Develop Reference

C# Dynamicaaly Add and Delete buttons

From the below code, I dynamically create a list of buttons based on client names provided by a TCP connection from the clientNames[i] list.
private void updateClientListUI()
{
if (this.InvokeRequired)
{
this.Invoke(new MethodInvoker(this.updateClientListUI));
}
else
{
//Debug.WriteLine(clientNames[0]);
int basex = subPanelClient.Location.X;
int basey = subPanelClient.Location.Y;
for (int i = 0; i < clientNames.Count; i++)
{
Button b = new Button();
b.Left = basex;
b.Top = basey;
b.Size = new Size(25, 25); // <== add this line
b.Dock = DockStyle.Top;
b.ForeColor= Color.Gainsboro;
b.FlatStyle= FlatStyle.Flat;
b.FlatAppearance.BorderSize = 0;
b.Padding= new Padding(35, 0, 0, 0);
b.TextAlign = ContentAlignment.MiddleLeft;
basey += 25;
b.Name = clientNames[i];
b.Text = clientNames[i];
subPanelClient.Controls.Add(b);
buttonsAdded.Insert(i, b);
}
}
}
What I am trying to figure out, is how to delete a button (i). What I attempted is the following:
private void removingButtons(int i)
{
if (buttonsAdded.Count > 0)
{
Button buttonToRemove = buttonsAdded[i];
subPanelClient.Controls.Remove(buttonToRemove);
buttonsAdded.Remove(buttonToRemove);
}
}
Or if anyone would know how to update the current list of buttons from updateClientListUI() to the current latest list from clientNames[i] instead of a list being added onto another list.
The issue that Im getting is that obviously every time there is a connection or disconnection the list just keeps getting added instead of refreshing to the current list.

One way to do it would be to clear the old buttons on each update.
foreach (Button b in buttonsAdded)
{
subPanelClient.Controls.Add(b);
}
buttonsAdded.Clear();
for (int i = 0; i < clientNames.Count; i++)
{
Button b = new Button();
...
...
If the subPanelClient only contains those buttons, you could just use
subPanelClient.Controls.Clear();
Last remark: Your removingButtonk function seems to use this.Controls.Remove instead of subPanelClient.Controls.Remove.

