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Really easy question about .frm file

Hi all,
This is a really stupid question. I have a .frm form (no other forms) and I need to get it to run. I am running VB6 and am not quite sure what to do. I tried creating a new project in an executable, etc., but the same problem exists. I create the project, right-click the form and say view code. I then paste the .frm code I have and for some reason, the following two lines turn red:

Object = "{67397AA1-7FB1-11D0-B148-00A0C922E820}#6.0#0"; "MSADODC.OCX"
Begin VB.Form LoadMyForm

All the lines that start with "Begin" are red. In addition, the first four lines actually say

VERSION 5.00
Object = "{67397AA1-7FB1-11D0-B148-00A0C922E820}#6.0#0"; "MSADODC.OCX"
Begin VB.Form LoadMyForm
Caption = "Form1"

but the version line changes to "VERSION5#". Am I placing this part into the wrong file? What do I do to correct this? The rest of the file seems to work after the variable Dim's are declared. In fact, the last red lines are as follows:

Attribute VB_Name = "LoadMyForm"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False

What do I do to get it to run? Thanks and sorry about the stupidity.
Sincerely,
JL

Erick37

To add a .frm file to your project, start VB.

GoTo Project->Add form_>[Existing]

Browse for the .frm on your project, then click OK

Then the form is added to your project.

To view the code, right click the form in the Project pane, then select "View Code"

That's it!

Erick37

Let me clarify (it's late here)...

To add a .frm file to your project:

Start VB with a new project. Form1 is created by default.

In the menubar select: Project->Add Form->[Existing]

Browse for the .frm file on your computer, then click OK
(If the name of the form happens to be Form1.frm, then rename the already open Form1 to something else)

The form is then added to your project.

To view the code, right click the form in the Project pane, then select "View Code"

That's Better.

jl_forum

ASKER

Hi Erick37,
Actually, the problem isnt in viewing the code. I actually have the .frm file in a text file. One of the problems is that I dont know what the actual file is called. I assume that it is LoadMyForm.frm. The other problem is that a lot of the text is red (errors). When I try and compile it with just the .frm file, it says:
Compile error: Invalid outside procedure
on the VERSION 5.00 that got changed to VERSION 5#. The red text i the Object = and Begin lines as stated above. I have no problem viewing the code, I just need to know how to compile/execute it. Thanks.
Sincerely,
JL

jl_forum

ASKER

Heres an example... if I had the data from the webpage http://www.codeguru.com/vb/gen/vb_forms/listviewcontrols/article.php/c5947/ and wanted to compile it without downloading the zipfile at the bottom, how would I do it? I get the second and third lines in red, the "Begin" lines in red, and when I try and compile, it says Invalid Outside Procedure.
What I did was create a new project, add a form, and copy and paste the data. Then I try and compile. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Erick37

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jl_forum

ASKER

Thanks Erick37. It doesn't work with the stuff before "Attribute =", so I need to recreate that stuff. Perhaps I'm asking a little too much, but how do I go around creating those items? Additionally, theres a declaration of stuff as ADODB.blahblah. Do I have to put in a reference? If so, which one? The MS ADO? Finally, for the form, there is a "Begin MSAdodcLib.Adodc". What is this referring to and how do I create it? Thanks much! I'm upping the points because I'm asking so much. =)

Erick37

The example you pointed to at CodeGuru is actually 2 modules: one form and one class module.

This is the beginning of the class module file:
VERSION 1.0 CLASS
BEGIN

It's better to download the zipped project to a separate directory, then unzip.
http://www.codeguru.com/code/legacy/vb_forms/MBTLVI.zip

Double click on Project1.vbp to open the entire project.

Good Luck!

Erick37

All the info is in the .frm file.

Paste the .frm here and we'll see how to open it. If you do not want to paste the code, then paste the header (everything up to and including the last "Attribute = " line)

I'll check back tomorrow.

jl_forum

ASKER

Hi Erick,
The problem is that I am not using that example, thus I do not have a zip file or vbp. I just have the .frm that I have involved. Help! =)
Sincerely,
Jon

jl_forum

ASKER

Hi Erick, as requested:

VERSION 5.00
Object = "{67397AA1-7FB1-11D0-B148-00A0C922E820}#6.0#0"; "MSADODC.OCX"
Begin VB.Form LoadMyForm
Caption = "Form1"
ClientHeight = 9000
ClientLeft = 150
ClientTop = 300
ClientWidth = 10000
LinkTopic = "Form1"
ScaleHeight = 10000
ScaleWidth = 12000
StartUpPosition = 3

