I am writing an application for my Notary business. I am a Notary Public in Iowa.
I have many types of control on the form. ComboBox (that can be modified), TextBox and MaskedTextBox.
I know I can use the TextBoxBase class to cover the TextBox and also the MaskedTextBox, but my validation code is not doing anything. Nothing happens.
I have an ErrorProvider on the form called ErrorProvider. It has the "AutoValidate" option set to "EnableAllowFocusChange". The BlinkStyle is set to AlwaysBlink. All other properties are default.
I have three buttons on the form, too. Reset, Save and Close. Both the Reset and Close buttons are set to CausesValidation = False and the Save button is set to CausesValidation = True.
I need to make sure the "required" fields have a value when the Save button is clicked.
So, I figured I would use the Validated and Validating events of the controls. But, when clicking Save, nothing happens. The ErrorProvider doesnt even show. If I leave the control empty, still nothing happens.
This is my code:
Private Sub Company_Validated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
Handles Company.Validated, CompanyAddress.Validated, CompanyCity.Validated, CompanyZipCode.Validated, CompanyPhone.Validated, CompanyAddressRemit.Validated, CompanyCityRemit.Validated, CompanyZipCodeRemit.Validated
ErrorProvider.SetError(CType(sender, TextBoxBase), String.Empty)
End Sub
Private Sub Company_Validating(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.CancelEventArgs) _
Handles Company.Validating, CompanyAddress.Validating, CompanyCity.Validating, CompanyZipCode.Validating, CompanyPhone.Validating, CompanyAddressRemit.Validating, CompanyCityRemit.Validating, CompanyZipCodeRemit.Validating
Dim ErrorMessage As String = String.Empty
Dim TheField As TextBoxBase = CType(sender, TextBoxBase)
If TypeOf TheField Is MaskedTextBox Then
CType(TheField, MaskedTextBox).TextMaskFormat = MaskFormat.ExcludePromptAndLiterals
End If
If Not IsValid(TheField, ErrorMessage) Then
e.Cancel = True
TheField.Select(0, TheField.Text.Length)
ErrorProvider.SetError(TheField, ErrorMessage)
End If
End Sub
Private Function IsValid(ByVal ControlName As TextBoxBase, ByVal ErrorMessage As String) As Boolean
If String.IsNullOrEmpty(ControlName.Text.ToString) Then
ErrorMessage = "This is a required field."
Return False
Else
ErrorMessage = String.Empty
Return True
End If
End Function
Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?
The String class in vb.net is a bit "odd". It's a reference type that acts (not all cases) like a value type. You need to change ByVal to ByRef.
Private Function IsValid(ByVal ControlName As TextBoxBase, ByRef ErrorMessage As String) As Boolean
Related
I have a form with about 20 controls on it (ComboBox, TextBox, etc) that I have pre-loaded with data. This is being displayed to the user and gives them the capability to change any of the fields.
I do not know the best way of recognizing that changes have taken place. After some research, I found TextBox.TextChanged and setting the flag IsDirty = True or something along those lines.
I don't think this will be 100% bulletproof since the user might change the value and then go back and change it to how it was when initially loaded. I've been thinking about saving the current data to .Tag and then comparing it with the .Text that was entered when the user clicks "Cancel" to simply ask them if they'd like to save the changes.
This is my code:
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender as Object, byVal e as System.EventArgs)Handles MyBase.Load
For Each ctr as Control in me.Controls
if typeof ctr is TextBox then
ctr.tag=ctr.text
end if
Next
End Sub
This is the code for when the user clicks "Cancel":
Private Sub CmdCancel_Click (ByVal sender as Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CmdCancel.Click
For each ctr As Control in Me.Controls
If Typeof ctr is Textbox then
if ctr.tag.tostring <> ctr.text then
MsgBox ("Do you want to save the items", YesNo)
end if
End if
Next
End sub
Is this an effective way to do this? Can it be relied on? If anyone has any better idea, I'd love to hear it.
