Sharepoint form layout in VB - vb.net

OKay, I'm from a PHP background, but I've just been tasked with developing some custom Web Parts in SharePoint. I've figured out how to create and deploy a basic "Hello world" web part in VB. Okay so far.
What I'm stuck on is a really basic, stupid point - how the hell do I lay out things in a VB web part?
For an example, here's a label and a textbox:
protected overrides sub createchildcontrols()
mybase.createchildcontrols
dim mylabel as new label
dim mytextbox as new textbox
mylabel.text ="My label text"
mytextbox.text ="My textbox"
me.controls.add(mylabel)
me.controls.add(mytextbox)
How would I, for example, get mylabel and my textbox to appear on different lines, rather than running one after the other as they do now? In PHP I'd just wrap them in some top break them onto differnt lines, but how do I do it here?

There are a number of ways to go about it. The easiest, if you really just want the controls to appear on different lines would be to add an ASP.net LiteralControl with a BR tag between them.
Aside from that, you can always use the ASP.net formatting controls, like Table to break your controls into sections for output.
Additionaly, everything that derives from WebControl has an Attribues and CssClass property for setting formatting based on style-sheets you can use.
The last method, and the most customizable, but hardest to maintain and change, would be to override the webpart's Render method and generate your HTML completely by hand in the WebPart.
Alternately, you could scrap this altogether, and employ the SmartPart to develop ASP.net user controls for use inside of SharePoint, giving you the options to use the Visual Studio designer tools to layout your controls on the form.

You should override the Render() method. By default this method just renders all the child controls you have added in the CreateChildControls() method, but overriding it lets you write additional HTML elements around the controls.
I usually code in C#, but I think the following example should work in VB:
Protected Overrides Sub Render(ByVal writer As System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter)
writer.Write("<h1>Custom webpart rendering</h1>")
me.mylabel.RenderControl(writer)
writer.Write("<br />")
me.myTextbox.RenderControl(writer)
End Sub
Give it a try...

I've been developing web parts for an ASP.NET site using the standard web user control model, which gives you access to the VS designer and means your UI can be standard HTML. ASP.NET then wraps the UserControl into a GenericWebPart at runtime to host it in a WebParts site.
I know that Sharepoint doesn't support this model out of the box but I've just found this which might help you...
http://weblogs.asp.net/jan/archive/2006/12/02/announcing-the-return-of-the-smartpart.aspx

Smart Part (or a variation of it) is the easiest way to go. Why mess with rendering direct html when you can develop a user control more easily?
Plus if you are not an expert in VB, having Visual Studio Designer will help with creating user controls

i blogged about this very topic. Easily build a rich UI for a web part without using SmartPart

Thanks for all the responses. I've gone with EvilGoatBobs solution as the most immediately easy to implement.
This is my first time on StackOverflow and your helpful answers have made it a really good introduction to the site! :)

Related

Accessing a form's tooltip from another class in visual studio (vb.net)

I am quite new to visual studio. Developed previously with vba.
Encountering a problem writing a language translation class.
The language dependent values are stored in a localdb table every row having formname , controlname and controlproperty as wel as a column per language.
The Language class Handles the translations at runtime. For forms I use a Sub FormUpdate(frm as Form) called from the form's load event as FormUpdate(Me) it checks the form's language kept in a custom parameter against the current language and updates the .text property of the controls on the form that are exposing some language specific text (Buttons, Labels, Tabcontrol etc..).
However I could not solve how to access and update the form's Tooltip component from the language class. (in vba it was easy as every control was exposing it's Controltiptext property)
In the form's class you would use MyTooltip.Settooltip(CtrlName,Text) but I could not figure out how to do that from another class (the tooltip component is not part of the form's controls - and I could not figure out nor find info how to do it) ??
Could someone advise pls?
I was so focused on finding a similar way to the one I used before that I did not see the easy way to resolve it - not yet enough accustomed to the new environment.
Sure, I am interested in an answer to my question but instead of making it too complicated using external components I'll do it the easy way by overloading the FormUpdate sub adding a sub with an extra parameter as Tooltip.

windows form control property?

