2
>>dimentional arrays are supported - what a load of tat!!!
>>>
>>i think i'll go back to vb6 that was a true RAD piece of kit, my only
>>other option it seems is to scrap all my hundreds of records and then
>>design the structure in vb8 so that it is something like
>>>
>>dim arr1(100,2)
>>dim arr2(100,2)
>>:
>>:
>>dim arr100(100,2)
>>>
>>>
>>just to get the same thing as dim arr1(100,100,2)
>>>
>>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
>>news:%23EbLzP s4IHA.1892@TK2M SFTNGP06.phx.gb l...
>>>Ok i've got the Runtime.Interop Services.... bit to work
>>>>
>>>I've done it on all the elements of the structure and added them
>>>together but i'm 4 bytes out?
>>>>
>>>I suppose i could just hard code the record length - but it seems a
>>>very poor way of doing things.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.comwrote in message
>>>news:e%23pXH 0r4IHA.3804@TK2 MSFTNGP03.phx.g bl...
>>>>thanks Patrice for that - i considered doing a fudge but the values
>>>>are out so there seems to be an overhead in the array structure
>>>>differenc es in the vb6 and vb8 - the 2 values do not come out the same
>>>>anyway- they are a few hundred bytes different so the chances of
>>>>reading and writing correctly into the old records is zero, and i
>>>>don't fancy spending the rest of my life just trying to fudge
>>>>something that works.
>>>>>
>>>>i tried
>>>>Runtime.Int eropServices.Ma rshal.SizeOf(Ge tType(Short))*x .Length but it
>>>>just gives me an error saying length is not a member of x so i don't
>>>>know whether this would work or not!!
>>>>>
>>>>god i really hate this vb.net stuff - why is everything such a pain? -
>>>>nothing seems logical (for example, why have a vbfixedarray statement
>>>>that is limited to 2 dimentions?) and why they call it vb god knows,
>>>>i've used vb since the 70's without any problem everything i try to do
>>>>in this turns out to be a nightmare - perhaps i'm just too old and
>>>>fixed in my ways
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>"Patrice" <http://www.chez.com/scribe/wrote in message
>>>>news:5117F7 8C-EEF3-4D66-888B-BCED135B7145@mi crosoft.com...
>>>>>An array is basically a pointer so the Len is not correct.
>>>>>>
>>>>>A trick could be to use <VBFixedArray(1 0 * 10 * 4)x() As Short to
>>>>>read your data and possibly to copy in the final array (it might be
>>>>>needed anyway as I'm not sure if .NET arrays and VB arrays are
>>>>>storing data using the same ordering).
>>>>>>
>>>>>Another option would be to compute the record length
>>>>>(Runtime.I nteropServices. Marhsl.SizeOf(G etType(Short))* x.Length)
>>>>>>
>>>>>Another option could be to read each member, you can add a method to
>>>>>your structure to do add (youll need just the overall size, is this a
>>>>>constant in your case ?) and AFAIK datta are read based on the length
>>>>>of the receiving object (depends also how is was done in VB I
>>>>>suppose) .
>>>>>>
>>>>>Your best bet would be likely to create a small test case using VB
>>>>>and reading use VB.NET wiht easy checkable values to test and
>>>>>diagnose possible read/write problems more easily...
>>>>>>
>>>>>--
>>>>>Patrice
>>>>>>
>>>>>"John" <no-email-supplied@nothin g.coma écrit dans le message de
>>>>>groupe de discussion : uh$p3Bo4IHA.444 8@TK2MSFTNGP05. phx.gbl...
>>>>>>Hi
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>This .net is driving me crazy!!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>In VB6 I had a type which contained a couple of multi-dimentional
>>>>>>arrays which i used to create and read records:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>Type AAA
>>>>>>:
>>>>>>Array1(10 ,10,2) as Integer
>>>>>>Array2(20 ,20,4) as Integer
>>>>>>:
>>>>>>End Type
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>I'm trying to get vb8 set up so that i can use the same files and
>>>>>>use the fileopen method to randomly access the file data etc
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>vb8 won't let me use <vbfixedarraywi th more than 2 dementions so i
>>>>>>cannot declare it correctly in the structure declaration.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>What i have done is:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>Structu re z
>>>>>>:
>>>>>>dim Array1(,,) as short
>>>>>>dim Array2(,,) as short
>>>>>>:
>>>>>>End Structure
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>Dim x as z
>>>>>>I have then tried to Redim in an initialation so:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>redim x.array1(10,10, 2)
>>>>>>redim x.array2(20,20, 4)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>But when i go to get the record length Len(x) it is totally wrong
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>Is there any way out of this mess so i can use my original record
>>>>>>structure s with openfile and random access? Why does vbfixedarray
>>>>>>only allow 2 dementions?????
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>Cheers
>>>>>>John
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>

>>

>