Have a look at this:
For Each txtBox In Me.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
If txtBox.Modified Then
'Show message
End If
Next
EDIT
Have a look at this. This may be of interest to you if you wanted an alternative way to the .Tag property:
'Declare a dictionary to store your original values
Private _textboxDictionary As New Dictionary(Of TextBox, String)
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
'You would place this bit of code after you had set the values of the textboxes
For Each txtBox In Me.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
_textboxDictionary.Add(txtBox, txtBox.Text)
Next
End Sub
Then use this to find out the original value and compare to the new value:
For Each txtBox In Me.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
If txtBox.Modified Then
Dim oldValue = (From kp As KeyValuePair(Of TextBox, String) In _textboxDictionary
Where kp.Key Is txtBox
Select kp.Value).First()
If oldValue.ToString() <> txtBox.Text Then
'Show message
End If
End If
Next
I know this already has an accepted answer, but I thought the part about checking if the actual text value has changed should be addressed. Checking modified will reveal if any changes were made to the text, but it will fail if the user, for example, adds a character and then deletes it. I think a good way to do this would be with a custom control, so here's an example of a simple control that stores the textbox's original text whenever it is changed programmatically, and has a textaltered property that can be checked to show whether or not the user's modifications actually resulted in the text being different from its original state. This way, each time you fill the textbox with data yourself, the value you set is saved. Then when you are ready, you just check the TextAltered property:
Public Class myTextBox
Inherits System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
Private Property OriginalText As String
Public ReadOnly Property TextAltered As Boolean
Get
If OriginalText.Equals(MyBase.Text) Then
Return False
Else
Return True
End If
End Get
End Property
Public Overrides Property Text As String
Get
Return MyBase.Text
End Get
Set(value As String)
Me.OriginalText = value
MyBase.Text = value
End Set
End Property
End Class
I have a "frmOptions" form with a textbox named "txtMyTextValue" and a button named "btnSave" to save and close the form when it's clicked,
then, I'm showing this dialog form "frmOptions" when a button "btnOptions" is clicked on the main form "frmMain", like this
Private Sub btnOptions_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnOptions.Click
ShowOptionsForm()
End Sub
Private Sub ShowOptionsForm()
Dim options = New frmOptions
options.ShowDialog()
End Sub
How can I get in the main form "frmMain" the value inserted in the textbox "txtMyTextValue" when the "btnSave" is clicked?
You want to capture the information from the dialog only if the result is OK (user presses Save instead of Cancel or closes the dialog some other way), so do this:
Private Sub ShowOptionsForm()
Dim options = New frmOptions
' Did the user click Save?
If options.ShowDialog() = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
' Yes, so grab the values you want from the dialog here
Dim textBoxValue As String = options.txtMyTextValue.Text
End If
End Sub
Now inside of your dialog form, you need to set the result Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK when the user clicks the button that corresponds to the OK action of the dialog form, like this:
Public Class frmOptions
Private Sub btnSave_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnSave.Click
' Set the result to pass back to the form that called this dialog
Me.DialogResult = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK
End Sub
End Class
The simplest method is to add a public property to the frmOptions form that returns an internal string declared at the global level of the frmOptions
Dim strValue As String
Public Property MyStringValue() As String
Get
Return strValue
End Get
End Property
Then, when your user clicks the OK button to confirm its choices you copy the value of the textbox to the internal variable
Private Sub cmdOK_Click(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdOK.Click
strValue = txtMyTextValue.Text
End Sub
Finally in the frmMain you use code like this to retrieve the inserted value
Private Sub ShowOptionsForm()
Using options = New frmOptions()
if DialogResult.OK = options.ShowDialog() Then
Dim value = options.MyStringValue
End If
End Using
End Sub
I prefer to avoid direct access to the internal controls of the frmOptions, a property offer a indirection that could be used to better validate the inputs given by your user.
You can use Events to take care of this. With this approach the Settings Form does not have to be Modal and the user can click the Save Button at any time.
In frmOptions:
'You can expand the signature to take more than just a single String.
Friend Event SavedOptions(ByVal strData As String)
Private Sub btnSave_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSave.Click
RaiseEvent SavedOptions(txtMyTextValue.Text)
End Sub
In frmMain:
Private Sub ShowOptionsForm()
Dim options = New frmOptions
AddHandler options.SavedOptions, AddressOf OnOptionsSave
options.ShowDialog()
End Sub
Private Sub OnOptionsSave(ByVal strData As String)
'Or whatever you want to do on frmMain with Options Data.
MsgBox(strData)
End Sub
You can access the value from the frmOptions instance. However, this breaks the law of demeter.
You should expose the value with a property within your class.
Public Class frmOptions
Public ReadOnly Property MyTextValue As String
Get
Return Me.txtMyTextValue.Text
End Get
End Property
End Class
Then you can access the value:
Private Sub ShowOptionsForm()
Dim options = New frmOptions
Dim frmOptionTextValue As String
Dim frmOptionsDiagResult As DialogResult
frmOptionsDiagResult = options.ShowDialog()
If frmOptionsDiagResult = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
frmOptionTextValue = options.MyTextValue
Else
'...
