Other ActiveX Controls

MS Common controls

Books Online See :

ComponentsToolsGuide/Using ActiveX controls/Using the ActiveX controls

Use COMCTL32.OCX for the following Controls

Progress Bar

This Control is used to show the % status.

On Form Load

{

ProgressBar1.Visible = false

ProgressBar1.Value = 0

}

When u want to show the status

{

Dim I as integer

Dim J as Long

ProgressBar1.Enabled = True

For I = 1 to 100

ProgressBar1.Value = i

For j = 1 to 10000 ‘Delay Loop

Next j

Next I

ProgressBar1.Enabled = False

ProgressBar1.Value = 0

}

Slider

Nearly same as the progress bar.

This event is triggered when the slider bar is moved

Private Sub Slider1_Scroll()

StatusBar1.SimpleText = Slider1.Value

End Sub

This event is triggered when the move of the slider bar is complete

Private Sub Slider1_Change()

StatusBar1.SimpleText = Slider1.Value

End Sub

Status Bar

The bar appears on the bottom of the form to show the status. There are different panels in the status bar. The above example using panels in the statusbar is given below. To use the statusbar as a simple bar having no panels use the property "Style" and set it to "sbr_simple". To use panels set the "Style" to "sbr_normal"

Private Sub Slider1_Change()

StatusBar1.Panels(1).Text = Slider1.Value

End Sub

Private Sub Slider1_Scroll()

StatusBar1.Panels(2).Text = Slider1.Value

End Sub

Toolbar

Drag and Drop the toolbar on the Form. See the properties page of the toolbar by right clicking on the toolbar and selecting properties.

Now u can add buttons to the toolbar. These buttons can have a picture too using the image property of the button. In the code, u have to find out which button is clicked

Private Sub Toolbar1_ButtonClick(ByVal Button As ComctlLib.Button)

If Button.Index = 1 Then

MsgBox "Button 1 clicked"

ElseIf Button.Index = 2 Then

MsgBox "Button 2 Clicked"

ElseIf Button.Index = 3 Then

MsgBox "Button 3 Clicked"

End If

End Sub

TabStrip and SSTab (FOR SSTAB USE TABCTL32.OCX)

The tabstrip that comes with the Common controls is not a container for the items. In this tabstrip u have to group the controls in different frames and then use the hide/show techniques to display the groups. Use the SSTab control to have tab pages having controls inside the Tab containers. However in the SSTab type of control u cannot have common elements, like the OK button which is common to different tabs. This SSTab is a different component in the component list.

TreeView

Use the LineStyle property to change the way the lines are displayed in the tree. i.e. with the +/- signs or the simple type.

Private Sub Form_Load()

Dim nodX As Node

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add(, , "dad", "Mike") ' A first sibling.

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add(, , "mom", "Carol")

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add(, , , "Alice")

' Marsha is the FirstSibling.

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add("mom", tvwChild, , "Marsha")

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add("mom", tvwChild, , "Jan")

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add("mom", tvwChild, , "Cindy")

nodX.EnsureVisible ' Show all nodes.

' Greg is the FirstSibling.

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add("dad", tvwChild, , "Greg")

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add("dad", tvwChild, , "Peter")

Set nodX = TreeView1.Nodes.Add("dad", tvwChild, , "Bobby")

nodX.EnsureVisible ' Show all nodes.

End Sub

Private Sub tvTreeView_DblClick()

Dim objNode As Node

Set objNode = tvTreeView.SelectedItem

If objNode Is Nothing Then

Exit Sub

End If

If objNode.Parent Is Nothing Then

MsgBox "u doubleclicked the parent"

Exit Sub

End If

If objNode.Image = 1 Then 'else it is the child node

objNode.Image = 4

Else

objNode.Image = 1

End If

End Sub

ImageList

This is not a standalone control. U can put this control on the screen then add images in the properties page of this control and use the Imagelist control in other objects like toolbar,Treeview etc.

This is the property page of the Toolbar Object

ListView control

It is used to show a list like Windows NT Explorer right side or like the old Filemanager types.

One column header is added thru code and the other 3 thru the Properties Tab of the Listview Control, Set the view type to Report View if u want to see the col headers

See the Books Online for details.