C# Form/Control Width Not Updating All the Time

I've made a small tool bar that sits in a transparent form, it loads a variable sized menu from a text file and can be changed on the fly. Each button is a type of Label, the bar is just a list of buttons and adds/removes them in the correct spots. Width of the form is only a little bigger than the menu bar so that sub menu isn't cut off
Everything is working sweet except, when I reload everything part of the toolbar is lost. I've attempted to change the width so many ways, I've cleared and removed the controls from the form, refreshing the form/menu, updating it etc however nothing seems to make it work as intended EXCEPT if I call the reload function twice in a row, it works. I can't see why calling it once doesn't work but calling it twice works.
I'm fine with calling reload twice in a row as it would only be called a couple times a week.
Question: what on earth is causing this?
photo of issues first photo shows what it should look like, second is after removing a menu button and reloading, third is after adding a button and reloading
//calling this.reload() doesn't work
//calling this.reload();this.reload() works
void reload(Object o = null, EventArgs e = null)
{
this._menuBar.clear();
this.loadFromFile();
}
void loadFromFile(Object o = null, EventArgs e = null)
{
try
{
if (File.Exists("kpi.txt"))
{
string cline = "", cmenu = "", lhs = "";
menuList mb = null;
StreamReader sr = new StreamReader("kpi.txt");
while (!sr.EndOfStream)
{
cline = sr.ReadLine(); //get current line
if (cline.Length > 0 && cline[0] != ';')
{
//check if main menu/command
if (cline[0] == '[')
{
cmenu = Regex.Match(cline, #"(?<=^\[)[a-zA-Z -\#_{-~\^\r\n]+(?=\])").Value;
if (cmenu != "")
{
mb = this._menuBar.addMenuButton(cmenu);
mb.data["options"] = Regex.Match(cline, #"\/\w+$").Value;
var match = Regex.Match(cline, #"(?<=<)([^>\[\]\r\n]+)(?=>)");
mb.data["count"] = (match.Success ? match.Value : "0");
mb.data["copy"] = "";
applyMenuOptions(mb, false);
}
}
//just a standard line
else
{
cline = cline.Trim();
lhs = Regex.Match(cline, #"^[^\;\<\[\]\r\n]+(?=$|\<|\;)").Value;
if (mb.getSubMenuItem(lhs) == null)
{
var newButton = mb.addSubMenu(lhs);
if (newButton != null)
{
newButton.parent = mb;
newButton.data["options"] = mb.data["options"];
newButton.data["copy"] = Regex.Match(cline, #"((?<=\;)[^\[\]\<\r\n]+(?=<|$))").Value;
var matches = Regex.Match(cline, #"(?<=<)([^>\[\]\r\n]+)(?=>)");
int intout = 0;
if (int.TryParse(matches.Value, out intout))
{//no description
newButton.data["description"] = "";
newButton.data["count"] = intout.ToString();
}
else
{
newButton.data["description"] = matches.Value;
newButton.data["count"] = (matches.NextMatch().Success ? matches.NextMatch().Value : "0");
}
applyMenuOptions(newButton);
newButton.addMiddleClick(this.addcopy);
if (newButton.data["options"].Contains("i"))
{
newButton.addRightClick(this.appendInfo);
newButton.addRightClick(this.increment);
}
}
}
}
}
}
sr.Close();
this._menuBar.squish();
this.Width = this._menuBar.Width+50;
}
else
{
menuList mb = this._menuBar.addMenuButton("menu");
mb.data["options"] = "\\m";
mb.data["count"] = "0";
mb.data["copy"] = "";
mb.data["description"] = "";
applyMenuOptions(mb, false);
saveDictonary();
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show("Failed to load data " + ex);
//ILog log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(Program));
//log.Info(ex);
}
}
public menuList addMenuButton(string s, int w = 0, int h = 0, int x = -1, int y = -1)
{
menuList mb = new menuList(this._form, s);
if (this.menuItems.Exists(z => z.Text == s)) return null;
mb.Width = (w==0?settings.intOf("ButtonWidth"):w);
mb.Height = (h==0?settings.IntOf("ButtonHeight"):h);
if (x == -1 || y == -1)
mb.Location = new Point(this.menuItems.Count > 0 ? this.menuItems.Last().Location.X + this.menuItems.Last().Width : padding);
else mb.Location = new Point(x, y);
mb.BringToFront();
mb.Show();
this.menuItems.Add(mb);
// this.Refresh();
return mb;
}
internal void clear()
{
foreach(var i in this.menuItems)
{
this._form.Controls.Remove(i);
i.clear();
i.Dispose();
}
this.menuItems.Clear();
this._form.Controls.Remove(this);
this.menuItems = new List<menuList>();
this._form.Controls.Add(this);
}
internal void squish()
{
try
{
this.Width = (this.menuItems.Count * this.menuItems.First().Width) + (2 * padding);
}
catch(Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show(""+ex); }
}

Found the culprit, bother the button class and the tool bar class were both adding themselves to the form control instead of button class adding to the tool bar (picture box) controls!
Removing transparency showed the buttons not moving when the tool bar was moved!

Deleting dynamically created textbox

Good Day Everyone.
I'm creating function in which i dynamically generate textbox depending on the selected value in the dropdown list.
Here's the code.
comboboxNameHolder = ((ComboBox)sender).Name;
string comboboxNoHolder =comboboxNameHolder.Replace("cbFunctionList", "");
comboboxNo = Int32.Parse(comboboxNoHolder);
funcSelected = ((ComboBox)sender).SelectedItem.ToString();
for (int i = 0; i < optionList1.GetLength(0); i++)
{
if (funcSelected == optionList1[i, 0])
{
funcNoOfFields = optionList1[i, 1];
}
}
if (lineFieldController[comboboxNo, 1] == 0)
{
fieldCounter = Int32.Parse(funcNoOfFields);
lineFieldController[comboboxNo, 1] = fieldCounter;
inputField1 = new TextBox[fieldCounter];
for (int i = 0; i < fieldCounter; i++)
{
btnAddField0.Visible = false;
inputField = new TextBox();
inputField.Font = new Font("Microsoft Sans Serif", 11.25f);
inputField.Size = new Size(75, 24);
inputField.Location = new Point(positionController[comboboxNo, 0], positionController[comboboxNo, 1]);
inputField.Name = "txtLine" + comboboxNo.ToString() + "Variable" + i.ToString();
this.Controls.Add(inputField1[i]);
positionController[comboboxNo, 0] += 81;
}
}
Now I want in the same function when the lineFieldController is not equal to zero means that there are already created textbox in that line. When the user chooses another value in the dropdown list the number of fields will change by deleting the existing fields then creating new ones depending on the selected item.
How do I delete the textboxes I created?? I tried calling it by name but it doesn't work.
else
{
for(int i = 0; i < lineFieldController[comboboxNo, 1]; i++)
{
string name = "txtLine" + comboboxNo.ToString() + "Variable" + i.ToString();
TextBox tb = this.Controls.Find(name, true);
}
}
Hoping for your kind response