End If
End Sub
Finally, if you are using a Dialog then make sure to set the Dialog Result for the button.
Hey all i am in need of some help getting my code working correctly like i am needing it to. Below is my code that when the user click on the textbox, it pops up a keyboard where they can click on any letter and it will type that letter into the textbox. Problem being is i can not seem to get the name of the text box to return so that it knows where to send the letters to.
Order in firing is:
TextBox1_MouseDown
keyboardOrPad.runKeyboardOrPad
kbOrPad.keyboardPadType
ClickLetters
Form1.putIntoTextBox
Form1
Private Sub TextBox1_MouseDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.MouseDown
Call keyboardOrPad.runKeyboardOrPad("SHOW") 'Just shows the keyboard
Call kbOrPad.keyboardPadType("PAD", TextBox1)
End Sub
Public Sub putIntoTextBox(ByRef what2Put As String, ByRef whatBox As TextBox)
whatBox.Text = what2Put '<-- has error Object reference not set to an instance of an object. for the whatBox.text
End Sub
kbOrPad class
Dim theBoxName As TextBox = Nothing
Public Sub keyboardPadType(ByRef whatType As String, ByRef boxName As TextBox)
theBoxName = boxName '<-- shows nothing here
Dim intX As Short = 1
If whatType = "PAD" Then
Do Until intX = 30
Dim theButton() As Control = Controls.Find("Button" & intX, True)
theButton(0).Enabled = False
intX += 1
Loop
ElseIf whatType = "KEYB" Then
End If
End Sub
Private Sub ClickLetters(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Dim btn As Button = CType(sender, Button)
If btn.Text = "Backspace" Then
Else
Call Form1.putIntoTextBox(btn.Text, theBoxName) 'theBoxName taken from keyboardPadType
End If
End Sub
Some visuals for you:
Pastebin code: http://pastebin.com/4ReEnJB0
make sure that theBoxName is a Module scoped variable, then I would populate it like this giving you the flexibility of implementing a shared TextBox MouseDown Handler:
Private Sub TextBox1_MouseDown(sender As System.Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.MouseDown
Dim tb As TextBox = CType(sender, TextBox)
Call keyboardPadType("PAD", tb)
End Sub
Try something like this
Public Class Form1
Dim myKborPad As New kbOrPad
Private Sub TextBox1_MouseDown(sender As System.Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.MouseDown
Dim tb As TextBox = CType(sender, TextBox)
Call myKborPad.keyboardPadType("PAD", tb)
End Sub
Edit Based on your PasteBin code.
I noticed you already have an instance of your keyboardPadType declared in your Module, use that instead of what I said earlier. That code should look like:
remove:
Dim myKborPad As New kbOrPad
and use the theKbOrPad that you created in your module like this:
Private Sub TextBox1_MouseDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.MouseDown
Dim tb As TextBox = CType(sender, TextBox)
Call keyboardOrPad.runKeyboardOrPad("SHOW")
Call theKbOrPad.keyboardPadType("PAD", tb)
'Call kbOrPad.keyboardPadType("PAD", tb)
End Sub
Also about the current error your are getting, you are trying to use the default instance of your Form1 , it isn't the actual Form that you are running, you can code around this by making the method you are trying to use as shared. Like this:
Public Shared Sub putIntoTextBox(ByRef what2Put As String, ByRef whatBox As TextBox)
whatBox.Text = what2Put
End Sub
But however I would actually prefer to put it into your Module like this
Public Sub putIntoTextBox(ByRef what2Put As String, ByRef whatBox As TextBox)
whatBox.Text = what2Put
End Sub
and call it like this
Call putIntoTextBox(btn.Text, theBoxName)
after making above changes your code worked.
First, you should replace the ByRef with ByVal (anytime you don't know whether you should use one or the other, use ByVal).
Secondly, I believe you don't need the method, putIntoTextBox, I think you should be able to do that directly (might be threading problems that prevent it, but I don't think that's likely based on your description). You don't show where Form1 is set (or even if it is), and that's another potential problem.
Finally, the better way to call back into the other class is to use a delegate/lambada.
(I know, no code, but you don't provide enough context for a working response, so I'm just giving text).