Good day everyone,
I just want to ask how to do this on vb.net using vs2010
It's like a label(i'm not sure if it's really a label), like this
and when you put the cursor on it, it will show a "button"?.. like this,
The Control to create the menu is called a toolstrip:
Tutorial for this:
Tooltrips - basics
.Net Heaven
To add those labels when hovering above it, you must use a tooltip.
There is a built in option (that doesn't require an extra control)
Tutorial: MSDN- How to: Use ToolTips in ToolStrip Controls
But you could implement the behavior yourself using the control "tooltip".
Here's some tutorials on how to implement it:
Tooltips
.Net Heaven
Dotnetperls
Enjoy

Cannot add new controls when creating a composite user control

I am trying to broaden my knowledge of user controls or to be more specific, composite user controls. Msdn has a walkthrough on the subject here which although not in VB is easy enough to follow and get results.
What I had had in mind was to create a base user control comprised of a split panel, one half of which would be used to display dynamic help and the other half which could house whatever controls the new user control which would inherit from this required. The problem that I am facing is that when I then create a new inherited control based upon my base control I cannot add new controls to the design surface. If I don't have a split panel filling the entire design surface of the base control I can add new controls, but if I do I can't.
Either I am doing something wrong, or more likely failing to do something on the base control that I ought to do , or this can't be done which I find odd to believe. I'm hoping someone can explain what it is I've missed.
This is being targeted at winforms with vb.
Thanks
Well, Did you make the split panel's modifier to protected or protected internal or public? That should do the trick.
By default it is private and so designer will prevent you from accessing it.

Insert javascript code in a list form.

I have a list, and want to insert custom javascript code in a new form for this list (when form loaded). For example, when new form for this list is opened, I want to make some layout modifications for this form.
How it can be done? And how many ways exist to achieve this?
Thanks.
Upd: I ask about SharePoint list, and SharePoint list forms, I suppose you look at the tags of the question :).
You put tags for both SharePoint 2007 and 2010 and the methods are a bit different.
I agree with the previous post that with SP2010 you can simply use InfoPath designer for form design and do whatever you like to the look.
In SharePoint 2007, there are a couple ways incuding using SharePoint Designer, editing the form .aspx file, hiding the out of the box form and inserting a custom form which you will then be able to edit. You can also add in JavaScript code there as well.
My preferred method if you are just making some visual modifications is always JQuery which you can add in to a content editor and you can look for the particular tags surrounding rows or columns and attach to them and make your changes.
I think your question and tags need further clarification to get an articulate answer from anyone that will actually help you.
You can edit the layout using InfoPath 2010 like described here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint-designer-help/edit-list-forms-using-infopath-2010-in-sharepoint-designer-HA101631624.aspx
If you've got the SP2010 Foundation or SP2007 version, you can create custom list forms using SP Designer which gives you the option to do whatever you like since those are .aspx files.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint-designer-help/create-a-custom-list-form-HA010119111.aspx
You can also edit the aspx List form in SP designer. To add Javascript or jQuery you should create a form for New in PS design then edit in Advanced mode to insert your Javascript in the proper place. There are many tutorials on the Web that talk about this... Also, you can add content editor webparts to the new aspx page where you can insert your Javascript or jQuery.

Creating your own component in vb.net 2008

How do you create your own custom component for vb.net 2008? I want it to simply output to a .dll, not a whole winforms app.
So, here is what I have done so far:
Made a class library project
Added a custom control object
Confused myself badly
Googled it, to no avail
How can I control the component? For example, I want my component to not have a visible design view, I want it to stay below like the stopwatch component and the notifyicon component and such, it is not something to be designed. Then, how do I edit the possible properties a user can control, and make them effect the end result? What do I place the code which powers the component on? The class library file, or something else?
Thanks for your help! I have a whole set of components I am going to create, this will get me going much faster than trial and error.
I think you may want to check some walkthrough on how to create components. Such as this one: Walkthrough: Authoring a Component with Visual Basic. Once you are done with that one, there are more walkthroughs on various related topics, such as how to use design-time support, implementing designers and so on.
OK... This is a really abbreviated example. You should start by basing yous off of an existing .net component.
Public Class MyControl
Inherits DataGridView
'...add your properties/functionality...'
End Class
Then compile the DLL, and add it as a reference to whatever project you are working on. Once added, you can add the controls in the DLL into your toolbox.
This has more instructions on how to modify a UserControl (slightly different from the one above, but it explains well. This is a general explanation.
#comments -
Yes, there, are things that will do what you want. Start with a class that inherits Form instead of DataGridView in the example I gave you, and the changes described in the links provided.
"Your properties and functionality" is whatever you want to do that the base control does not do.