Dim ColX As ColumnHeader

Dim ViewX As ListItem

Set ColX = ListView1.ColumnHeaders.Add(1, , "Amit")

Set ViewX = ListView1.ListItems.Add(, , "This is the ListItem Control")

ViewX.SubItems(1) = "Column1 Item"

ViewX.SubItems(2) = "Column2 Item"

Sample

Dim itmx as listitem

lvwdb.ListItems.Clear

AddListHeaders

Do While Not rsDetails.EOF

Set itmx = lvwdb.ListItems.Add(, , CStr(rsDetails!Mark))

itmx.SubItems(1) = rsDetails!From

itmx.SubItems(2) = rsDetails!AllocatedTo

itmx.SubItems(3) = rsDetails!Date

itmx.SubItems(4) = rsDetails!Subject

itmx.SubItems(5) = rsDetails!Priority

'mItem.SubItems(3) = rsDetails!Date

rsDetails.MoveNext

Loop

Private Function AddListHeaders()

Private clmX As ColumnHeader

Set clmX = lvwdb.ColumnHeaders.Add(, , "Status")

Set clmX = lvwdb.ColumnHeaders.Add(, , "From")

Set clmX = lvwdb.ColumnHeaders.Add(, , "Allocated To")

Set clmX = lvwdb.ColumnHeaders.Add(, , "Date")

Set clmX = lvwdb.ColumnHeaders.Add(, , "Subject")

Set clmX = lvwdb.ColumnHeaders.Add(, , "Priority")

'Set clmX = LvLoginInfo.ColumnHeaders.Add(, , "Comment")

End Function

UpDown or the SPIN control

Use COMCT232.OCX for this Control

Basic Operation

To use the UpDown control, you must first set the BuddyControl property to another control, and the BuddyProperty to a scrollable property on the other control. The Min and Max properties determine the limits of the control, and the Wrap property determines if the value will wrap when the end user scrolls past the Min or Max values. The Increment property specifies the amount by which the Value property will be changed when either the up or down arrow is clicked. UNCHECK THE PROMPT INCLUDE PROPERTY otherwise the promt character say _ will be included in the output string. Check for the text property to get the output.

Use the AutoBuddy Property to Set a Buddy Control Automatically

At design time, setting the AutoBuddy property to True causes the UpDown control to automatically "buddy" with the previous control in the Zorder.

To automatically set a buddy control

1 Draw the buddy control on the form.

2 Draw the UpDown control on the form.

3 Right-click the UpDown control and click Properties to display the Property Pages Dialog box.

4 Click Buddy to display the Buddy tab, as seen in Figure 2.43 below.

5 Click the AutoBuddy check box to set the AutoBuddy property to True.

6 Click the SyncBuddy check box to set the SyncBuddy property to True.

The Dirlist, Filelist and Drive controls

Just Drag and drop the controls and rest is very simple and selfexplanatory

Private Sub Command1_Click()

MsgBox "Path = " & File1.Path & File1.filename

End Sub

Private Sub Dir1_Change()

File1.Path = Dir1.Path

End Sub

Private Sub Drive1_Change()

On Error GoTo Err

Dir1.Path = Drive1.Drive

On Error GoTo Err1

File1.Path = Dir1.Path

Exit Sub

Err:

MsgBox "Wrong Drive name"

Resume Next

Exit Sub

Err1:

MsgBox "Wrong file"

Resume Next

End Sub

Common dialog Control (Add the component common dialog control)

Drop the control on the screen and then u can use different common dialogs like, file-save, file-open etc using the different show commands

Method	Dialog displayed
ShowOpen	Open
ShowSave	Save As
ShowColor	Color
ShowPrinter	Print
ShowHelp	Invokes Windows Help

Private Sub Command1_Click()

CommonDialog1.ShowOpen

End Sub

MSChart Control

For showing charts

Private Sub Command1_Click()

Dim Row, Column As Integer

Dim i, j As Integer

'Set the data.

For i = 1 To 3

For j = 1 To 3

X(i, j) = i * j

'Set the row labels.

X(1, 2) = "Wheat"

X(1, 3) = "Corn"

'Set the column labels.

X(2, 1) = "January"

X(3, 1) = "February"

'Set the chart data.

MSChart1 = X

End sub

Masked Edit Control

Use the Properties Page to change the mask string. Following are the masking characters used. For Date type of text fields there is no direcct format available define the mask as ## / ## / #### and in the lostfocus of the masked edit check for the date validity with the ISDate function.

The format property is there to display the date

Mask character Description

# Digit placeholder.

. Decimal placeholder. The actual character used is the one specified as the decimal placeholder in your international settings. This character is treated as a literal for masking purposes.

, Thousands separator. The actual character used is the one specified as the thousands separator in your international settings. This character is treated as a literal for masking purposes.

: Time separator. The actual character used is the one specified as the time separator in your international settings. This character is treated as a literal for masking purposes.

/ Date separator. The actual character used is the one specified as the date separator in your international settings. This character is treated as a literal for masking purposes.

\ Treat the next character in the mask string as a literal. This allows you to include the '#', '&', 'A', and '?' characters in the mask. This character is treated as a literal for masking purposes.

& Character placeholder. Valid values for this placeholder are ANSI characters in the following ranges: 32-126 and 128-255.

> Convert all the characters that follow to uppercase.

< Convert all the characters that follow to lowercase.

A Alphanumeric character placeholder (entry required). For example: a z, A Z, or 0 9.

a Alphanumeric character placeholder (entry optional).

9 Digit placeholder (entry optional). For example: 0 9.

C Character or space placeholder (entry optional).

