VB.NET - Iterating through controls in a container object

Question

I have a form with a \"Clear\" button.

When the user clicks \"Clear\", I want to clear the value of all the visible elements on the form. In the case of date contro

Answer 1

Public Sub raz(lst As Control.ControlCollection, Optional recursive As Boolean = True)
    For Each ctrl As Control In lst
        If TypeOf ctrl Is TextBox Then
            CType(ctrl, TextBox).Clear()
        End If

        If TypeOf ctrl Is MaskedTextBox Then
            CType(ctrl, MaskedTextBox).Clear()
        End If

        If TypeOf ctrl Is ComboBox Then
            CType(ctrl, ComboBox).SelectedIndex = -1
        End If

        If TypeOf ctrl Is DateTimePicker Then
            Dim dtp As DateTimePicker = CType(ctrl, DateTimePicker)
            dtp.CustomFormat = " "
        End If

        If TypeOf ctrl Is CheckedListBox Then
            Dim clbox As CheckedListBox = CType(ctrl, CheckedListBox)
            For i As Integer = 0 To clbox.Items.Count - 1
                clbox.SetItemChecked(i, False)
            Next
        End If

        If TypeOf ctrl Is RadioButton Then
            CType(ctrl, RadioButton).Checked = False

        End If

        If recursive Then
            If TypeOf ctrl Is GroupBox Then
                raz(CType(ctrl, GroupBox).Controls)
            End If
        End If
    Next
End Sub

Answer 2

This May Help in Future Development ...

GetAllButtons(Me)

Public Sub GetAllButtons(ByRef forms As Object)
    Dim list As New List(Of Button)
    Dim iIndx As Integer
    For Each c In forms.Controls
        For iIndx = 0 To forms.Controls.Count - 1
            If (TypeOf forms.Controls(iIndx) Is Button) Then
                list.Add(forms.Controls(iIndx))
            End If
            If (TypeOf forms.controls(iIndx) Is Panel) Then
                For Each cntrl As Control In forms.controls(iIndx).Controls
                    If TypeOf cntrl Is Button Then
                        list.Add(cntrl)
                    End If
                Next
            End If
        Next
    Next

Button(list.ToArray)

End Sub

Public Sub Button(btn() As Button)
    For Each bt In btn
       Do Something with Buttons
    next
End Sub

Answer 3

here is the code to get all control of a Form's All GroupControls and you can do something in the GroupBox Control

Private Sub GetControls()
    For Each GroupBoxCntrol As Control In Me.Controls
        If TypeOf GroupBoxCntrol Is GroupBox Then
            For Each cntrl As Control In GroupBoxCntrol.Controls
                'do somethin here

            Next
        End If

    Next
End Sub

Answer 4

Here it works for all inner controls.
Add if any other controls do you need to clear.

Private Sub ClearAll()
    Try
        For Each ctrl As Control In Me.Controls
            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "Panel" Then
                ClearControls(ctrl)
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "GroupBox" Then
                ClearControls(ctrl)
            End If
            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "ComboBox" Then
                Dim tb As ComboBox = TryCast(ctrl, ComboBox)
                tb.SelectedText = ""
            End If


            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "TabControl" Then
                ClearControls(ctrl)
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "TextBox" Then
                Dim tb As TextBox = TryCast(ctrl, TextBox)
                tb.Clear()
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "RadioButton" Then
                Dim tb As RadioButton = TryCast(ctrl, RadioButton)
                tb.Checked = False
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "CheckBox" Then
                Dim tb As CheckBox = TryCast(ctrl, CheckBox)
                tb.Checked = False
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "ComboBox" Then
                Dim tb As ComboBox = TryCast(ctrl, ComboBox)
                tb.SelectedIndex = 0
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "RichTextBox" Then
                Dim tb As RichTextBox = TryCast(ctrl, RichTextBox)
                tb.Clear()

            End If
        Next
    Catch ex As Exception
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Error Message", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
    End Try
End Sub


Private Sub ClearControls(ByVal Type As Control)

    Try
        For Each ctrl As Control In Type.Controls

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "TextBox" Then
                Dim tb As TextBox = TryCast(ctrl, TextBox)
                tb.Clear()
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "Panel" Then
                ClearControls(ctrl)
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "GroupBox" Then
                ClearControls(ctrl)
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "TabPage" Then
                ClearControls(ctrl)
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "ComboBox" Then
                Dim tb As ComboBox = TryCast(ctrl, ComboBox)
                tb.SelectedText = ""
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "RadioButton" Then
                Dim tb As RadioButton = TryCast(ctrl, RadioButton)
                tb.Checked = False
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "CheckBox" Then
                Dim tb As CheckBox = TryCast(ctrl, CheckBox)
                tb.Checked = False
            End If

            If ctrl.[GetType]().Name = "RichTextBox" Then
                Dim tb As RichTextBox = TryCast(ctrl, RichTextBox)
                tb.Clear()

            End If
        Next
    Catch ex As Exception
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Error Message", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
    End Try
End Sub

Answer 5

You can skip the GetType and CType dance with TryCast:

Dim dtp as DateTimePicker = TryCast(ctrl, DateTimePicker)
If dtp IsNot Nothing then dtp.Value = Now()

That'll save you about 10 lines.

An extension method off the Control class should keep it pretty tidy:

<Extension()> _
Public Shared Sub ClearValue(c as Control, recursive as Boolean)
   Dim dtp as DateTimePicker = TryCast(c, DateTimePicker)
   If dtp IsNot Nothing Then dtp.Value = Now()
   ' Blah, Blah, Blah
End Sub

Edit: If the thought of Evil extension methods that ignore NullReferenceExceptions don't make you cringe:

<Extension()> _
Public Shared Sub ClearValue(c as CheckBox)
   If c IsNot Nothing Then c.Checked = False
End Sub

TryCast(ctrl, CheckBox).ClearValue()

Answer 6

I present you my ControlIterator Class

Source: http://pastebin.com/dubt4nPG

Some usage examples:

 ControlIterator.Disable(CheckBox1)

 ControlIterator.Enable({CheckBox1, CheckBox2})

 ControlIterator.Check(Of CheckBox)(Me)

 ControlIterator.Uncheck(Of CheckBox)(Me.GroupBox1)

 ControlIterator.Hide(Of CheckBox)("1")

 ControlIterator.PerformAction(Of CheckBox)(Sub(ctrl As CheckBox) ctrl.Visible = True)

 ControlIterator.AsyncPerformAction(RichTextBox1,
                                    Sub(rb As RichTextBox)
                                        For n As Integer = 0 To 9
                                            rb.AppendText(CStr(n))
                                        Next
                                    End Sub)

 ControlIterator.PerformAction(Me.Controls, Sub(c As Control)
                                                c.BackColor = Color.Green
                                            End Sub)