transfering fixed words in multiline textbox in visual basic to seperate single line textboxes - vb.net

Question

I am having problem in visual basic textbox so my actual problem is i have a Multiline textbox1 containing FirstName="JOHN" in one line and LastName="SMITH" in the newline and i want to transfer only JOHN in separate singleline textbox2 and SMITH in other singleline textbox3.
i want this to happen on click of copy button.
The lefthanside of the textbox1 like FirstName,LastName remains constant whereas the rightside like JOHN,SMITH are changing in nature.
I have created a separate function and i have tried so far as
Public Class Form1
Dim itemsInTextBox As String() = TextBox1.Text.Split(vbCrLf.ToCharArray, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
Dim firstName As String = itemsInTextBox(0).Split("=".ToCharArray)(1)
Dim secondName As String = itemsInTextBox(1).Split("=".ToCharArray)(1)
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
TextBox2.Text = firstName
TextBox3.Text = secondName
End Sub
End Class
here's the link to screenshot of what i want to accomplish.
http://tinypic.com/r/2mcev5w/8
Thanks in advance

Answer 1

I think you could separate the text from the textbox by new lines. Something like:
Dim itemsInTextBox as String() = TextBox1.Text.Split(vbCrLf.toCharArray, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
Dim firstName as String = itemsInTextBox(0).Split("=".toCharArray)(1)
Dim secondName as String = itemsInTextBox(1).Split("=".toCharArray)(1)
This is assuming your lines in the textbox are separated by new lines. If it is separated by something else, just put that in the split method. This also keeps the quotation marks (do you want this?)
EDIT: for setting other textboxes
TextBox2.Text = firstName
TextBox3.Text = secondName
EDIT2: You have to create those variables on button click. If you do it globally, it will be run before your TextBox1 exists.
Public Class Form1
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim itemsInTextBox As String() = TextBox1.Text.Split(vbCrLf.ToCharArray, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
Dim firstName As String = itemsInTextBox(0).Split("=".ToCharArray)(1)
Dim secondName As String = itemsInTextBox(1).Split("=".ToCharArray)(1)
TextBox2.Text = firstName
TextBox3.Text = secondName
End Sub

Answer 2

Your sample and your description are different. In your sample you use FIRSTNAME=JOHN and in your description you use first-name="john" which are very different.
Lets use your sample. Your test should look like this.
TextBox2.Text = GetValue("FIRSTNAME=JOHN" & vbcrlf & "LASTNAME=SMITH")
TextBox3.Text = GetValue("FIRSTNAME=JOHN" & vbcrlf & "LASTNAME=SMITH")
Of you try it like this, you will see it's not returning the right information.
You'll have to split each line and then split these line again with the = sign like you did.
Function GetValue(ByVal data As String, ByVal key As String) As String
Dim lines() As String = data.Split(Chr(10))
For Each line As String In lines
line = line.Trim()
Dim subData() As String = line.Split("="c)
If subData(0) = key Then
Return subData(1)
End If
Next
Return ""
End Function
Sub Main()
Dim data As String
data = "FIRSTNAME=JOHN" & Environment.NewLine & "LASTNAME=SMITH"
Console.WriteLine(GetValue(data, "FIRSTNAME"))
Console.WriteLine(GetValue(data, "LASTNAME"))
Console.ReadLine()
End Sub

Answer 3

Just move the declaration of the itemsList into the sub for the copy.
EDIT: Also need to move the declaration of the strings
Public Class Form1
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim itemsInTextBox As String() = TextBox1.Text.Split(vbCrLf.ToCharArray, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
Dim firstName As String = itemsInTextBox(0).Split("=".ToCharArray)(1)
Dim secondName As String = itemsInTextBox(1).Split("=".ToCharArray)(1)
TextBox2.Text = firstName
TextBox3.Text = secondName
End Sub