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Easy Question (I Think) regarding accessing object properties

Hi All,

I have a button created existing on a form

I can access the button using the following...

form.button.name = "name"
form.button.text = "text"

and so on.

What I would like to do is give the button a name...lets say btnExample so now the button is called btnExample. I can access the button by:
form.btnExample.text = text

But what if I wanted to store btnExample in a variable lets say

Dim buttonName = "btnExample"

and then access the contents of that buttons text property using the name of the button stored in the variable...How would one do that.

For example: I would like to be able to type form.(variableName).text = "text"

Tried finding example of this, etc but not having any luck.

Thanks

ZeonFlash

You can try a couple of things. First, implementing a control array (explained here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dv_vstechart/html/vbtchcreatingcontrolarraysinvisualbasicnetvisualcnet.asp ). Or you can do a simple loop through all the controls on your form to find the right one. Obviously, if you don't have a lot of controls, the second option is the simpler one. Here's an example:

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Dim btnName As String
Dim controlButton As Control

btnName = "btnExample"

If GetControlFromName(controlButton, btnName) Then controlButton.Text = "text"
End Sub

Private Function GetControlFromName(ByRef control As Control, ByVal strControlName As String) As Boolean
For Each ctrl As Control In Me.Controls
If UCase(ctrl.Name) = UCase(strControlName) Then
control = ctrl
Return True
End If
Next
Return False
End Function

Mike Tomlinson

What version VB.Net?

mike_allain

ASKER

Visual studio 2005 ver 8

I am currently using the loop method. I was hoping that there might be ome way I could use a varaible instead as I have many text boxes on my form.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Mike Tomlinson

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mike_allain

ASKER

Thank you very much, this is exactly what I have been looking for. Much better than the looping that I have been doing.