Visual Basic/Snippets
TopMost Function
editThe code below is useful if you want to keep your application window on top or swap your application window between staying the topmost window and behaving like a standard window. Paste the code below into a code module and call either of the two routines as required.
To make your application stay on top use this call :
MakeTopMost Me.hwnd
To make your application window behave like a normal window use this call :
MakeNormal Me.hwnd
' Created by E.Spencer - This code is public domain.
'
Public Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1
Public Const HWND_NOTOPMOST = -2
Public Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Public Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Public Const SWP_NOACTIVATE = &H10
Public Const SWP_SHOWWINDOW = &H40
Public Const TOPMOST_FLAGS = SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE
Public Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Long, _
ByVal x As Long, y, ByVal cx As Long, _
ByVal cy As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long
Public Sub MakeTopMost(Handle As Long)
SetWindowPos Handle, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, TOPMOST_FLAGS
End Sub
Public Sub MakeNormal(Handle As Long)
SetWindowPos Handle, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, TOPMOST_FLAGS
End Sub
Form Close Button Disable
editThis was posted to the misc VB news group by Ben Baird. I include it here mainly because I found it quite handy, it details the code required to disable the Form Close button (little x button at top right of the window) whilst still keeping the button visible. To test this out open a new VB project, add a command button, paste in the code below and run it.
Private Declare Function GetSystemMenu Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal bRevert As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetMenuItemCount Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hMenu As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RemoveMenu Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hMenu As Long, ByVal nPosition As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function DrawMenuBar Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Private Const MF_BYPOSITION = &H400&
Private Const MF_DISABLED = &H2&
Public Sub DisableX(Frm As Form)
Dim hMenu As Long
Dim nCount As Long
hMenu = GetSystemMenu(Frm.hwnd, 0)
nCount = GetMenuItemCount(hMenu)
Call RemoveMenu(hMenu, nCount - 1, MF_DISABLED Or MF_BYPOSITION)
DrawMenuBar Frm.hwnd
End Sub
Private Sub Command1_Click()
DisableX Me
End Sub
ComboBox Automation
editThe code below demonstrates how to expand and hide combo box lists via code. To test it out create a new VB project, place a command button and combo box on the form and paste in the code below. When you run the project and use the tab button to move the focus from the combo box to the command button you should notice that the combo box expands and hides.
Private Declare Function SendMessageLong Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, _
ByVal wMsg As Long, _
ByVal wParam As Long, _
ByVal lParam As Long) As Long
Private Const CB_SHOWDROPDOWN = &H14F
Private Sub Combo1_GotFocus()
SendMessageLong Combo1.hwnd, CB_SHOWDROPDOWN, True, 0
End Sub
Private Sub Combo1_LostFocus()
SendMessageLong Combo1.hwnd, CB_SHOWDROPDOWN, False, 0
End Sub
Sub Form_Load()
Combo1.AddItem "Item 1"
Combo1.AddItem "Item 2"
Combo1.AddItem "Item 3"
End Sub
Reversing a String
editThis code demonstrates a small function that reverses the content of a string. To test this out set up a form with a single command button and two text boxes then paste in the code below. If you now enter the text "dlroW olleH" in text box 1 and press the command button you will see the reversal in text box 2, it should read "Hello World"
Option Explicit
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Text2 = ReverseStr(Text1.Text)
End Sub
Private Function ReverseStr(ByVal IPStr As String) As String
Dim i As Integer
For i = Len(IPStr) To 1 Step -1
ReverseStr = ReverseStr & Mid(IPStr, i, 1)
Next
End Function
Preventing flicker during update
editIt's a common problem that controls seem to flicker as they are updated. This can be due to Windows updating a control's screen image multiple times during an update or Windows updating a control during the monitor vertical refresh. The technique below gives you the ability to lock individual controls or the entire form window during updates, this allows you to dictate to Windows when the screen updating should be done. Another way of reducing flicker is to set the form's ClipControl property to false, this forces Windows to paint the form screen as whole instead of trying to preserve the look of individual controls (it can also increase the speed of your application). For those of you having problems with flickering graphics you should investigate using the API call BitBlt (Bit Block Transfer) instead of methods like Paintpicture.
