I have some buttons from User Control(UserCtrl2) and want to dynamically change UserCtrl1,PictureBox BackgroundImage. From my code below, UserCtrl2 PictureBox BackgroundImage property did changed but winform is still showing the previous BackgroundImage.
I have tried the following methods,
me.refresh in UserCtrl1, still nothing happen.
Not sure how to implement {Get and Set} or dispose function.
Thanks in advance for any advise or reference.
Here is my code for UserCtrl1:
Public Class UserCtrl1
Public Sub UserCtrl1_Task(LEDno As UShort, LEDState As Boolean)
Select Case LEDno
Case 0 : Exit Sub
Case 1
If LEDState Then
PicBox_A.BackgroundImage = My.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject("Blue_ON")
Else
PicBox_A.BackgroundImage = My.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject("Blue_OFF")
End If
End Select
End Sub
End Class
Here is my Code for UserCtrl2:
Public Class UserCtrl2
Private ButtonClick(4) As Boolean
Private Sub Btn_A_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Btn_A.Click
Dim InputControl = New UserCtrl1
If Not ButtonClick(0) Then
ButtonClick(0) = True
Btn_A.BackgroundImage = My.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject("Switch1_ON")
InputControl.UserCtrl1_Task(1, True)
Else
ButtonClick(0) = False
Btn_A.BackgroundImage = My.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject("Switch1_OFF")
InputControl.UserCtrl1_Task(1, False)
End If
End Sub
End Class
I have a dynamically generated TabControl, and am trying to update a Combobox in the TabPage. The function that updates the Combobox is called of a click event.
I've tried to follow some guides regarding manipulating dynamically generated controls by storing the dynamically generated controls as properties on the class: How to pass value from one form to another form's dynamically created control
The controls are generated dynamically as such:
Public Class Form1
Public Sub loadForm()
Dim ctp As New CustomTabPage("Tab number" & i, ErrorList(i), myList, New Object)
Me.myTabControl.TabPages.Add(ctp)
...
End Sub
End Class
Public Class CustomTabPage
Inherits TabPage
Private m_testSelect As ComboBox
...
Public Property testSelect() As ComboBox
Get
testSelect = m_testSelect
End Get
Set(ByVal mytestSelect As ComboBox)
m_testSelect = mytestSelect
End Set
End Property
Public Sub newTab()
m_testSelect = New ComboBox
With m_testSelect
.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(locX + labelSize, locY)
End With
Me.Controls.Add(m_testSelect)
Dim ccb As New CustomCheckBox()
Me.Controls.Add(m_testSelect)
End Sub
Public Sub UpdateCBOs(ByVal i As Integer)
If i = 1 Then
testSelect.Text = "Test1"
ElseIf i = 0 Then
testSelect.Text = "Test2"
End If
...
End Sub
End Class
Public Class CustomCheckBox
Inherits CheckBox
Public Sub Clicked(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.CheckedChanged
Dim ctp = CType(Form1.myTabControl.SelectedTab, CustomTabPage)
ctp.UpdateCBOs(i)
End Sub
End Class
Currently while debugging through I stop on the line after line
errorBy.Text = "Test1"
When I mouse over errorBy.Text, and see that errorBy.Text ="" and indeed after the click event finishes, I see on the form that the combobox is not updated.
I am trying to make a reusable control similar to an Outlook-style sidebar. I have a CustomPanel. I also have a CustomCollectionControl, that inherits from flow layout panel. At design time I would like to add (x) CustomPanels to my CustomCollectionControl, through the properties window.
When I try to add from the (Collection) list in the properties window, it will show up in the list, but it will not add it to the control that is on the form.
Here is my code so far.
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Public Class CustomCollectionControl
Inherits FlowLayoutPanel
''' <summary>
''' Required designer variable.
''' </summary>
Private _mComponents As Container = Nothing
Private _mCustompanels As CustomPanelCollection
Public Sub New()
' This call is required by the Windows.Forms Form Designer.