Begin VB.CommandButton Command1
Caption = "Command1"
Height = 495
Left = 8000
TabIndex = 4
Top = 3500
Width = 1000
End
Begin VB.CommandButton Command2
Caption = "Command2"
Height = 495
Left = 7000
TabIndex = 6
Top = 6000
Width = 1000
End
Begin VB.CommandButton Command3
Caption = "Command3"
Height = 495
Left = 6000
TabIndex = 4
Top = 1000
Width = 1000
End
Begin VB.CommandButton cmdEat
Caption = "&Eat"
Height = 495
Left = 400
TabIndex = 0
Top = 120
Width = 1200
End
Begin VB.CommandButton cmdSit
Caption = "&Sit"
Height = 495
Left = 750
TabIndex = 0
Top = 120
Width = 1200
End
Begin VB.CommandButton cmdMonster
Caption = "&Monster"
Height = 495
Left = 3000
TabIndex = 3
Top = 100
Width = 1200
End
Begin MSAdodcLib.Adodc Adodc1
Height = 495
Left = 7500
Top = 120
Width = 3000
_ExtentX = 5000
_ExtentY = 1000
ConnectMode = 0
CursorLocation = 3
IsolationLevel = -1
ConnectionTimeout= 15
CommandTimeout = 30
CursorType = 3
LockType = 3
CommandType = 2
CursorOptions = 0
CacheSize = 50
MaxRecords = 0
BOFAction = 0
EOFAction = 0
ConnectStringType= 3
Appearance = 1
BackColor = -2147483643
ForeColor = -2147483640
Orientation = 0
Enabled = -1
Connect = "DSN=MonsterDSN"
OLEDBString = ""
OLEDBFile = ""
DataSourceName = "MonsterDSN"
OtherAttributes = ""
UserName = "Monster"
Password = "Monster"
RecordSource = "JAR_WALL"
Caption = "Adodc1"
BeginProperty Font {0BE35203-8F91-11CE-9DE3-00AA004BB851}
Name = "MS Sans Serif"
Size = 12
Charset = 0
Weight = 400
Underline = 0 'False
Italic = 0 'False
Strikethrough = 0 'False
EndProperty
_Version = 393216
End
Begin MSAdodcLib.Adodc Adodc2
Height = 855
Left = 9000
Top = 4000
Width = 1500
_ExtentX = 2500
_ExtentY = 1500
ConnectMode = 0
CursorLocation = 3
IsolationLevel = -1
ConnectionTimeout= 15
CommandTimeout = 30
CursorType = 3
LockType = 3
CommandType = 8
CursorOptions = 0
CacheSize = 50
MaxRecords = 0
BOFAction = 0
EOFAction = 0
ConnectStringType= 1
Appearance = 1
BackColor = -2147483643
ForeColor = -2147483640
Orientation = 0
Enabled = -1
Connect = "Provider=OraOLEDB.Oracle.1;Persist Security Info=False;User ID=mango"

OLEDBString = "Provider=OraOLEDB.Oracle.1;Persist Security Info=False;User ID=mango"
OLEDBFile = ""
DataSourceName = ""
OtherAttributes = ""
UserName = ""
Password = ""
RecordSource = ""
Caption = "Adodc2"
BeginProperty Font {0BE35203-8F91-11CE-9DE3-00AA004BB851}
Name = "MS Sans Serif"
Size = 12
Charset = 0
Weight = 400
Underline = 0 'False
Italic = 0 'False
Strikethrough = 0 'False
EndProperty
_Version = 393216
End
Begin VB.TextBox Text1
Height = 975
Left = 0
TabIndex = 2
Text = "Text1"
Top = 600
Width = 7000
End

Begin VB.PictureBox Picture1
AutoRedraw = -1 'True
Height = 9000
Left = 0
ScaleHeight = 9000
ScaleWidth = 7000
TabIndex = 1
Top = 1800
Width = 7000
End
Begin VB.OLE OLE1
Height = 1000
Left = 4200
TabIndex = 5
Top = 4800
Width = 3000
End
End
Attribute VB_Name = "LoadMyForm"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False

Please help if possible. Thanks.
Sincerely,
JL

Arthur_Wood

If that is the ENTIRE contents of the .frm file, then what you have contains NO CODE whatsoever, just the definitions of the various controls (Buttons, Picture Box, ADO Data Controls) that have been drawn on the form. This will be of little or no use to you without the associated code that makes the application work.

