Dynamic naming of existing controls with loop?

[Moritain]

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.

[Cags]

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.

        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

[Moritain]

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.

[PlausiblyDamp]

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).

[Moritain]

Sorry for the untimely reply, life has been a little crazy lately. Here is the section of code I�m trying to simplify.

 

   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

[Cags]

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.

[Moritain]

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.