you can put all controls that you have created put them to the list and hold reference on controls were created at runtime.
like
public class Form1
{
List<Control> createdList = new List<Control>(); // class field
void combobox_SelectedIndexChanged()
{
// removing controls were created before
foreach (var created in createdList)
{
this.Controls.Remove(created);
created.Dispose();
}
createdList.Clear(); // all created controls from previous index changed should be removed here
// add each control you are creating to the createList additionally
inputField1 = new TextBox[fieldCounter];
for (int i = 0; i < fieldCounter; i++)
{
btnAddField0.Visible = false;
inputField = new TextBox();
createdList.Add(inputField); //store reference
/// skipping init code
this.Controls.Add(inputField1[i]);
positionController[comboboxNo, 0] += 81;
}
}
}
another option is to add panel on the form as a placeholder for all controls are being created. You have to change this.Controls.Add(inputField1[i]); to the panelCreated.Controls.Add(inputField1[i]);
Then you can grab all controls from the panel and remove them without name search like below
foreach (Control created in panelCreated.Controls)
created.Dispose();
panelCreated.Controls.Clear();

C# Listboxes using selectedvaluechanged

I usually figure things out but this has me beat.
I have an array of listboxes on a form and a submit button. The user can pick items from any listbox then click the submit button to choose the confirm the item, but what needs to happen is that if they select something from listbox 1 then change their mind and select something from listbox 2, the item selected in listbox 1 should become unselected.
I can code that in to the eventhandlers but the problem is as soon as I change a value in another listbox programatically it fires another event. I can't seem to logic my way out of it.
Any ideas would be great otherwise I guess I will just have to put multiple submit buttons.
EDIT:
I figured out what I think is quite an obvious and simple solution in the end. I made use of the focused property to distinguish whether the user or the program was making changes. Works for both mouse and keyboard selections.
Thanks for the suggestions...
for (int i = 0; i < treatments.Length; i = i + 1)
{
this.Controls.Add(ListBoxes[i]);
this.Controls.Add(Labels[i]);
this.Controls.Add(Spinners[i]);
Labels[i].Top = vPosition - 20;
Labels[i].Left = hPosition;
Labels[i].Width = 600;
ListBoxes[i].Left = hPosition;
ListBoxes[i].Top = vPosition;
ListBoxes[i].Width = 600;
Spinners[i].Top = vPosition + ListBoxes[i].Height;
Spinners[i].Left = hPosition + ListBoxes[i].Width - 60;
Spinners[i].Width = 40;
for (int d = 25; d > 0; d = d - 1) { Spinners[i].Items.Add((d).ToString()); }
Spinners[i].SelectedIndex = 24;
//EVENT HANDLER CODE that is executed if any selectetindexchange in any LIstbox in array
ListBoxes[i].SelectedIndexChanged += (sender, e) =>
{
for (int s = 0; s < i; s = s + 1)
{
//FIND WHICH LBs[s] IS THE SENDING LISTBOX
if (ListBoxes[s] == sender && ListBoxes[s].Focused == true)
{
string msg = "sender is ListBox " + s.ToString() + "\nFocus is" + ListBoxes[s].Focused.ToString();
// MessageBox.Show(msg);
}
else if(ListBoxes[s].Focused==false)
{
ListBoxes[s].SelectedIndex = -1;
}
}
}; //end of event handler
}