? Letter placeholder. For example: a z or A Z.

Formula One Grid

http://www.tidestone.com/

MSFlexGrid

To specify the number of rows,columns and putting some data in the cells

Private Sub Command2_Click()

Dim Row, col As Integer

MSFlexGrid1.Cols = 5

MSFlexGrid1.Rows = 5

For col = 1 To 4

For Row = 1 To 4

MSFlexGrid1.col = col /* Set current Row column*/

MSFlexGrid1.Row = Row

MSFlexGrid1.Text = "Amit(" & Str(Row) & "," & Str(col) & ")"

Next Row

Next col

End Sub

To find out which row and column is the current column

Private Sub MSFlexGrid1_DblClick()

MsgBox "Selected (" & Str(MSFlexGrid1.Row) & "," & Str(MSFlexGrid1.col) & ")"

End Sub

Code for using the Edit functionality in a FlexiGrid like the Excel Grid

Data Bound controls

For ODBC controls

Give the Connect string in the Connect property of the data control, do not give the connect string in the " " when specifying in the propertied box Example string is ODBC;DATABASE=FIDAC;UID=sa;pwd=;DSN=FIDAC;
No need to specify the name of the database or record source
The record source can be specified in the code,

Data1.Recordsource = <stored procedure name> OR a query

Data1.RecordSource = "sp_selectfromsch"

Data1.RecordSource = "Select * from SCH"

Parameters can also be passed to the stored procedures while calling, Do not give any call or execute statements to call the stored procedures. Give it as,

Str1 = "Sp_selectfromsch ‘N1’"

Data1.Recordsource = Str1

For Data bound controls like the textboxes, specify the column names in the datafield property

Text1.DataField = "SCH_ID"

For opening thru a querydefinition

Set rsTmp = qdfTmp.OpenRecordset()

Set f.Data1.Recordset = rsTmp

Data Bound Grid Control

When adding a new form to the project u can add a DBGrid type of form. A grid will be displayed and a data control will be linked to the grid.

In the code of "FormOpen" u can specify the connect string and the SQL statement/Stored procedure name to link the data control to the database.

If u have specified "Select * from SCH" then a grid with all the columns will be displayed on runtime. But if u have specified "Select SCH_ID, SCH_PERIOD, SCH_TYPE from SCH" then only 2 columns will be displayed. U do not have to think about the number of columns displayed in the grid.

Code used in the OpenForm of the gridcontrol form

Data1.Connect = "ODBC;DATABASE=FIDAC;UID=sa;PWD=;DSN=FIDAC"

Data1.RecordSource = "Select SCH_ID,SCH_PERIOD,SCH_IRT from SCH"

Data1.RecordsetType = 2 'snapshot

Data1.Options = 0

Data1.Refresh

Coolbar Control

The Coolbar control (Comctl332.ocx) allows you to create user-configurable toolbars similar to those found in Microsoft Internet Explorer. The Coolbar control is a container control, able to host child controls. It consists of a collection of one or more resizable regions known as bands. Each band can host a single child control.
The method for adding child controls to a CoolBar control is slightly different from that of adding controls to other containers. The control must first be associated with a Band object; there is a limit of one child control per band.

To add a control to a CoolBar

With the CoolBar control selected, select a control from the ToolBox and draw it on the CoolBar.
Open the Property Page for the CoolBar and select the Bands tab.
Use the Index buttons to select the index of the Band object on which you want the control to appear.
Select the control from the Child list.

The child control will then move and resize along with the Band object at run time.

Note If you simply add a control without associating it to a band, it will appear as a floating control over the CoolBar at run time. To avoid this situation, set the Visible property of the control to False.

You can have additional controls contained on a CoolBar and swap them in and out at run time using the Child property of the Band object.

For decide the top of the other control just below the coolbar do the following.

Private Sub CoolBar1_HeightChanged(ByVal NewHeight As Single)

F1Book2.Top = CoolBar1.Top + NewHeight

End Sub

Splitter Control

Use the Visual Basic Application wizard to create a explorer like form. NewProject->VB application wizard etcetc..

Microsoft Data Report Designer

Add the designer and the Data Report from the Components->Designer Tab.. Now your project menu will change and Report Designer and Data Environment will appear

Add a data environment to your project from the menu. Right click on the Connection and put the ODBC/Connection details in the tabs.

Now add a command to a Connecion .. Select the Database Objects and the Object name

Now from the projects menu add a data report. then using the dataenvironment drag the fields on to the report.

You can display the report using Datareport1.show.

If u want to introduce a grouping then have to introduce it in the data environment and then select the DataMember as the grouping name in the DataReport Properties.

For passing parameters to the data environment for querying u can write something like

DataEnvironment1.rsTokyoDetails_Grouping.Filter = "Currency = 'USD'"

U cannot have a Landscape mode in the report.

MSDN->VB Documentation->Using Visual Basic->Data Access Guide->Writing Reports with Microsoft Report Designer.