AW

Arthur_Wood

for example, here is a SIMILAR listing of the contents of a .frm file that I have used in a Demo program:

VERSION 5.00
Begin VB.Form frmEditPerson
Caption = "Edit Person"
ClientHeight = 2595
ClientLeft = 60
ClientTop = 345
ClientWidth = 4440
LinkTopic = "Form1"
ScaleHeight = 2595
ScaleWidth = 4440
StartUpPosition = 3 'Windows Default
Begin VB.CommandButton cmdApply
Caption = "Apply"
Enabled = 0 'False
Height = 390
Left = 3360
TabIndex = 10
Top = 2160
Width = 975
End
Begin VB.CommandButton cmdCancel
Caption = "Cancel"
Height = 390
Left = 2160
TabIndex = 9
Top = 2160
Width = 975
End
Begin VB.CommandButton cmdOK
Caption = "OK"
Enabled = 0 'False
Height = 390
Left = 960
TabIndex = 8
Top = 2160
Width = 975
End
Begin VB.TextBox txtBirthDate
Height = 330
Left = 960
TabIndex = 4
Top = 1185
Width = 1815
End
Begin VB.TextBox txtName
Height = 330
Left = 960
TabIndex = 2
Top = 615
Width = 3375
End
Begin VB.TextBox txtSSN
Height = 330
Left = 960
TabIndex = 0
Top = 105
Width = 1815
End
Begin VB.Label Label4
Caption = "Age"
Height = 255
Left = 120
TabIndex = 7
Top = 1755
Width = 735
End
Begin VB.Label lblAge
BorderStyle = 1 'Fixed Single
Height = 330
Left = 960
TabIndex = 6
Top = 1680
Width = 975
End
Begin VB.Label Label3
Caption = "Birthdate"
Height = 255
Left = 120
TabIndex = 5
Top = 1245
Width = 735
End
Begin VB.Label Label2
Caption = "Name"
Height = 255
Left = 120
TabIndex = 3
Top = 690
Width = 735
End
Begin VB.Label Label1
Caption = "SSN"
Height = 255
Left = 120
TabIndex = 1
Top = 180
Width = 855
End
End
Attribute VB_Name = "frmEditPerson"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False
Option Explicit

Private WithEvents mobjPerson As Person
Attribute mobjPerson.VB_VarHelpID = -1

Private Sub cmdApply_Click()

' save the object
mobjPerson.ApplyEdit
mobjPerson.BeginEdit

End Sub

Private Sub cmdCancel_Click()

' do not save the object
mobjPerson.CancelEdit
Unload Me

End Sub

Private Sub cmdOK_Click()

' save the object
mobjPerson.ApplyEdit
Unload Me

End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()

Set mobjPerson = New Person
EnableOK mobjPerson.IsValid
mobjPerson.BeginEdit

End Sub

Private Sub mobjPerson_NewAge()

lblAge = mobjPerson.Age

End Sub

Private Sub txtBirthdate_Change()

If IsDate(txtBirthDate) Then mobjPerson.Birthdate = txtBirthDate

End Sub

Private Sub txtName_Change()

mobjPerson.Name = txtName

End Sub

Notice that AFTER the block that reads

Attribute VB_Name = "frmEditPerson"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False

is a Block that contains the code that makes the Form behave as it was designed to. Without that code, the form is FUNCTIONLESS.

AW

Erick37

Hi JL,

I just copied your code into Notepad and then saved it to disc as Form1.frm.

I opened VB and started a new project. I was able to add this form to the project and open it without error. This means that all of the controls added at design time are valid.

What errors were you getting?

SOLUTION

aParser

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jl_forum

ASKER

Hi guys, thanks for your comments. I totally appreciate all your help on this.

Arthur: Actually, I did not paste the entire code, just the form controls. The form controls are the only part I am really having an issue with though. It keeps giving me errors when I try and compile it. The form controls don't appear in the design aspect of it either.