I have a form with a datarepeater that contains various controls (i.e. datetimepickers, text boxes, combo box) that are populated via a binding source. I also have other controls on the form that are not part of the data repeater.
I would like to force validating all controls after the data is populated. I have successfully forced validating the non-datarepeater controls using Me.ValidateChildren() at the end of my load event. However, it does not fire the validating events for the controls within the data repeater.
I have unsuccessfully tried many different attempts to set and move focus within the datarepeater controls trying to get the validating events kicked off. I am not sure where would be the best place (e.g. in drawItem? in ItemCloned?) to place the code and what it should be exactly. Here was my latest attempt:
Private Sub DataRepeater1_DrawItem(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Microsoft.VisualBasic.PowerPacks.DataRepeaterItemEventArgs) _
Handles DataRepeater1.DrawItem
For i = 0 To e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls.Count - 1
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls.Item(i).Focus()
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls.Item(0).Focus()
Next
Note: I successfully handled the validating events in the data repeater caused by user input errors. However, I have the unusual situation that the data coming into my form is already bad for some of the controls. The purpose of the form is to validate the data coming in to it and from user-input.
Thanks in advance for any help. I am newbie with vb.net.
Have you tried calling
DataRepeater1.ValidateChildren()
after calling form's Me.ValidateChildren()
MSDN link
EDIT:
Can you try this
Private Shared Function ValidateAllChildern(cc As ContainerControl) As Boolean
Return cc.ValidateChildren() And cc.Controls.OfType(Of ContainerControl)().[Select](Function(c) ValidateAllChildern(c)).Aggregate(True, Function(x, y) x And y)
End Function
and call
ValidateAllChildren(Me)
Here is what I ended up using and it worked great. Basically, you can call the same validation functions in cellformatting and cellvalidating. Cell formatting handles the validation on initial load. Cell validating handles validation on user changes. Also, if you want a global change on user entry (e.g. change to upper case), use EditControlShowing.
A nice feature too is that it shows the little error icon in the cell the error occurred on. Here are the details, fyi.
'handles dgv validation on initial load
Private Sub dgvExample_CellFormatting(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewCellFormattingEventArgs) _
Handles dgvExample.CellFormatting
Dim results As String = ""
If e.RowIndex <> -1 Then
Select Case e.ColumnIndex
Case 1, 2 'starting and ending service dates
results = ValidateDate(e.Value)
If results = "" Then
results = ValidateDateRange(e.RowIndex)
End If
Case 11 'billed amount
results = ValidateBilledAmount(e.RowIndex)
End Select
dgvExample.Rows(e.RowIndex).Cells(e.ColumnIndex).ErrorText = results
End If
End Sub
'handles dgv validation from user changes
Private Sub dgvExample_CellValidating(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewCellValidatingEventArgs) _
Handles dgvExample.CellValidating
Dim results As String = String.Empty
dgvExample.CurrentCell.ErrorText = String.Empty
Select Case dgvExample.Columns(e.ColumnIndex).HeaderText
Case "Start Date", "End Date"
results = ValidateDate(e.FormattedValue)
If results = "" Then
results = ValidateDateRange(e.RowIndex)
End If
Case "Billed Amt"
dgvExample(e.ColumnIndex, e.RowIndex).Value = FormatNumber(CType(e.FormattedValue, Double), 2, TriState.False, TriState.False, TriState.False).ToString
results = ValidateBilledAmount(e.RowIndex)
End Select
dgvExample.CurrentCell.ErrorText = results
End Sub
'handles dgv dataentry events
Private Sub dgvExample_EditingControlShowing(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewEditingControlShowingEventArgs) _
Handles dgvExample.EditingControlShowing
'Change Case to upper case for all textboxes
Dim editingControl As TextBox = TryCast(e.Control, TextBox)
If editingControl IsNot Nothing Then
editingControl.CharacterCasing = CharacterCasing.Upper
End If
End Sub
'FUNCTIONS called in above
'check dates not old or in future
Private Function ValidateDate(ByVal dte As String) As String
Dim errorMessage As String = ""
If CType(dte, Date) > Now Then
errorMessage = "DATE cannot be in the future"
Return errorMessage
End If
If CType(dte, Date) <= Now.Date.AddYears(-1) Then
errorMessage = "WARNING: DATE cannot be older than 1 year"
Return errorMessage
End If
Return errorMessage
End Function
'Checks that start date is less than end date
Private Function ValidateDateRange(ByVal rowIndex As Integer) As String
Dim errorMessage As String = ""
If CType(dgvExample.Rows(rowIndex).Cells(1).Value, Date) > _
CType(dgvExample.Rows(rowIndex).Cells(2).Value, Date) Then
errorMessage = "START DATE cannot be after END DATE"
End If
Return errorMessage
End Function
'validates billed amount is currency and in range
Private Function ValidateBilledAmount(ByVal rowIndex As Integer) As String
Dim errorMessage As String = ""
Dim billedAmt = dgvExample.Rows(rowIndex).Cells(11).Value
If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(billedAmt) Then
If IsNumeric(billedAmt) Then
If CType(billedAmt, Decimal) > 0 Then
If billedAmt > 100000.0 Then
errorMessage = "BILLED AMOUNT must not exceed $100,000"
End If
Else
errorMessage = "BILLED AMOUNT must be greater than $0"
End If
Else
errorMessage = "BILLED AMOUNT must be numeric"
End If
End If
If errorMessage = "" Then
CalculateNewTotal()
End If
Return errorMessage
End Function
I just tested this and in order to get the ValidateChildren to work, you need to programmatically set the event handler using AddHandler.