I generally solve this kind of problem with a flag that lets me know that I am changing things, so my event handlers can check the flag and not take action in that case.
private int codeChangingCount = 0;
private void combobox1_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e) {
codeChangingCount++;
try {
combobox2.SelectedIndex = someNewValue;
} finally {
codeChangingCount--;
}
}
private void combobox2_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e) {
if (codeChangingCount == 0) {
//I know this is changing because of the user did something, not my code above
}
}
You can do this with a simple bool instead of an int, but I like the counter approach so that I can keep incrementing codeChangingCount in nested calls and not accidentally reset it. In my production code, I have a class dedicated to this kind of flagging, and it (mis)uses IDisposable to decrement, so I can just wrap my calls in a using block, but the above snippet is simpler for illustration.

Check if Focused ListBox == ListBox2 and SelectedIndex > -1 then deselect Index[0]
if (ListBoxes[s] == sender && ListBoxes[s].Focused == true)
{
if(s == 1 && ListBoxes[s].SelectedIndex > -1) //assuming 1 is listbox2
{
ListBoxes[0].SelectedIndex = -1; // Deselect ListBox1
}
string msg = "sender is ListBox " + s.ToString() + "\nFocus is" + ListBoxes[s].Focused.ToString();
}

Remove a checkbox that is being created dynamically in a loop

I have a bunch of code that dynamicly creates some controls. It looks in a folder and lists the filenames in it. For each file in the folder it creates a checklistbox item, listbox item and two checkboxes. This is working great and as intended:
private void getAllFiles(string type)
{
try
{
string listPath = "not_defined";
if (type == "internal_mod")
{
int first_line = 76;
int next_line = 0;
int i = 0;
CheckBox[] chkMod = new CheckBox[100];
CheckBox[] chkTool = new CheckBox[100];
listPath = this.internalModsPath.Text;
string[] filesToList = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(listPath);
foreach (string file in filesToList)
{
if (!internalModsChkList.Items.Contains(file))
{
internalModsChkList.Items.Add(file, false);
string fileName = Path.GetFileName(file);
internalModNameList.Items.Add(fileName);
//-----------------
// Draw Checkboxes
//-----------------
chkMod[i] = new CheckBox(); chkTool[i] = new CheckBox();
chkMod[i].Name = "modChk" + i.ToString(); chkTool[i].Name = "modChk" + i.ToString();
//chkMod[i].TabIndex = i; //chkTool[i].TabIndex = i;
chkMod[i].Anchor = (AnchorStyles.Left | AnchorStyles.Top); chkTool[i].Anchor = (AnchorStyles.Left | AnchorStyles.Top);
chkMod[i].Checked = true; chkTool[i].Checked = false;
chkMod[i].AutoCheck = true; chkTool[i].AutoCheck = true;
chkMod[i].Bounds = new Rectangle(549, first_line + next_line, 15, 15); chkTool[i].Bounds = new Rectangle(606, first_line + next_line, 15, 15);
groupBox7.Controls.Add(chkMod[i]); groupBox7.Controls.Add(chkTool[i]);
//-----------------
next_line += 15;
i++;
}
}
}
Now my problem is that I also want the user to be able to delete all these thing again based on the checklistbox' checked items.. I have no problems deleting the items in the checklistbox or the items in the listbox, but I want to remove the two checkboxes I create too ..
This is what I got to remove the items in the checklistbox, and the listbox
private void internalModListDel_btn_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
int count = internalModsChkList.Items.Count;
for (int index = count; index > 0; index--)
{
if (internalModsChkList.CheckedItems.Contains(internalModsChkList.Items[index - 1]))
{
internalModsChkList.Items.RemoveAt(index - 1);
internalModNameList.Items.RemoveAt(index - 1);
groupBox7.Controls.Remove(modChk[index - 1]);
}
}
}
As you can see I have also tried to write something to remove the checkbox but it doesn't work and I have no idea how to make it work
Can you assist ?

Try using UserControls.
Use the ListBox controller to show those UserControls,
The user control can be built with those checkboxes, and the labels you want .
Another suggestion is to bind this list to an ObservableCollection which will contain the UserContorols you have created.
This way, it will be much more simlpe to add/remove/change the items inside.