To test the code below create a new VB project and place two command buttons and a combo box on the form. The first button will populate the combo box whilst the control is locked. The second button will unlock the control and allow Windows to refresh it. Change the Hwnd to reflect the name of the control or form you want to lock.
Private Declare Function LockWindowUpdate Lib "User32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim i As Integer
Combo1.Clear ' Clear and refresh the control to show the changes
Combo1.Refresh
' Lock the control to prevent redrawing
LockWindowUpdate Combo1.hWnd
' Update the control
For i = 0 To 200
Combo1.AddItem "Entry " & i, i
Next
Combo1.ListIndex = 150
End Sub
Private Sub Command2_Click()
' Unlock
LockWindowUpdate 0
End Sub
Useful Date Functions
editAll these functions except Lastofmonth (Elliot Spener's) were sent into PCW magazine by Simon Faulkner. I've found these date functions very handy, if you have any other useful functions let me know and I'll put them on.
Firstofmonth = Now() - Day(Now()) + 1
Lastofmonth = DateAdd("m", 1, Date - Day(Date))
Firstofyear = Now() - Datepart("y", Now()) + 1
Lastofyear = Dateadd("yyyy", 1, Now() - Datepart("y", Now()))
Daysinmonth = Datepart("d", Dateadd("m", 1, Now() - Day(Now))))
Daysleftinyear = Dateadd("yyyy", 1, Now() - Datepart("y", Now())) - Now()
Daysleftuntilchristmas = Dateadd("yyyy", 1, Now() - Datepart("y", Now())) - Now() - 7
Daysinyear = Dateadd("yyyy", 1, Now() - Datepart("y", Now())) - (Now() - Datepart("y", Now()))
Leapyear = IIf((Dateadd("yyyy", 1, Now() - Datepart("y", Now())) - (Now() - Datepart("y", Now()))) = 366, True, False)
Blast Effect
editMakes a circular blast effect on the picture box, make sure you rename it pic. X and Y is the center of the circle, R is the radius of the blast effect
For angle=1 to 360
pic.line (x,y) - (x + r * cos(angle*3.14159265358979/180),y + r * sin(angle*3.14159265358979/180))
next angle
Sleep Function
editThis is useful if you want to put your program in a wait state for a specific period of time. Just paste the code below into a new form to test it and attach it to a command button, then run it - you can view the time in the debug window. 1000 milliseconds = 1 second (but you probably knew that).
Private Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Debug.Print "Started - " & Time()
Sleep 1000
Debug.Print "Ended - " & Time()
End Sub
Random Numbers
editRandom numbers are not truly random if the random number generator isn't started, so you need to start it before using Rnd()
Randomize()
Replace HighestNumber and LowestNumber with your own range.
X=Int((HighestNumber - LowestNum + 1) * Rnd + LowestNumber)
Animated Mouse Cursor
editThe code below demonstrates how to change the mouse cursor from the base cursor to one of the animated ones. Open up a new project, add a drop list and a command button to the form then add in the code below and run it.
Option Explicit
Public Const GCL_HCURSOR = -12
Declare Function ClipCursor Lib "user32" _
(lpRect As Any) _
As Long
Declare Function DestroyCursor Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hCursor As Any) _
As Long
Declare Function LoadCursorFromFile Lib "user32" Alias "LoadCursorFromFileA" _
(ByVal lpFileName As String) _
As Long
Declare Function SetClassLong Lib "user32" Alias "SetClassLongA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long, ByVal dwNewLong As Long) _
As Long
Declare Function GetClassLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetClassLongA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) _
As Long
Private mhAniCursor As Long
Private mhBaseCursor As Long
Private lresult As Long
Private Sub Command1_Click()
' Sort out the user selection
If Combo1.ListIndex = 0 Then
lresult = SetClassLong((Form1.hwnd), GCL_HCURSOR, mhBaseCursor)
lresult = DestroyCursor(mhAniCursor)
Else
If Combo1.ListIndex = 1 Then
mhAniCursor = LoadCursorFromFile("C:\windows\cursors\hourglas.ani")
Else
mhAniCursor = LoadCursorFromFile("C:\windows\cursors\globe.ani")
End If
lresult = SetClassLong((Form1.hwnd), GCL_HCURSOR, mhAniCursor)
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Load()
' Set up the list of cursor options
Combo1.AddItem "Normal", 0
Combo1.AddItem "HourGlass", 1
Combo1.AddItem "Globe", 2
Combo1.ListIndex = 0
' Grab the current base cursor
mhBaseCursor = GetClassLong((hwnd), GCL_HCURSOR)
End Sub
Adding a bitmap to a menu entry
editThe code below demonstrates how to add 13x13 bitmap pictures (not icons) to the left hand of each menu entry. You can define a different bitmap for both the checked and unchecked condition (as shown) or set one of these values to zero if you don't want a bitmap shown for a particular condition.
