Display Layers

·         In this class, we will look at our first graphic type controls:  line tools, shape tools, picture boxes, and image boxes.  And, with this introduction, we need to discuss the idea of display layers.

·         Items shown on a form are not necessarily all on the same layer of display.  A form's display is actually made up of three layers as sketched below.  All information displayed directly on the form (by printing or drawing with graphics methods) appears on the bottom-layer.  Information from label boxes, image boxes, line tools, and shape tools, appears on the middle-layer.  And, all other objects are displayed on the top-layer.

·         What this means is you have to be careful where you put things on a form or something could be covered up.  For example, text printed on the form would be hidden by a command button placed on top of it.  Things drawn with the shape tool are covered by all controls except the image box.

·         The next question then is what establishes the relative location of objects in the same layer.  That is, say two command buttons are in the same area of a form - which one lies on top of which one?  The order in which objects in the same layer overlay each other is called the Z-order.  This order is first established when you draw the form.  Items drawn last lie over items drawn earlier.  Once drawn, however, the Z-order can be modified by clicking on the desired object and choosing Bring to Front from Visual Basic's Edit menu.  The Send to Back command has the opposite effect.  Note these two commands only work within a layer; middle-layer objects will always appear behind top-layer objects and lower layer objects will always appear behind middle-layer objects.

Line Tool

·         The line tool creates simple straight line segments of various width and color.  Together with the shape tool discussed next, you can use this tool to 'dress up' your application.

·         Line Tool Properties:

BorderColor      Determines the line color.

BorderStyle       Determines the line 'shape'.  Lines can be transparent, solid, dashed, dotted, and combinations.

BorderWidth      Determines line width.

·         There are no events or methods associated with the line tool.

·         Since the line tool lies in the middle-layer of the form display, any lines drawn will be obscured by all controls except the shape tool or image box.

Shape Tool

·         The shape tool can create circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, and rounded squares and rectangles.  Colors can be used and various fill patterns are available.

·         Shape Tool Properties:

BackColor          Determines the background color of the shape (only used when FillStyle not Solid.

BackStyle           Determines whether the background is transparent or opaque.

BorderColor      Determines the color of the shape's outline.

BorderStyle       Determines the style of the shape's outline.  The border can be transparent, solid, dashed, dotted, and combinations.

BorderWidth      Determines the width of the shape border line.

FillColor              Defines the interior color of the shape.

FillStyle               Determines the interior pattern of a shape.  Some choices are:  solid, transparent, cross, etc.

Shape                  Determines whether the shape is a square, rectangle, circle, or some other choice.

·         Like the line tool, events and methods are not used with the shape tool. 

·         Shapes are covered by all objects except perhaps line tools and image boxes (depends on their Z-order) and printed or drawn information.  This is a good feature in that you usually use shapes to contain a group of control objects and you'd want them to lie on top of the shape.

Horizontal and Vertical Scroll Bars

·         Horizontal and vertical scroll bars are widely used in Windows applications.  Scroll bars provide an intuitive way to move through a list of information and make great input devices.

·         Both type of scroll bars are comprised of three areas that can be clicked, or dragged, to change the scroll bar value.  Those areas are:

Clicking an end arrow increments the scroll box a small amount, clicking the bar area increments the scroll box a large amount, and dragging the scroll box (thumb) provides continuous motion.  Using the properties of scroll bars, we can completely specify how one works.  The scroll box position is the only output information from a scroll bar.

·         Scroll Bar Properties:

LargeChange    Increment added to or subtracted from the scroll bar Value property when the bar area is clicked.

Max                      The value of the horizontal scroll bar at the far right and the value of the vertical scroll bar at the bottom.  Can range from -32,768 to 32,767.

Min                       The other extreme value - the horizontal scroll bar at the left and the vertical scroll bar at the top.  Can range from -32,768 to 32,767.

SmallChange     The increment added to or subtracted from the scroll bar Value property when either of the scroll arrows is clicked.

Value                   The current position of the scroll box (thumb) within the scroll bar.  If you set this in code, Visual Basic moves the scroll box to the proper position.

Properties for horizontal scroll bar:

Properties for vertical scroll bar:

·         A couple of important notes about scroll bars:

1. Note that although the extreme values are called Min and Max, they do not necessarily represent minimum and maximum values.  There is nothing to keep the Min value from being greater than the Max value.  In fact, with vertical scroll bars, this is the usual case.  Visual Basic automatically adjusts the sign on the SmallChange and LargeChange properties to insure proper movement of the scroll box from one extreme to the other.

2. If you ever change the Value, Min, or Max properties in code, make sure Value is at all times between Min and Max or and the program will stop with an error message.