Private Sub DataRepeater1_DrawItem(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Microsoft.VisualBasic.PowerPacks.DataRepeaterItemEventArgs) _ Handles DataRepeater1.DrawItem
AddHandler e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls.Item("ctlDateTimePicker").Validated, AddressOf dtpStartingServiceDate_Validating ' Validating DatePicker
AddHandler e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls.Item("ctlComboBox").Validated, AddressOf cboUnitType_Validating
End Sub
Once the Validated event handler is initialized, you can then call 'Me.ValidateChildren()' to cause the validation to run. I don't know if it's good or bad for your situation but the validation event will execute whenever the control's value is changed.
Let me know if that works.
I'm migrating an application from VB6 to VB.Net and I found a change in the behavior of the ListBox and I'm not sure of how to make it equal to VB6.
The problem is this:
In the VB6 app, when the ListBox is focused and I type into it, the list selects the element that matches what I type. e.g. If the list contains a list of countries and I type "ita", "Italy" will be selected in the listbox.
The problem is that with the .Net version of the control if I type "ita" it will select the first element that starts with i, then the first element that starts with "t" and finally the first element that starts with "a".
So, any idea on how to get the original behavior? (I'm thinking in some property that I'm not seeing by some reason or something like that)
I really don't want to write an event handler for this (which btw, wouldn't be trivial).
Thanks a lot!
I shared willw's frustration. This is what I came up with. Add a class called ListBoxTypeAhead to your project and include this code. Then use this class as a control on your form. It traps keyboard input and moves the selected item they way the old VB6 listbox did. You can take out the timer if you wish. It mimics the behavior of keyboard input in Windows explorer.
Public Class ListBoxTypeAhead
Inherits ListBox
Dim Buffer As String
Dim WithEvents Timer1 As New Timer
Private Sub ListBoxTypeAhead_KeyDown(sender As Object, _
e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
Select Case e.KeyCode
Case Keys.A To Keys.Z, Keys.NumPad0 To Keys.NumPad9
e.SuppressKeyPress = True
Buffer &= Chr(e.KeyValue)
Me.SelectedIndex = Me.FindString(Buffer)
Timer1.Start()
Case Else
Timer1.Stop()
Buffer = ""
End Select
End Sub
Private Sub ListBoxTypeAhead_LostFocus(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.LostFocus
Timer1.Stop()
Buffer = ""
End Sub
Public Sub New()
Timer1.Interval = 2000
End Sub
Private Sub Timer1_Tick(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Timer1.Tick
Timer1.Stop()
Buffer = ""
End Sub
End Class
As you probably know, this feature is called 'type ahead,' and it's not built into the Winform ListBox (so you're not missing a property).
You can get the type-ahead functionality on the ListView control if you set its View property to List.
Public Function CheckIfExistInCombo(ByVal objCombo As Object, ByVal TextToFind As String) As Boolean
Dim NumOfItems As Object 'The Number Of Items In ComboBox
Dim IndexNum As Integer 'Index
NumOfItems = objCombo.ListCount
For IndexNum = 0 To NumOfItems - 1
If objCombo.List(IndexNum) = TextToFind Then
CheckIfExistInCombo = True
Exit Function
End If
Next IndexNum
CheckIfExistInCombo = False
End Function