The project uses 2 picture boxes (each holding one of the required bitmaps and set to be non visible), a button and any amount of menus and submenus.
Private Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long) _
As Long
Private Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hMenu As Long, ByVal nPos As Long) _
As Long
Private Declare Function GetMenuItemID Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hMenu As Long, ByVal nPos As Long) _
As Long
Private Declare Function SetMenuItemBitmaps Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hMenu As Long, ByVal nPosition As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long, _
ByVal hBitmapUnchecked As Long, ByVal hBitmapChecked As Long) _
As Long
Private Declare Function GetMenuItemCount Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hMenu As Long) _
As Long
Private Const MF_BITMAP = &H4&
Private Sub AddIconToMenus_Click()
Dim i1 As Long, i2 As Long, Ret As Long
Dim MnHndl As Long
Dim SMnHndl As Long
Dim MCnt As Long
Dim SMCnt As Long
Dim SMnID As Long
MnHndl = GetMenu(Form1.hwnd)' Get the menu handle for the current form
MCnt = GetMenuItemCount(MnHndl) ' Find out how many menus there are
For i1 = 0 To MCnt - 1 ' Process each menu entry
SMnHndl = GetSubMenu(MnHndl, i1) 'Get the next submenu handle for this menu
SMCnt = GetMenuItemCount(SMnHndl) 'Find out how many entries are in this submenu
For i2 = 0 To SMCnt - 1 'Process each submenu entry
SMnID = GetMenuItemID(SMnHndl, i2) 'Get each entry ID for the current submenu
' Add two pictures - one for checked and one for unchecked
Ret = SetMenuItemBitmaps(MnHndl, SMnID, MF_BITMAP, Picture2.Picture, Picture1.Picture)
Next i2
Next i1
End Sub
Convert Base Numbers
editThis code demonstrates how to convert numbers to and from Decimal, Binary, Octal and Hexadecimal.
Public Function BinToDec(Num As String) As Long
Dim n As Integer
n = Len(Num) - 1
A = n
Do While n > -1
X = Mid(Num, ((A + 1) - n), 1)
BinToDec = IIf((X = "1"), BinToDec + (2 ^ (n)), BinToDec)
n = n - 1
Loop
End Function
Public Function OctToDec(Num As String) As Long
Dim n As Integer
Dim Y As Integer
n = Len(Num) - 1
A = n
Do While n > -7
X = Mid(Num, ((A + 1) - n), 1)
For Y = 1 To 7
OctToDec = IIf((X = CStr(Y)), OctToDec + (Y * (8 ^ (n))), OctToDec)
Next
n = n - 1
Loop
End Function
Public Function HexToDec(Num As String) As String
Dim n As Integer
Dim Y As Integer
Dim X As String
n = Len(Num) - 1
A = n
Do While n > -15
X = Mid(Num, ((A + 1) - n), 1)
For Y = 1 To 15
HexToDec = IIf((X = CStr(Y)), HexToDec + (Y * (8 ^ (n))), HexToDec)
Next
n = n - 1
Loop
End Function
Public Function DecToBin(DeciValue As Long, Optional NoOfBits As Integer = 8) As String
Dim i As Integer
On Error Resume Next
Do While DeciValue > (2 ^ NoOfBits) - 1
NoOfBits = NoOfBits + 8
Loop
DecToBin = ""
For i = 0 To (NoOfBits - 1)
DecToBin = CStr((DeciValue And 2 ^ i) / 2 ^ i) & DecToBin
Next i
End Function
Public Function DecToOct(Num as Long) as Long
DecToOct = Oct$(Num)
End Function
Public Function DecToHex(Num as String) as String
DecToHex = Hex$(Num)
End Function
Application Launching
editThe code below demonstrates how to launch the default "Open" action for any given file (which will normally mean launching the application that handles data files of that type). I've also included a variation of ShellExecute that allows you to launch the default system Internet browser and have it go immediately to a specified Web site.
