Adding controls to a form using generated code (VB6)

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  • Chris
    #1

    Adding controls to a form using generated code (VB6)

    Dear all,

    I would like to figure out a way to add controls to a form using specs
    stored in a table. Any assistance in fleshing this idea out would be
    greatly appreciated. I'm using VB6.

    Right now I am thinking I would loop through the specs table
    (containing control name, control type, width, max length, etc) and
    print lines of code to a text file. The code would look something
    like the following:

    Dim lblcontrol1 As Label
    Set lblcontrol1 = Controls.Add("V B.Label", "lblControl 1")
    lblcontrol1.Vis ible = True

    Dim WithEvents txtControl1 As TextBox
    Set txtControl1 = Controls.Add("V B.TextBox", "txtControl 1")
    txtControl1.Vis ible = True

    The code generator would substitute the appropriate control names,
    property settings, and so forth.

    I would then need to run this code at design time to get the controls
    on the form, but I'm not sure how to create a form and run this code.
    I can put it in the Form_Load event, but then the controls are created
    only at run time, and I would like to be able to save the controls on
    the form.

    Can anyone point me in the right direction?

    Thanks,
    Chris
    Tags: None
    • Hal Rosser
      #2
      Re: Adding controls to a form using generated code (VB6)

      In VB6 - you you have to create a control array of each control type you
      want to add at run time.(by setting the index property to 0) - you can set
      the visible property to false if you don't want it to show. You can add
      additional members of the control array - but you can't just add a control
      programatically (unless its part of a control array) - go figure.
      Then
      load Command1(1)
      load Command1(2)
      Command1.Visibl e = True
      Command1.left = 100
      Command1.Top = 257
      etc

      "Chris" <chrisnm@mailin ator.com> wrote in message
      news:a0a9c4ef.0 408031106.72adb 00@posting.goog le.com...[color=blue]
      > Dear all,
      >
      > I would like to figure out a way to add controls to a form using specs
      > stored in a table. Any assistance in fleshing this idea out would be
      > greatly appreciated. I'm using VB6.
      >
      > Right now I am thinking I would loop through the specs table
      > (containing control name, control type, width, max length, etc) and
      > print lines of code to a text file. The code would look something
      > like the following:
      >
      > Dim lblcontrol1 As Label
      > Set lblcontrol1 = Controls.Add("V B.Label", "lblControl 1")
      > lblcontrol1.Vis ible = True
      >
      > Dim WithEvents txtControl1 As TextBox
      > Set txtControl1 = Controls.Add("V B.TextBox", "txtControl 1")
      > txtControl1.Vis ible = True
      >
      > The code generator would substitute the appropriate control names,
      > property settings, and so forth.
      >
      > I would then need to run this code at design time to get the controls
      > on the form, but I'm not sure how to create a form and run this code.
      > I can put it in the Form_Load event, but then the controls are created
      > only at run time, and I would like to be able to save the controls on
      > the form.
      >
      > Can anyone point me in the right direction?
      >
      > Thanks,
      > Chris[/color]


      ---
      Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
      Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
      Version: 6.0.732 / Virus Database: 486 - Release Date: 7/29/2004


        Comment

        • J French
          #3
          Re: Adding controls to a form using generated code (VB6)

          On Tue, 3 Aug 2004 20:52:38 -0400, "Hal Rosser"
          <hmrosser@bells outh.net> wrote:
          [color=blue]
          >In VB6 - you you have to create a control array of each control type you
          >want to add at run time.(by setting the index property to 0) - you can set
          >the visible property to false if you don't want it to show. You can add
          >additional members of the control array - but you can't just add a control
          >programaticall y (unless its part of a control array) - go figure.[/color]

          I think you'll find that you can do it in VB6

          But it is not much use

          The Control Array approach is, I think the best

            Comment

            • Steve Gerrard
              #4
              Re: Adding controls to a form using generated code (VB6)


              "J French" <erewhon@nowher e.com> wrote in message
              news:41107ac2.7 5184850@news.bt click.com...
              | On Tue, 3 Aug 2004 20:52:38 -0400, "Hal Rosser"
              | <hmrosser@bells outh.net> wrote:
              |
              | >In VB6 - you you have to create a control array of each control type
              you
              | >want to add at run time.(by setting the index property to 0) - you
              can set
              | >the visible property to false if you don't want it to show. You can
              add
              | >additional members of the control array - but you can't just add a
              control
              | >programaticall y (unless its part of a control array) - go figure.
              |
              | I think you'll find that you can do it in VB6
              |
              | But it is not much use
              |
              | The Control Array approach is, I think the best

              There wouldn't be much point in adding a control at runtime that wasn't
              part of a control array, since you would have no event handlers for it
              anyway.

              If the OP really wants to do a code generator, OP could develop an
              Add-In, which means learning the whole VBIDE object model and messing
              with that. Or, OP could generate .frm files directly, then go to VB and
              put them in a project.

              A .frm file is just a text file, you can open several in NotePad to see
              what they look like, and also the project.vbp file, to see how forms get
              included in a project.

              A bit scary, but maybe fun to play around with...



                Comment

                • J French
                  #5
                  Re: Adding controls to a form using generated code (VB6)

                  On Wed, 4 Aug 2004 19:31:54 -0700, "Steve Gerrard"
                  <mynamehere@com cast.net> wrote:
                  [color=blue]
                  >
                  >"J French" <erewhon@nowher e.com> wrote in message
                  >news:41107ac2. 75184850@news.b tclick.com...
                  >| On Tue, 3 Aug 2004 20:52:38 -0400, "Hal Rosser"
                  >| <hmrosser@bells outh.net> wrote:
                  >|
                  >| >In VB6 - you you have to create a control array of each control type
                  >you
                  >| >want to add at run time.(by setting the index property to 0) - you
                  >can set
                  >| >the visible property to false if you don't want it to show. You can
                  >add
                  >| >additional members of the control array - but you can't just add a
                  >control
                  >| >programaticall y (unless its part of a control array) - go figure.
                  >|
                  >| I think you'll find that you can do it in VB6
                  >|
                  >| But it is not much use
                  >|
                  >| The Control Array approach is, I think the best
                  >
                  >There wouldn't be much point in adding a control at runtime that wasn't
                  >part of a control array, since you would have no event handlers for it
                  >anyway.[/color]

                  Agreed
                  [color=blue]
                  >If the OP really wants to do a code generator, OP could develop an
                  >Add-In, which means learning the whole VBIDE object model and messing
                  >with that. Or, OP could generate .frm files directly, then go to VB and
                  >put them in a project.[/color]

                  Yes, but I rather suspect that the OP does not want to ship the VB
                  compiler to his users
                  [color=blue]
                  >A .frm file is just a text file, you can open several in NotePad to see
                  >what they look like, and also the project.vbp file, to see how forms get
                  >included in a project.[/color]

                  And it would be a good idea to copy that structure
                  - a way of 'double testing' during App development
                  [color=blue]
                  >A bit scary, but maybe fun to play around with...[/color]

                  While the OP would probably land up storing Control array parameters
                  in UDTs (for speed), it would be a good idea to write something that
                  generates a UDT from a Form and a Form from a UDT
                  - it would really show up errors

                    Comment

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