vb.net storing "i" amount of textbox values in an array

Question

My program has the ability to add textboxes during run time. The amount of textboxes on the form at run time is stored in the variable i. I need to create an array that stores all of the values from each of the textboxes in a place in the array up to the value of i. All of the textboxes have names that count upwards. Example:

Textbox1
Textbox2
Textbox3

And so on. In summary, is there any way I can store the values of i amount of textboxes, in an array? Any help will be appreciated, thanks.

Additional note:

This program is kind of like a registration form, besides the fact that there could be any amount of textboxes on the form to store in the array.
The procedure that would add the values of the textboxes to an array will be triggered by a button press, so i cannot add add the values of the textboxes as they are created.

Rather than using an array to store references to the TextBoxes, you would very probably be better off using a List(Of TextBox), as implied by Marc Johnston's answer. — Andrew Morton
– Andrew Morton, Commented May 18, 2015 at 20:06

Marc Johnston · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-18 20:11:14Z

2

When you create the textboxes at runtime, add the textbox into a list, similar to below:

    Dim textboxes As New List(Of TextBox)
    For I = 1 To 3
        Dim tb As New TextBox
        textboxes.Add(tb)
    Next

Then you can enumerate the list and process each textbox separately. Similar to below:

    For Each tb As TextBox In textboxes
        Dim value As String = tb.Text
    Next

edited May 18, 2015 at 20:11

answered May 18, 2015 at 19:46

Marc Johnston

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3 Comments

Dan Hayes Over a year ago

i think that each time a new textbox is added to this, it overrides the previous textbox entered.

Marc Johnston Over a year ago

You have to add code to place the textbox into the desired parent form or container control.

Dan Hayes Over a year ago

oops, nevermind, i added the code in wrong... it works tho, thanks :)

Paul Sasik · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-18 20:35:43Z

1

You can use a dictionary to store the index of each text box and the associated text box value. Define the dictionary like this:

Dim dict As New Dictionary(Of String, String)

Populate it like this:

For index As Integer = 0 To 5
    dim txtBox = new TextBox
    txtBox.Name = index ' we'll make this index the name
    MyForm.Controls.Add(txtBox);
    dict.Add(index, txtBox )
Next

Then use it like this: (for example, when text changes and the text control is sender)

dim txtBox = (TextBox)sender;
dict(txtBox .Name) = txtBox .Text

Here are a couple of links for references to what I used above:

And take the code samples with a grain of salt. I'm not on a machine with an IDE.

edited May 18, 2015 at 20:35

answered May 18, 2015 at 19:57

Paul Sasik

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1 Comment

Dan Hayes Over a year ago

Thanks, im doing some research into the dictionary stuff :)

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