' Required declarations
Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, _
ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, _
ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) _
As Long
Private Declare Function GetDesktopWindow Lib "user32" () As Long
Private Const SW_SHOWDEFAULT = 10
Private Const SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED = 3
Private Const SW_SHOWMINIMIZED = 2
Private Const SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE = 7
Private Const SW_SHOWNA = 8
Private Const SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE = 4
Private Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1
Private Sub Command1_Click()
' Open the browser and goto a specified site
Dim DWHdc As Long, Ret As Long
Dim PathAndFile As String
PathAndFile = File1.Path & "\" & File1.filename
' Use the desktop window as the parent
DWHdc = GetDesktopWindow()
Ret = ShellExecute(DWHdc, "Open", Text1.Text, "", "c:\", SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED)
End Sub
Private Sub Dir1_Change()
File1.Path = Dir1.Path
End Sub
Private Sub Drive1_Change()
Dir1.Path = Drive1.Drive
End Sub
Private Sub File1_DblClick()
' Launch the default "Open" action for the file
Dim DWHdc As Long, Ret As Long
Dim PathAndFile As String
PathAndFile = File1.Path & "\" & File1.filename
' Use the desktop window as the parent
DWHdc = GetDesktopWindow()
Ret = ShellExecute(DWHdc, "Open", PathAndFile, "", File1.Path, SW_SHOWNORMAL)
End Sub
Rounding Things Up
editIf you're bored of rectangular controls on rectangular forms then try the code below. Open a new project, put a command button on it, paste this code in and then run it. You should see a round button on a round form, it works on most controls. The code is fairly straightforward, you calculate the size of the ellipse required and feed this through two API calls. With a bit of playing you can get some very odd effects.
Private hwndDest As Long
Private Declare Function CreateEllipticRgn Lib "gdi32" _
(ByVal X1 As Long, ByVal Y1 As Long, _
ByVal X2 As Long, ByVal Y2 As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetWindowRgn Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal hRgn As Long, _
ByVal bRedraw As Long) As Long
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Unload Me
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim hr&, dl&
Dim usew&, useh&
hwndDest = Me.hWnd
usew& = Me.Width / Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
useh& = Me.Height / Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
hr& = CreateEllipticRgn(0, 0, usew&, useh&)
dl& = SetWindowRgn(hwndDest, hr, True)
hwndDest = Command1.hWnd
usew& = Command1.Width / Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
useh& = Command1.Height / Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
hr& = CreateEllipticRgn(0, 0, usew&, useh&)
dl& = SetWindowRgn(hwndDest, hr, True)
End Sub
TCP/Winsock - Point-to-Point Connection
editThis is a client-server Point-to-Point TCP over Winsock snippet, which settings are hard-coded. The snippet will connect to the server through the loopback adapter through port 50000, and the conversation would be the client sending the server a "Hello World" message which the server would show on a MsgBox. The server could only accept one connection from a client, if there is a second connection request from another client it would disconnect the first connection (thus, Point-to-Point). For a Point-to-Multipoint code (the server allows multiple connection from multiple client) see below.
