Dynamic naming of existing controls with loop?

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Moritain

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Joined
Dec 2, 2005
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6
Hello im a college student learning VB.net and im trying to optimize a bit of code and could use some help.

I created 81 textboxes in my form named textbox0, textbox1, . . . , textbox80.

I also have a 2D array called Game(8,8) as Textbox.

Heres my current code:

Game(0,0) = Textbox0
Game(0,1) = Textbox1
Game(0,2) = Textbox2
.
.
.
Game(8,8) = Textbox80

I would like a loop that automatically increments the numeric digits at the end of Textbox object name. Something along the lines of:

Dim Row As Integer
Dim Column As Integer
Dim intCount As Integer = 0

For Row = 0 To 8
For Column = 0 To 8
Game(Row, Column) = "txt" & intCount
Count += 1
Next
Next

Copy and paste got me through the first 81 textboxes of this project, but i want to expand the number of textboxes to a 16 x 16 grid, giving 256 total.

Ive tried to research this problem, but feel like a a kid that doesn't know that the word "pharmacy" starts with a "P" and his teacher says to look it up in a dictionary, lol. I have found several threads on creating dynamic control instances. All my instances where created and placed in the design view, i just need to bind them to my array.

For context, I'm trying to make a very generic Sudoku game ap.

Thanks for any help offered.
 
Doing what you describe is not actually possible as far as I know. You say you have looked at dynamically creating controls and in my opinion that the answer to your problem. Since reference's to each Textbox is being stored in an array I would be assuming you will never need to actually access the object without accessing it through the array, as such the name of the object is kind of irrelevant, however something like this my work for you.
Visual Basic: 
        Dim colCount As Integer = 9
        Dim rowCount As Integer = 9
        Dim index As Integer = 0
        Dim grid(colCount, rowCount) As TextBox

        For i As Integer = 0 To colCount
            For j As Integer = 0 To rowCount
                Dim txtTemp As New TextBox
                txtTemp.Name = "txtBox" & index.ToString()
                grid(i, j) = txtTemp
                index += 1
            Next
        Next
 
Thanks Cags.

I had tried a similar set of code before with no success. Your code creates new instances that are not bound to the array. Way data in the array is changed it is not reflected in the 81 textboxes i have displayed on the form. I guess some things just have to be typed out.
 
The code Cags posted will work fine for creating an array of textboxes - it might help if you show us how you are using this code in respect to your form as there is no reason why you would need to type out all 80+ textboxes (and many, many reasons why you shouldn't).
 
Sorry for the untimely reply, life has been a little crazy lately. Here is the section of code I’m trying to simplify.

Visual Basic: 
    Private Sub frmSudoku_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load

        'Binds each cell of the Game Array to its corresponding Textbox on the form.

        Game(0, 0) = txt0
        Game(0, 1) = txt1
        Game(0, 2) = txt2
        Game(0, 3) = txt3
        Game(0, 4) = txt4
        Game(0, 5) = txt5
        Game(0, 6) = txt6
        Game(0, 7) = txt7
        Game(0, 8) = txt8
        Game(1, 0) = txt9
        Game(1, 1) = txt10
        Game(1, 2) = txt11
        Game(1, 3) = txt12
        Game(1, 4) = txt13
        Game(1, 5) = txt14
        Game(1, 6) = txt15
        Game(1, 7) = txt16
        Game(1, 8) = txt17
        Game(2, 0) = txt18
        Game(2, 1) = txt19
        Game(2, 2) = txt20
        Game(2, 3) = txt21
        Game(2, 4) = txt22
        Game(2, 5) = txt23
        Game(2, 6) = txt24
        Game(2, 7) = txt25
        Game(2, 8) = txt26
        Game(3, 0) = txt27
        Game(3, 1) = txt28
        Game(3, 2) = txt29
        Game(3, 3) = txt30
        Game(3, 4) = txt31
        Game(3, 5) = txt32
        Game(3, 6) = txt33
        Game(3, 7) = txt34
        Game(3, 8) = txt35
        Game(4, 0) = txt36
        Game(4, 1) = txt37
        Game(4, 2) = txt38
        Game(4, 3) = txt39
        Game(4, 4) = txt40
        Game(4, 5) = txt41
        Game(4, 6) = txt42
        Game(4, 7) = txt43
        Game(4, 8) = txt44
        Game(5, 0) = txt45
        Game(5, 1) = txt46
        Game(5, 2) = txt47
        Game(5, 3) = txt48
        Game(5, 4) = txt49
        Game(5, 5) = txt50
        Game(5, 6) = txt51
        Game(5, 7) = txt52
        Game(5, 8) = txt53
        Game(6, 0) = txt54
        Game(6, 1) = txt55
        Game(6, 2) = txt56
        Game(6, 3) = txt57
        Game(6, 4) = txt58
        Game(6, 5) = txt59
        Game(6, 6) = txt60
        Game(6, 7) = txt61
        Game(6, 8) = txt62
        Game(7, 0) = txt63
        Game(7, 1) = txt64
        Game(7, 2) = txt65
        Game(7, 3) = txt66
        Game(7, 4) = txt67
        Game(7, 5) = txt68
        Game(7, 6) = txt69
        Game(7, 7) = txt70
        Game(7, 8) = txt71
        Game(8, 0) = txt72
        Game(8, 1) = txt73
        Game(8, 2) = txt74
        Game(8, 3) = txt75
        Game(8, 4) = txt76
        Game(8, 5) = txt77
        Game(8, 6) = txt78
        Game(8, 7) = txt79
        Game(8, 8) = txt80

        'Sets the .tag and .tabindex properties for each Textbox and displays a message to the user.

        For Row = 0 To 8
            For Column = 0 To 8
                Game(Row, Column).Tag = intNumber
                Game(Row, Column).TabIndex = intNumber
                intNumber = intNumber + 1
            Next
        Next

        sbDisplay.Text = "Please press the Start button."

    End Sub

Like I said before, the code I have works. It just seems to me that there should be some kind of loop for getting the same thing done without manually typing it all out.

Cags’ code and all other examples I have found to this point create new instances of textboxes with incrementing names. My problem is that I already have the textboxes created in my form and just want to bind each to a location in the array.

Thanks again for any help.

Moritain
 
The example I gave does create new instances but the point is with something of this nature you shouldn't have to create the instances yourself. Its a relatively easy task of creating the entire grid from code, I guess we just don't understand why you would want to sit there and manually position 81+ textboxes when it can be dont through code. I've created a doku based game myself (i say doku as it's dynamic allowing for grids of any size not just 9x9 sudoku), and I personally use GDI+ to render the grid to the user. It can take some time perfecting the algorithm to position each square (especially if you intend to leave a bigger gap every 3 etc.). Even so this is by far a better option in my opinion.
 
You nailed it on the head Cags. I tried for some time to dynamically created and place my textboxes into the grid leaving a larger space in between each 3x3 grid. At some point quantum physics became necessary and I gave up on that approach, lol.

I should mention at this point that I have only taken a single "Intro to VB” course at a junior college. This Sudoku program isn’t even a graded assignment; I just wanted to challenge myself, and get experience that could be used in my upcoming classes. On your suggestion Cags, I will revisit dynamic placement of my textboxes. Thanks.
 
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