·         Scroll Bar Events:

Change               Event is triggered after the scroll box's position has been modified.  Use this event to retrieve the Value property after any changes in the scroll bar.

Scroll                   Event triggered continuously whenever the scroll box is being moved.

Example 4-1

Temperature Conversion

Start a new project.  In this project, we convert temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit (set using a scroll bar) to degrees Celsius.  As mentioned in the Review and Preview section, you should try to build this application with minimal reference to the notes.  To that end, let's look at the project specifications. 

One Possible Approach to Temperature Conversion Application:

1.    Place a shape, a vertical scroll bar, four labels, and a command button on the form.  Put the scroll bar within the shape - since it is in the top-layer of the form, it will lie in the shape.  It should resemble this:

2.    Set the properties of the form and each object:

Form1:

      BorderStyle               1-Fixed Single

      Caption                      Temperature Conversion

      Name                         frmTemp

Shape1:

      BackColor                 White

      BackStyle                  1-Opaque

      FillColor                     Red

      FillStyle                      7-Diagonal Cross

      Shape                        4-Rounded Rectangle

VScroll1:

      LargeChange           10

      Max                             -60

      Min                             120

      Name                         vsbTemp

      SmallChange           1

      Value                         32

Label1:

      Alignment                 2-Center

      Caption                      Fahrenheit

      FontSize                    10

      FontStyle                   Bold

Label2:

      Alignment                 2-Center

      AutoSize                    True

      BackColor                 White

      BorderStyle               1-Fixed Single

      Caption                      32

      FontSize                    14

      FontStyle                   Bold

      Name                         lblTempF

Label3:

      Alignment                 2-Center

      Caption                      Celsius

      FontSize                    10

      FontStyle                   Bold

Label4:

      Alignment                 2-Center

      AutoSize                    True

      BackColor                 White

      BorderStyle               1-Fixed Single

      Caption                      0

      FontSize                    14

      FontStyle                   Bold

      Name                         lblTempC

Command1:

      Cancel                       True

      Caption                      E&xit

      Name                         cmdExit

Note the temperatures are initialized at 32F and 0C, known values.

When done, the form should look like this:

3.    Put this code in the general declarations of your code window.

Option Explicit

Dim TempF As Integer

Dim TempC As Integer

This makes the two temperature variables global.

4.    Attach the following code to the scroll bar Scroll event.

Private Sub vsbTemp_Scroll()

'Read F and convert to C

TempF = vsbTemp.Value

lblTempF.Caption = Str(TempF)

TempC = CInt((TempF - 32) * 5 / 9)

lblTempC.Caption = Str(TempC)

End Sub

This code determines the scroll bar Value as it scrolls, takes that value as Fahrenheit temperature, computes Celsius temperature, and displays both values.

5.    Attach the following code to the scroll bar Change event.

Private Sub vsbTemp_Change()

'Read F and convert to C

TempF = vsbTemp.Value

lblTempF.Caption = Str(TempF)

TempC = CInt((TempF - 32) * 5 / 9)

lblTempC.Caption = Str(TempC)

End Sub

Note this code is identical to that used in the Scroll event.  This is almost always the case when using scroll bars.

6.    Attach the following code to the cmdExit_Click procedure.

Private Sub cmdExit_Click()

End

End Sub

7.    Give the program a try.  Make sure it provides correct information at obvious points.  For example, 32 F better always be the same as 0 C!  Save the project - we’ll return to it briefly in Class 5.

Other things to try:

1. Can you find a point where Fahrenheit temperature equals Celsius temperature?  If you don't know this off the top of your head, it's obvious you've never lived in extremely cold climates.  I've actually witnessed one of those bank temperature signs flashing degrees F and degrees C and seeing the same number!

2. Ever wonder why body temperature is that odd figure of 98.6 degrees F?  Can your new application give you some insight to an answer to this question?

3. It might be interesting to determine how wind affects perceived temperature - the wind chill.  Add a second scroll bar to input wind speed and display both the actual and wind adjusted temperatures.  You would have to do some research to find the mathematics behind wind chill computations.  This is not a trivial extension of the application.

Picture Boxes

·         The picture box allows you to place graphics information on a form.  It is best suited for dynamic environments - for example, when doing animation. 

·         Picture boxes lie in the top layer of the form display.  They behave very much like small forms within a form, possessing most of the same properties as a form.

·         Picture Box Properties:

AutoSize             If True, box adjusts its size to fit the displayed graphic.

Font                     Sets the font size, style, and size of any printing done in the picture box.

Picture                 Establishes the graphics file to display in the picture box.

