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Adding and Removing a Control in the Controls Collection in Visual Basic 6

Set objvariable = Controls.Add(strControlType, strControlName)

where objvariable is the name of the variable holding the control's instance, strControlType is a string containing the ProgID for this control's type, and strControlName is a string containing a unique name for the control (can be the same as objvariable).

Once you've added the control, you need to set its object variable's properties appropriately to the needs of the application and set the Visible property to True. The method for referring to a control object's members varies slightly, depending on whether the control is an intrinsic or an ActiveX control:

• If the control is an intrinsic VB control, then simply refer to the control's members with the familiar objvariable.member syntax. Listing 4.12 gives an example that sets the properties of an intrinsic control that's just been added to the Controls Collection.
  
  LISTING 4.12
  REFERRING TO AN INTRINSIC CONTROL'S MEMBERS
  
  Set cmdbutton = Controls.Add( _
  "VB.CommandButton", _
  "CmdButton")
  cmdbutton.Caption = "XXXXX"
  cmdbutton.Left = 500
  cmdbutton.Top = 500
  cmdbutton.Visible = True

• If the control is an ActiveX control, then you must refer to the control's custom members through the control's object property with syntax in the format objvariable.object.member. Listing 4.13 gives an example that sets the properties of an ActiveX control that's just been added to the Controls Collection. Note in the example that you do not use the Object property when referring to a standard property of the VB environment. You only use the Object property when referring to custom members. Referring to custom members without the Object property or to standard members with the Object property will cause a runtime error.

LISTING 4.13
REFERRING TO AN ACTIVEX CONTROL'S STANDARD AND CUSTOM MEMBERS

'Add the control
Set mscCalendar = Controls.Add( _
strControlType, _
"mscCalendar")
'Set a custom property
mscCalendar.object.Day = 15
'Set standard properties
mscCalendar.Top = 600
mscCalendar.Left = 500
mscCalendar.Visible = True

When you're finished with the control, you can take it out of the Controls Collection with a line of the format:

Controls.Remove objvariable

where objvariable is the name of the variable holding the control's instance.

Adding and Deleting Controls Dynamically Using the Controls Collection Topics

• Getting a Control's ProgID
• Declaring an Intrinsic Control and Programming Its Events
• Declaring an ActiveX Control and Programming Its Events
• Adding and Removing a Control in the Controls Collection
• Keeping a Reference in the Project to an ActiveX Control
• Managing the License for an ActiveX Control

Related Topics

• Techniques for Adding and Deleting Controls Dynamically
• Adding and Deleting Controls Dynamically Using Control Arrays
• Adding and Deleting Controls Dynamically Using the Controls Collection

See Also

• Using the ImageList Control
• Using the TreeView Control
• Using the ListView Control
• Using the ToolBar Control
• Using the StatusBar Control
• More on Creating Data Input Forms and Dialog Boxes
• Using the Forms Collection

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