InitializeComponent()
SetStyle(ControlStyles.DoubleBuffer, True)
SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, True)
_mCustompanels = New CustomPanelCollection(Me)
Padding = New Padding(0)
End Sub
#Region "Component Designer generated code"
''' <summary>
''' Required method for Designer support - do not modify
''' the contents of this method with the code editor.
''' </summary>
Private Sub InitializeComponent()
_mComponents = New System.ComponentModel.Container()
End Sub
#End Region
<EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Always)> _
<Browsable(True)> _
<DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Content)> _
<Bindable(True)> _
Public Property CustomPanels() As CustomPanelCollection
Get
Return _mCustompanels
End Get
Set(value As CustomPanelCollection)
_mCustompanels = value
End Set
End Property
Protected Overrides Sub OnResize(e As EventArgs)
MyBase.OnResize(e)
End Sub
End Class
Public Class CustomPanelCollection
Inherits CollectionBase
Private _mControl As CustomCollectionControl
Private _mCustomCollectionControl As CustomCollectionControl
Friend Sub New(control As CustomCollectionControl)
_mCustomCollectionControl = control
End Sub
Default Public ReadOnly Property Item(index As Integer) As CustomPanel
Get
Return DirectCast(List(index), CustomPanel)
End Get
End Property
Public Function Contains(cPanel As CustomPanel) As Boolean
Return List.Contains(cPanel)
End Function
Public Function Add(cPanel As CustomPanel) As Integer
Dim i As Integer
i = List.Add(cPanel)
cPanel.Control = _mCustomCollectionControl
Return i
End Function
Public Sub Remove(cPanel As CustomPanel)
List.Remove(cPanel)
cPanel.Control = Nothing
End Sub
End Class
Public Class CustomPanel
Inherits Panel
Friend Control As CustomCollectionControl
Public Sub New()
' TODO Set Stuff!
Height = 100
BorderStyle = BorderStyle.FixedSingle
Margin = New Padding(0)
Padding = New Padding(0)
Dim cBtn As New Button
cBtn.Height = 30
Controls.Add(cBtn)
cBtn.Dock = DockStyle.Top
End Sub
End Class
I need to find out when a CustomPanel is added through the properties window during design time, how to update the control with the changes?
The basic problem is that in order for the flow-layout logic to work on your panels, they need to be in the base control's ControlCollection. If/When you expose this thru the properties IDE the standard collection editor allows any control to be added to it.
Your CustomPanels() property on the other hand, allows only CustomPanel controls but they get stored in a different collection, so they do not show up on the form.
The SmartTag action to only add CustomPanel is a very viable workaround if it adds to the Controls collection. I am not sure how many of the standard Panel properties you want them to be able to edit, and since there is no way to specify the child button properties, there doesnt seem much difference between the collection editor and the SmartTag. I assume this is because it is a work in progress and/or removed to post a minimal example.
Another way is to get rid if the extra collection and use a custom collection editor which will restrict the type of control to what you want. This is shown below.
Notes:
I changed the generic names to make it easier to read. CustomCollectionControl is now FlowLayoutPanelEx and CustomPanel is FlowPanel.
Your Buttons arent hooked up to anything, nor are they exposed, so I am not sure how you plan to use them.
Since all that the FlowPanel does is store that one button, why not omit it and just add buttons of a certain size?
There are several other issues with the code(e.g. CustomPanel/FlowPanel should implement IDisposable since it is creating stuff). These and other issues are ignored in order to focus on implementing a minimal custom collection editor.
FlowLayoutPanelEx and FlowPanel:
' collection editor will need this:
Imports System.ComponentModel.Design
Public Class FlowLayoutPanelEx
Inherits FlowLayoutPanel
Public Sub New()
' This call is required by the Windows.Forms Form Designer.
