How to dynamicallty create multiple controls at runtime - vb.net

Question

I am trying to add multiple labels to a userform at runtime
It's for the player names of a board game; and until the game starts the number of players are not known. I have managed to figure out for myself how to use the dynamic array function to create the list of players. I used a For.....Next loop to add the player names. I thought I could do that to add the labels to the form, but it only adds one. Depending on where the new control type is declared, it either adds the first player only, or the last player
This code produces one label only within the groupbox, the last player
Public Class Form1
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim Players_Num As Integer = InputBox("Enter the number of players")
Dim Players(Players_Num) As String
Dim newText As New Label
For i = 0 To Players_Num - 1
Players(i) = InputBox("Enter player name")
Next
'This piece of code was jsut for me to test that I was successfully using a For...Loop
'to add the players names, and will be deleted later on
For x = 0 To Players_Num - 1
MessageBox.Show(Players(x))
Next
For z = 0 To Players_Num - 1
newText.Name = "txt" & Players(z)
newText.Text = Players(z)
newText.Size = New Size(170, 20)
newText.Location = New Point(12 + 5, 12 + 5)
GroupBox1.Controls.Add(newText)
Next
End Sub
End Class
This one places only the first player
Public Class Form1
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim Players_Num As Integer = InputBox("Enter the number of players")
Dim Players(Players_Num) As String
For i = 0 To Players_Num - 1
Players(i) = InputBox("Enter player name")
Next
'This piece of code was jsut for me to test that I was successfully using a For...Loop
'to add the players names, and will be deleted later on
For x = 0 To Players_Num - 1
MessageBox.Show(Players(x))
Next
For z = 0 To Players_Num - 1
Dim newText As New Label
newText.Name = "txt" & Players(z)
newText.Text = Players(z)
newText.Size = New Size(170, 20)
newText.Location = New Point(12 + 5, 12 + 5)
GroupBox1.Controls.Add(newText)
Next
End Sub
End Class
I've tried this in vs 2015 and 2019 Community
Where is it going wrong?

Answer 1

From the looks of the code, you are correctly creating the controls but their location is the same for all of them, essentially, they are being place one of top of the other, the first is hidden with the second, which is hidden with the third.
The line
newText.Location = New Point(12 + 5, 12 + 5)
needs to be modified to place the labels at different locations.
Perhaps, something like:
newText.Location = New Point(12 + 5, 12 + (z * 25))
This will vertically align the labels with a gap of 25 between them

Answer 2

You are placing them all in the same location
newText.Location = New Point(12 + 5, 12 + 5)
Use your 'z' index to place them at different locations in order to be able to see them

Answer 3

For me it is easier to contain controls in a TableLayoutPanel then add the TLP to what ever control collection, such as a GroupBox This way you can couple a Label with TextBox, for example. Here's an example how you can create controls from a DataTable. In your case you would only need 1 ColumnStyle for labels, I just thought I would show you a good practice for future shortcuts. (I rarely use the designer to place controls)
'Start test data
Dim DtTable As New DataTable
With DtTable
Dim NewDtRow As DataRow = .NewRow
For i As Integer = 0 To 25
Dim DtCol As New DataColumn With {.ColumnName = "Col" & i, .DataType = GetType(String)}
.Columns.Add(DtCol)
NewDtRow(DtCol.ColumnName) = "Test" & i
Next
.Rows.Add(NewDtRow)
End With
'End test data
Dim TLP1 As New TableLayoutPanel With {.Name = "TlpFields"}
With TLP1
.BorderStyle = BorderStyle.Fixed3D
.CellBorderStyle = TableLayoutPanelCellBorderStyle.Inset
.AutoScroll = True
.AutoSize = True
.RowStyles.Clear()
.ColumnStyles.Clear()
.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
.ColumnCount = 2
.ColumnStyles.Add(New ColumnStyle With {.SizeType = SizeType.AutoSize})
End With
For Each DtCol As DataColumn In DtTable.Columns
With TLP1
.RowCount += 1
.RowStyles.Add(New RowStyle With {.SizeType = SizeType.AutoSize})
'create labels
.Controls.Add(New Label With {
.Text = DtCol.ColumnName,
.Anchor = AnchorStyles.Right}, 0, .RowCount)
'create textboxs
Dim TxtBox As New TextBox With {
.Name = "TextBox" & DtCol.ColumnName,
.Size = New Size(170, 20),
.Anchor = AnchorStyles.Left}
'add binding
TxtBox.DataBindings.Add("Text", DtTable, DtCol.ColumnName)
.Controls.Add(TxtBox, 1, .RowCount)
End With
Next
Controls.Add(TLP1)