·         Picture Box Events:

Click                     Triggered when a picture box is clicked.

DblClick              Triggered when a picture box is double-clicked.

·         Picture Box Methods:

Cls                        Clears the picture box.

Print                     Prints information to the picture box.

Examples

picExample.Cls ' clears the box picExample

picExample.Print "a picture box" ' prints text string to picture box

·         Picture Box LoadPicture Procedure:

An important function when using picture boxes is the LoadPicture procedure.  It is used to set the Picture property of a picture box at run-time.

Example

      picExample.Picture = LoadPicture("c:\pix\sample.bmp")

This command loads the graphics file c:\pix\sample.bmp into the Picture property of the picExample picture box.  The argument in the LoadPicture function must be a legal, complete path and file name, else your program will stop with an error message.

·         Five types of graphics files can be loaded into a picture box:

Bitmap                       An image represented by pixels and stored as a collection of bits in which each bit corresponds to one pixel.  Usually has a .bmp extension.  Appears in original size.

Icon                            A special type of bitmap file of maximum 32 x 32 size.  Has a .ico extension.  We’ll create icon files in Class 5.  Appears in original size.

Metafile                      A file that stores an image as a collection of graphical objects (lines, circles, polygons) rather than pixels.  Metafiles preserve an image more accurately than bitmaps when resized.  Has a .wmf extension.  Resizes itself to fit the picture box area.

JPEG                         JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a compressed bitmap format which supports 8 and 24 bit color.  It is popular on the Internet.  Has a .jpg extension and scales nicely.

GIF                              GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) is a compressed bitmap format originally developed by CompuServe.  It supports up to 256 colors and is popular on the Internet.  Has a .gif extension and scales nicely.

Image Boxes

·         An image box is very similar to a picture box in that it allows you to place graphics information on a form.  Image boxes are more suited for static situations - that is, cases where no modifications will be done to the displayed graphics.

·         Image boxes appear in the middle-layer of form display, hence they could be obscured by picture boxes and other objects.  Image box graphics can be resized by using the Stretch property.

·         Image Box Properties:

Picture                 Establishes the graphics file to display in the image box.

Stretch                If False, the image box resizes itself to fit the graphic.  If True, the graphic resizes to fit the control area.

·         Image Box Events:

Click                     Triggered when a image box is clicked.

DblClick              Triggered when a image box is double-clicked.

·         The image box does not support any methods, however it does use the LoadPicture function.  It is used in exactly the same manner as the picture box uses it.  And image boxes can load the same file types:  bitmap (.bmp), icon (.ico), metafiles (.wmf), GIF files (.gif), and JPEG files (.jpg).  With Stretch = True, all three graphic types will expand to fit the image box area.

Quick Example:  Picture and Image Boxes

1.    Start a new project.  Draw one picture box and one image box.

2.    Set the Picture property of the picture and image box to the same file.  If you have graphics files installed with Visual Basic, bitmap files can be found in the bitmaps folder, icon files in the icons folder, and metafiles are in the metafile folder.

3.    Notice what happens as you resize the two boxes.  Notice the layer effect when you move one box on top of the other.  Notice the effect of the image box Stretch property.  Play around with different file types - what differences do you see?

Drive List Box

·         The drive list box control allows a user to select a valid disk drive at run-time.  It displays the available drives in a drop-down combo box.  No code is needed to load a drive list box; Visual Basic does this for us.  We use the box to get the current drive identification.

·         Drive List Box Properties:

Drive                    Contains the name of the currently selected drive.

·         Drive List Box Events:

Change               Triggered whenever the user or program changes the drive selection.

Directory List Box

·         The directory list box displays an ordered, hierarchical list of the user's disk directories and subdirectories.  The directory structure is displayed in a list box.  Like, the drive list box, little coding is needed to use the directory list box - Visual Basic does most of the work for us.

·         Directory List Box Properties:

Path                     Contains the current directory path.

·         Directory List Box Events:

Change               Triggered when the directory selection is changed.

File List Box

·         The file list box locates and lists files in the directory specified by its Path property at run-time.  You may select the types of files you want to display in the file list box.

·         File List Box Properties:

FileName            Contains the currently selected file name.

Path                     Contains the current path directory.

Pattern                Contains a string that determines which files will be displayed.  It supports the use of * and ? wildcard characters.  For example, using *.dat only displays files with the .dat extension.

·         File List Box Events:

DblClick              Triggered whenever a file name is double-clicked.

PathChange      Triggered whenever the path changes in a file list box.

·         You can also use the MultiSelect property of the file list box to allow multiple file selection.