' {PL} - no, it is not
'InitializeComponent()
SetStyle(ControlStyles.DoubleBuffer, True)
SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, True)
Padding = New Padding(0)
End Sub
<EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Always),
Browsable(True),
DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Content),
Bindable(True),
Editor(GetType(FlowPanelCollectionEditor),
GetType(System.Drawing.Design.UITypeEditor))>
Public Overloads Property Controls() As ControlCollection
Get
Return MyBase.Controls
End Get
Set(value As ControlCollection)
End Set
End Property
End Class
Public Class FlowPanel
Inherits Panel
' ToDo: implememt IDisposable
Private myBtn As Button
' allow user to specify the text for the child button
Public Property ButtonText As String
Get
If myBtn IsNot Nothing Then
Return myBtn.Text
Else
Return String.Empty
End If
End Get
Set(value As String)
myBtn.Text = value
End Set
End Property
Public Sub New()
' TODO Set Stuff!
Height = 100
BorderStyle = BorderStyle.FixedSingle
Margin = New Padding(0)
Padding = New Padding(0)
Height = 40
myBtn = New Button
myBtn.Height = 30
Controls.Add(myBtn)
myBtn.Dock = DockStyle.Top
End Sub
End Class
The way you have it, the user can change any FlowPanel property in the Collection Editor including those you have explicitly set. I dont know enough about what you ultimately want to do to offer alternatives other than it seems like perhaps the Panel is cosmetic and maybe a Button alone would suffice.
Note the additional Editor attribute on the Controls property. This tells VS to use that collection editor:
Public Class FlowPanelCollectionEditor
Inherits CollectionEditor
Public Sub New(t As Type)
MyBase.New(t)
End Sub
' *** Magic happens here: ***
' override the base class to SPECIFY the Type allowed
' rather than letting it derive the Types from the collection type
' which would allow any control to be added
Protected Overrides Function CreateNewItemTypes() As Type()
Dim ValidTypes As Type() = {GetType(FlowPanel)}
Return ValidTypes
End Function
Public Overrides Function EditValue(context As ITypeDescriptorContext,
provider As IServiceProvider,
value As Object) As Object
Return MyBase.EditValue(context, provider, value)
End Function
End Class
Results:
The collection editor adds only FlowPanels:
As you can see, the new ButtonText property can be set from the collection editor. When the controls are added to the Controls collection for use on the form, ButtonText shows on the buttons:
Note that the user can still drag a TextBox or whatever to your FlowLayoutPanelEx and it will accept it. This is another of those "other issues" mentioned above.
An article on CodeProject, Enhanced CollectionEditor Framework provides a fairly comprehensive overview of collections and custom collection editors.
It includes a custom collection editor framework but it wont handle this situation as is. If you remove NotOverridable from the CreateNewItemTypes method and recompile, you should be able to inherit from EnhancedCollectionEditor and use some of the other features it provides.
It is not really needed; as the code above shows there is not much involved in restricting the Type allowed. The article might be of value though as you modify and refine FlowPanel and the button into their final form. (Disclaimer: I wrote the article).
I am adding this here because I cannot do it in the comments because there is too much text and images. Also, maybe someone coming here from a search engine will be able to get an idea of what to do.