Erick: You got it to work? Did you paste it all into one big .frm file? I did it as one big .frm file and like I said before, the "Version 5.00" becomes "Version 5#" and
Object = "{67397AA1-7FB1-11D0-B148-00A0C922E820}#6.0#0"; "MSADODC.OCX"
Begin VB.Form LoadMyForm
becomes highlighted in red. All the "Begin" lines are in red as well. Perhaps you are doing it differently than me? Do you actually see form controls appear? I'm sorry that I am not understanding this well.

aParser: I am going through this trouble because I only have the form file and wish to compile this. My code is similar to that of which Arthur put up. The .frm is divided into two sections similar to what his is. All that is supposed to be within the same .frm file correct? There is no classes in my file. Rather, it is like Arthurs. The format is as follows:

{what I pasted above}
Option Explicit
Dim...
Dim...
.
.
.
Private Sub()
End Sub
Private Sub()
End Sub
.
.
.
Like I stated before, the lines become red and when I try and compile it, I get the "Compile error: Invalid outside procedure"
error.

Sorry guys, I guess I'm really stupid about this or not understanding what you mean. I am trying to specify it as much as possible. I appreciate all your help. Please dont give up on me! =)
Sincerely,
JL

aParser

What we're saying is that you can't create a form in the VB IDE and paste in the stuff above "Option Explicit".

It's not entirely clear to me if you have all of this stuff in a file on your system or if you're getting it from somewhere else like the CodeGuru site.

If it's from somewhere else, paste everything into a Notepad document and save it with a .FRM extension, then start VB6 and add the file to your project.

If it's already on your system, make sure the file has a .FRM extension and then just add the file to the project. (Erick37's second comment explains how to add a file to a project.)

Again, you can't paste everything you've shown into a form when it's open in the IDE.

jl_forum

ASKER

Hmm... I believe I tried that yesterday. In other words, just save my entire contents into a .frm file, create a new project, and add an existing form, correct? If so, I still get the red lines as stated previously and it doesn't want to compile. Is there something else I need to add (reference or something)? When I add the form as an existing form, the design view is still empty. I don't see any buttons or anything. Thanks again for your help!

aParser

What you describe sounds correct. I'm surprised that you're still able to see things like "VERSION 5.00" and "Attribute VB_Exposed = False" ... but then again, I suppose you are, too, and that's the point. :)

As far as references go, you might try adding the "Microsoft ADO Data Control 6.0" under Components before adding the .FRM.

I'm trying to think of reasons why the VB IDE might still be unhappy with the file, but I'm starting to grasp at straws. There could be some strange line breaks in the file. It could be some kind of versioning issue; you might try downloading the latest service pack for VB. It could be that the controls on the form aren't registered in your system -- but the only "non-standard" control appears to be the ADO Data Control. You can search your registry for the GUID you pasted: {67397AA1-7FB1-11D0-B148-00A0C922E820} . If it's missing, make sure that the MSADODC.OCX is on your system and register it. I don't know if the latest MDAC would have any affect on that control. I was also worried that there might be something in a .FRX, but I don't see anything.

The strangest thing is that Erick37 did the exact same thing and got no error. ... And now I've tried it and gotten it to work. And the project automatically added the reference to the ADO Data Control to the project when I added the form.

Check whether the OCX is on your system and registered. If it is, I'm stumped.

Erick37

Close Visual Basic.

Open Nopepad or any TEXT editor.

Paste the code in the text file (in Notepad), then save the file as filename "MyForm.frm"

Close Notepad.

Open VB, then add the FILE to the project, using the first instructions from yesterday.

(Do not paste the code in the code window while in the VB editor - that will not work!)

jl_forum

ASKER

Hmm... good point aParser. I'm actually on a different computer but I will try it when I get back and report on what's up. Erick, thats exactly what I did. Again, those errors appeared and all that described above. Hopefully it is what aParser pointed out? I dont understand why the "Begin" lines would be red as well though... any ideas? Thanks guys, I really like this forum and am glad there are people like you all so dedicated to helping others! =) Much obliged!

SOLUTION

Arthur_Wood

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jl_forum

ASKER

Hey guys, it seemed to work! Thanks! The problem was that the OCX file wasn't existent and registered. I guess I hadn't done the correct thing with pasting it into an .frm outside the IDE as well (I swear I did), but I got everything good and going! Thanks!! =) Now my other question to you all is how do I split points amongst you all? You all helped so much. Thanks all for helping a newbie!
JL

aParser

https://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/Programming_Languages/Visual_Basic/help.jsp#hi19

jl_forum

ASKER

Thanks all! =)