Client Code
editAdd the following controls
- Winsock Control - Name="sckClient"
- Command Button - Name="Command1", Caption="Say "Hello World""
- Command Button - Name="Command2", Caption="Make a Connection"
- (Optional) Timer - Name="Timer1", Interval="1", Enabled="True"
Option Explicit
Private Sub Command1_Click()
' If connected, send data, if not, popup a msgbox telling to connect first
If sckClient.State <> sckConnected Then
MsgBox "Connect First"
Else
sckClient.SendData "Hello World"
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Command2_Click()
' If there is already a connection, close it first,
' failure of doing this would result in an error
If sckClient.State <> sckClosed Then sckClient.Close
' OK, the winsock is free, we could open a new connection
sckClient.Connect "127.0.0.1", 50000
End Sub
Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
' Code for seeing the status of the winsock in the form window.
' For the meaning of the Status Code, go to the Object Browser (F2) and search for Winsock
Me.Caption = sckClient.State
End Sub
Server Code
editAdd the following control
- Winsock Control - Name="sckServer"
- (Optional) Timer - Name="Timer1", Interval="1", Enabled="True"
Option Explicit
Private Sub Form_Load()
' Listen to port 50000 for incoming connection from a client
sckServer.LocalPort = 50000
sckServer.Listen
End Sub
Private Sub sckServer_Close()
' If the connection is closed, restart the listening routine
' so other connection can be received.
sckServer.Close
sckServer.Listen
End Sub
Private Sub sckServer_ConnectionRequest(ByVal requestID As Long)
' If the connection is not closed close it first before accepting a connection
' You can alter this behaviour, like to refuse the second connection
If sckServer.State <> sckClosed Then sckServer.Close
sckServer.Accept requestID
End Sub
Private Sub sckServer_DataArrival(ByVal bytesTotal As Long)
Dim Data As String
' Receive the data (GetData),
' Clear the data buffer (automatic with calling GetData),
' Display the data on a MsgBox
sckServer.GetData Data
MsgBox Data
End Sub
Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
' Code for seeing the status of the winsock in the form window.
' For the meaning of the Status Code, go to the Object Browser (F2) and search for Winsock
Me.Caption = sckServer.State
End Sub
TCP/Winsock - Point-to-MultiPoint Connection
editThis snippet is the same as the TCP/Winsock - Point-to-Point Connection above, but this code allows the server to receive multiple connection from multiple client simultaneously. This behavior is achieved by using Control Array. The Winsock Control Array index 0 is a special one, since it is never opened, it'll only listen for incoming connection, and assign to another Winsock control if there is an incoming connection. The server code is coded to reuse existing WinSock control that is already closed to receive new connection. The client code is the same as with the Point-to-Point snippet. The client will never unload Winsock control that is already open. You should understand Point-to-Point Connection before trying to implement Point-to-Multipoint connection.
Client Code
editThe same with client code for Point-to-Point Client Code
Server Code
editAdd the following control
- Winsock Control - Name="sckServer", Index="0"
- (Optional) Timer - Name="Timer1", Interval="1", Enabled="True"
Private Sub Form_Load()
' Open a listening routine on port 50000
sckServer(0).LocalPort = 50000
sckServer(0).Listen
End Sub
Private Sub sckServer_Close(Index As Integer)
' Close the WinSock so it could be reopened if needed
sckServer(Index).Close
End Sub
Private Sub sckServer_ConnectionRequest(Index As Integer, ByVal requestID As Long)
Dim sock As Winsock
' If there is any closed Winsock, accept on that Winsock
For Each sock In sckServer
If sock.State = sckClosed Then
sock.Accept requestID
Exit Sub
End If
Next
' Else make a new Winsock
Load sckServer(sckServer.UBound + 1)
sckServer(sckServer.UBound).Accept requestID
End Sub
Private Sub sckServer_DataArrival(Index As Integer, ByVal bytesTotal As Long)
Dim Data As String
' Receive the data (GetData) for the connection that is receiving,
' Clear the data buffer (automatic with calling GetData) of the receiving connection,
' Display the data on a MsgBox with the index of the receiving Winsock
sckServer(Index).GetData Data, vbString
MsgBox Data & vbCrLf & Index
End Sub
Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
Dim conn As Winsock
' Display the status for all connection on the window bar
' The status code is space-separated
Me.Caption = ""
For Each conn In sckServer
Me.Caption = Me.Caption & " " & conn.State
Next
End Sub
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