Control Arrays

Here is the code for an example program that looks like this:

You can create an array of controls/widgets/objects.   This example creates an array of buttons, but it could easily be labels, textboxes, picture boxes, or another type of control.

Download the code by clicking on the Zip file.

Public Class Form1
Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

    ' create an array of buttons
    Dim c() As Button

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim i As Integer

        ' resize the array of buttons
        ReDim c(10)

        ' set the properties for each button in the array
        For i = 0 To 9
            ' allocate the button
            c(i) = New System.Windows.Forms.Button()
            With c(i)
                .Text = i
                .Size = New Size(20, 20)
                .Location = New Point(i * 10, i * 10)
                ' store the index value for this button in the array c
                .Tag = i
                ' wire this button's click event to a common click sub routine
                AddHandler .Click, AddressOf Me.btnArrayClick
            End With
        Next

        ' add the control array to the form
        Me.Controls.AddRange(c)
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnArrayClick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
        ' see which button was clicked, check out its index in the array
        MsgBox(sender.Text & " index=" & sender.Tag)
    End Sub
End Class