Finding the name of labels based on text inside its name - vb.net

Question

I’m not really sure this is possible but it would be helpful: I have quite a large grid of labels and would like to change the visibility of them based on words inside their names, for example finding a list of labels which all contain “Twentytwo” in their name and setting their visibility to false

Answer 1

Here is a solution based on Control.GetNextControl:
Const textToSearch = "Twentytwo" 'Text to search
Dim c As Control = Me.GetNextControl(Me, True)
Do Until c Is Nothing
'Check if c is label and its name contains "textToSearch"
If TypeOf c Is Label AndAlso c.Name.Contains(textToSearch) Then
c.Visible = False 'Hide this label
End If
c = Me.GetNextControl(c, True)
Loop
If you want to search "Twentytwo" in the label text and not in its name, replace c.Name.Containswith c.Text.Contains.

Answer 2

Let's say that your labels are all in one container, perhaps a Panel.
Further, let's assume you that you want only the specified labels to have .Visible = False, so the visibility is simply whether or not the label's name contains the given string.
You can select for controls of a particular type, so that there's no need to check the type of the control before using it, like this:
Sub SetLabelVisibility(container As Control, namePart As String)
container.SuspendLayout()
For Each lbl In container.Controls.OfType(Of Label)
lbl.Visible = lbl.Name.Contains(namePart)
Next
container.ResumeLayout()
End Sub
And you would call it with
SetLabelVisibility(Panel1, "Twentytwo")
Suspending the layout of the container while the updates to its child controls are being made is so that the display of it is done in one go.
Demonstration using an appropriately-sized Panel on a Form:
Public Class Form1
Dim tim As New Timer With {.Interval = 1000}
Sub CreateLabels(target As Panel)
For j = 0 To 6
For i = 0 To 4
Dim lbl = New Label With {
.Name = $"Label{j}_{i}",
.BackColor = Color.BlanchedAlmond,
.Text = i & j,
.Location = New Point(j * 40, i * 20),
.Size = New Size(38, 18),
.TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
}
target.Controls.Add(lbl)
Next
Next
End Sub
Sub SetLabelVisibility(container As Control, namePart As String)
container.SuspendLayout()
For Each lbl In container.Controls.OfType(Of Label)
lbl.Visible = lbl.Name.Contains(namePart)
Next
container.ResumeLayout()
End Sub
Sub ChangeVisibleLabels(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
Static n As Integer = 0
SetLabelVisibility(Panel1, n.ToString())
n = (n + 1) Mod 7
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
CreateLabels(Panel1)
AddHandler tim.Tick, AddressOf ChangeVisibleLabels
tim.Start()
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_FormClosing(sender As Object, e As FormClosingEventArgs) Handles MyBase.FormClosing
If tim IsNot Nothing Then
RemoveHandler tim.Tick, AddressOf ChangeVisibleLabels
tim.Dispose()
End If
End Sub
End Class
Public Class Form1
Dim tim As New Timer With {.Interval = 1000}
Sub CreateLabels(target As Panel)
For j = 0 To 6
For i = 0 To 4
Dim lbl = New Label With {
.Name = $"Label{j}_{i}",
.BackColor = Color.BlanchedAlmond,
.Text = i & j,
.Location = New Point(j * 40, i * 20),
.Size = New Size(38, 18),
.TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
}
target.Controls.Add(lbl)
Next
Next
End Sub
Sub SetLabelVisibility(container As Control, namePart As String)
container.SuspendLayout()
For Each lbl In container.Controls.OfType(Of Label)
lbl.Visible = lbl.Name.Contains(namePart)
Next
container.ResumeLayout()
End Sub
Sub ChangeVisibleLabels(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
Static n As Integer = 0
SetLabelVisibility(Panel1, n.ToString())
n = (n + 1) Mod 7
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
CreateLabels(Panel1)
AddHandler tim.Tick, AddressOf ChangeVisibleLabels
tim.Start()
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_FormClosing(sender As Object, e As FormClosingEventArgs) Handles MyBase.FormClosing
If tim IsNot Nothing Then
RemoveHandler tim.Tick, AddressOf ChangeVisibleLabels
tim.Dispose()
End If
End Sub
End Class
Public Class Form1
Dim tim As New Timer With {.Interval = 1000}
Sub CreateLabels(target As Panel)
For j = 0 To 6
For i = 0 To 4
Dim lbl = New Label With {
.Name = $"Label{j}_{i}",
.BackColor = Color.BlanchedAlmond,
.Text = i & j,
.Location = New Point(j * 40, i * 20),
.Size = New Size(38, 18),
.TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleCenter
}
target.Controls.Add(lbl)
Next
Next
End Sub
Sub SetLabelVisibility(container As Control, namePart As String)
container.SuspendLayout()
For Each lbl In container.Controls.OfType(Of Label)
lbl.Visible = lbl.Name.Contains(namePart)
Next
container.ResumeLayout()
End Sub
Sub ChangeVisibleLabels(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
Static n As Integer = 0
SetLabelVisibility(Panel1, n.ToString())
n = (n + 1) Mod 7
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
CreateLabels(Panel1)
AddHandler tim.Tick, AddressOf ChangeVisibleLabels
tim.Start()
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_FormClosing(sender As Object, e As FormClosingEventArgs) Handles MyBase.FormClosing
If tim IsNot Nothing Then
RemoveHandler tim.Tick, AddressOf ChangeVisibleLabels
tim.Dispose()
End If
End Sub
End Class