This is what I wanted to achieve with the control:
Closed
Open
And here is the edited code to allow the (flat style) buttons to be clicked and open the parent panel. This is a very crude method of doing it, but I put it together to check if it worked before I tied up too much time in it:
' collection editor will need this:
Imports System.ComponentModel.Design
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Drawing
Public Class FlowLayoutPanelEx
Inherits FlowLayoutPanel
Public Sub New()
SetStyle(ControlStyles.DoubleBuffer, True)
SetStyle(ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint, True)
Padding = New Padding(0)
BackColor = Color.FromKnownColor(KnownColor.ControlDark)
End Sub
<EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Always),
Browsable(True),
DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Content),
Bindable(True),
Editor(GetType(FlowPanelCollectionEditor),
GetType(System.Drawing.Design.UITypeEditor))>
Public Overloads Property Controls() As ControlCollection
Get
Return MyBase.Controls
End Get
Set(value As ControlCollection)
End Set
End Property
End Class
Public Class HeaderButton
Inherits Button
Public Property BtnID As Integer
Public Property BtnColor As System.Drawing.Color
Public Event ButtonClicked(sender As HeaderButton, buttonID As Int32)
Private Sub clicked(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Click
RaiseEvent ButtonClicked(Me, BtnID)
End Sub
End Class
Public Class FlowPanel
Inherits Panel
' ToDo: implememt IDisposable
Private myBtn As HeaderButton
' allow user to specify the text for the child button
Public Property ButtonText As String
Get
If myBtn IsNot Nothing Then
Return myBtn.Text
Else
Return String.Empty
End If
End Get
Set(value As String)
myBtn.Text = value
End Set
End Property
Public Sub New()
BorderStyle = BorderStyle.FixedSingle
Margin = New Padding(0)
Padding = New Padding(0)
Height = 32
BackColor = Color.FromKnownColor(KnownColor.Info)
myBtn = New HeaderButton
AddHandler myBtn.ButtonClicked, AddressOf Me.ItemButtonClicked
myBtn.Height = 30
myBtn.Margin = New Padding(0)
myBtn.Padding = New Padding(0)
myBtn.Dock = DockStyle.Top
myBtn.FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat
BackColor = Color.FromKnownColor(KnownColor.Control)
Controls.Add(myBtn)
End Sub
Public Sub ItemButtonClicked(ByVal btn As HeaderButton, ByVal buttonID As Int32)
If btn.Parent.Height = 32 Then
btn.Parent.Height = 200
Else : btn.Parent.Height = 32
End If
End Sub
End Class
Public Class FlowPanelCollectionEditor
Inherits CollectionEditor
Public Sub New(t As Type)
MyBase.New(t)
End Sub
' *** Magic happens here: ***
' override the base class to SPECIFY the Type allowed
' rather than letting it derive the Types from the collection type
' which would allow any control to be added
Protected Overrides Function CreateNewItemTypes() As Type()
Dim ValidTypes As Type() = {GetType(FlowPanel)}
Return ValidTypes
End Function
Public Overrides Function EditValue(context As ITypeDescriptorContext,
provider As IServiceProvider,
value As Object) As Object
Return MyBase.EditValue(context, provider, value)
End Function
End Class
There is so much more that I have to do, like displaying changes to the controls in the designer, implementing Idisposable, adding a collapsible button on the side, and passing the height value of the panel through the form so it will open the full height. I'm probably going to draw the buttons to get some effects that are not available with the standard button.
I am trying to change the background color of a button (cmdLogQry) from a Set-procedure of a public property (LogQry) - according to the new value of the property.
It works if the property is being changed in the code belongig to the form containing the button (in the Click method of the same or even another button). But it does not work if the property is being changed from another module (handler procedure for COM ports DataReceived event). No error message or anything - the LogQry gets its value changed all right, but the color of the button does not change.
What do I do wrong?
Public Class Handler
Private _logQry As Boolean = False
Public Property LogQry() As Boolean
Get
Return _logQry
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Boolean)
_logQry = value
If value Then
frmMain.cmdLogQry.BackColor = Color.Red
Else
frmMain.cmdLogQry.BackColor = Color.Blue
End If
End Set
End Property
Private Sub comPort_DataReceived(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As SerialDataReceivedEventArgs)
...
LogQry = Not LogQry ' does NOT change color
...
End Sub
End Class
Public Class frmMain
Private comm As New Handler()
...
Private Sub cmdLogQry_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdLogQry.Click
comm.LogQry = Not comm.LogQry ' does change color
End Sub
...
End Class
This problem is caused by the default instance of the form class created by the VB.NET implementation. More on default instances could be found here and in this answer from Hans Passant.
Essentially when you define a form class, VB.NET compiler creates a default instance of that class named with the same name of the class, but this creates a lot of misunderstanding in an object oriented environment like NET.
To fix your problem you need to implement a constructor in your Handler class that receives the actual instance of frmMain, store it inside a class variable and use that instance when you want to modify something on the actual displayed form
Public Class Handler
Private _logQry As Boolean = False
Private _mainInstance As frmMain
Public Sub New(mainInstance as frmMain)
_mainInstance = mainInstance
End Sub
Public Property LogQry() As Boolean
Get
Return _logQry
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Boolean)
_logQry = value
If value Then
_mainInstance.cmdLogQry.BackColor = Color.Red
Else
_mainInstance.cmdLogQry.BackColor = Color.Blue
End If
End Set
End Property
....
End Class
Now, when you create the Handler instance pass the reference to the current frmMain
Public Class frmMain
Private comm As Handler
...
Private Sub cmdLogQry_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdLogQry.Click
comm = new Handler(Me)
comm.LogQry = Not comm.LogQry ' does change color
End Sub
...
End Class
Keep in mind that this solution creates also problems. It couples the class Handler to your frmMain and the two are now inseparable. Probably a better approach is to create an Event in the Handler class so, every form that wants to be notified could subscribe to the event and receieves the information when needed.
I am trying to draw a highlighted border around a custom textbox control so that I can reuse the highlighting feature for each new program I create. My approach so far has been to override the paint event in the control library (dll) after the custom property I have created is set. The code for the control is below.
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.ComponentModel.Design
<ToolboxBitmap(GetType(Button))>
Public Class Textbox_Custom
Inherits System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
Public Event OnEnterKeyPress()
Public Event MissingInfo_Change As EventHandler
Dim iMissing_Info As Boolean
Dim iCharacterInput As Cinput
Public Property CharacterInput As Cinput
'<Browsable(True), DefaultValue("AllowAll")>
Get
Return Me.iCharacterInput
End Get
Set(ByVal value As Cinput)
Me.iCharacterInput = value
End Set
End Property
Public Property Missing_Info As Boolean
'<Browsable(True), DefaultValue(True)>
Get
Return iMissing_Info
End Get
Set(value As Boolean)
iMissing_Info = value
**MyBase.Refresh()**
End Set
End Property
Protected Overrides Sub OnKeyPress(e As KeyPressEventArgs)
MyBase.OnKeyPress(e)
If Asc(e.KeyChar) = 13 Then
RaiseEvent OnEnterKeyPress()
End If
Select Case Me.iCharacterInput
Case Cinput.CharactersOnly
If IsNumeric(e.KeyChar) Then
e.Handled = True
End If
Case Cinput.NumericOnly
If Not IsNumeric(e.KeyChar) And Asc(e.KeyChar) <> 8 Then
e.Handled = True
End If
End Select
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(e As PaintEventArgs)
MyBase.OnPaint(e)
**If iMissing_Info = True Then**
Dim rect As New Rectangle(New Point(0, 0), New Size(Me.Size.Width + 2, Me.Size.Height + 2))
Dim pen As New Pen(Brushes.OrangeRed, 2)
e.Graphics.DrawRectangle(pen, rect)
e.Dispose()
End If
End Sub
End Class
Public Enum Cinput
AllowAll
NumericOnly
CharactersOnly
End Enum
While debugging I have set a breakpoint in the OnPaint override (lines **), but it never hits it. I then put a breakpoint in the Set section of the Missing_Info property where I am trying to invalidate the control to redraw. It does hit the MyBase.Refresh breakpoint so I don't understand what I've missed.
I realize there have been several other posts on this topic, but from what I can tell they seem to require putting panels behind the control. I feel like I should be able to include this action in a custom control and not have to code a new highlighting section for each new project. Thanks for any help in advance.
In the end I decided to just go with changing the control background to a semi-transparent red color which should be obvious enough for what I'm doing.