Synchronizing the Drive, Directory, and File List Boxes

·         The drive, directory, and file list boxes are almost always used together to obtain a file name.  As such, it is important that their operation be synchronized to insure the displayed information is always consistent.

·         When the drive selection is changed (drive box Change event), you should update the directory path.  For example, if the drive box is named drvExample and the directory box is dirExample, use the code:

dirExample.Path = drvExample.Drive

·         When the directory selection is changed (directory box Change event), you should update the displayed file names.  With a file box named filExample, this code is:

filExample.Path = dirExample.Path

·         Once all of the selections have been made and you want the file name, you need to form a text string that correctly and completely specifies the file identifier.  This string concatenates the drive, directory, and file name information.  This should be an easy task, except for one problem.  The problem involves the backslash (\) character.  If you are at the root directory of your drive, the path name ends with a backslash.  If you are not at the root directory, there is no backslash at the end of the path name and you have to add one before tacking on the file name. 

·         Example code for concatenating the available information into a proper file name and then loading it into an image box is:

Dim YourFile as String

If Right(filExample.Path,1) = "\" Then

  YourFile = filExample.Path + filExample.FileName

Else

  YourFile = filExample.Path + "\" + filExample.FileName

End If

imgExample.Picture = LoadPicture(YourFile)

Note we only use properties of the file list box.  The drive and directory box properties are only used to create changes in the file list box via code.

Example 4-2

Image Viewer

Start a new project.  In this application, we search our computer's file structure for graphics files and display the results of our search in an image box.

One possible solution to the Image Viewer Application:

1.     Place a drive list box, directory list box, file list box, four label boxes, a line (use the line tool) and a command button on the form.  We also want to add an image box, but make it look like it's in some kind of frame.  Build this display area in these steps:  draw a 'large shape', draw another shape within this first shape that is the size of the image display area, and lastly, draw an image box right on top of this last shape.  Since the two shapes and image box are in the same display layer, the image box is on top of the second shape which is on top of the first shape, providing the desired effect of a kind of picture frame.  The form should look like this:

Note the second shape is directly beneath the image box.

2.    Set properties of the form and each object.

Form1:

      BorderStyle               1-Fixed Single

      Caption                      Image Viewer

      Name                         frmImage

Drive1:

      Name                         drvImage

Dir1:

      Name                         dirImage

File1:

      Name                         filImage

      Pattern                       *.bmp;*.ico;*.wmf;*gif;*jpg

                                          [type this line with no spaces]

Label1:

      Caption                      [Blank]

      BackColor                 Yellow

      BorderStyle               1-Fixed Single

      Name                         lblImage

Label2:

      Caption                      Files:

Label3:

      Caption                      Directories:

Label4:

      Caption                      Drives:

Command1:

      Caption                      &Show Image

      Default                       True

      Name                         cmdShow

Command2:

      Cancel                       True

      Caption                      E&xit

      Name                         cmdExit

Line1:

      BorderWidth              3

Shape1:

      BackColor                 Cyan

      BackStyle                  1-Opaque

      FillColor                     Blue

      FillStyle                      4-Upward Diagonal

      Shape                        4-Rounded Rectangle

Shape2:

      BackColor                 White

      BackStyle                  1-Opaque

Image1:

      BorderStyle               1-Fixed Single

      Name                         imgImage

      Stretch                       True

3.    Attach the following code to the drvImage_Change procedure.

Private Sub drvImage_Change()

'If drive changes, update directory

dirImage.Path = drvImage.Drive

End Sub

When a new drive is selected, this code forces the directory list box to display directories on that drive.

4.    Attach this code to the dirImage_Change procedure.

Private Sub dirImage_Change()

'If directory changes, update file path

filImage.Path = dirImage.Path

End Sub

Likewise, when a new directory is chosen, we want to see the files on that directory.

5.    Attach this code to the cmdShow_Click event.

Private Sub cmdShow_Click()

'Put image file name together and

'load image into image box

Dim ImageName As String

'Check to see if at root directory

If Right(filImage.Path, 1) = "\" Then

  ImageName = filImage.Path + filImage.filename

Else

  ImageName = filImage.Path + "\" + filImage.filename

End If

lblImage.Caption = ImageName

imgImage.Picture = LoadPicture(ImageName)

End Sub

This code forms the file name (ImageName) by concatenating the directory path with the file name.  It then displays the complete name and loads the picture into the image box.

6.    Copy the code from the cmdShow_Click procedure and paste it into the filImage_DblClick procedure.  The code is identical because we want to display the image either by double-clicking on the filename or clicking the command button once a file is selected.  Those of you who know how to call routines in Visual Basic should note that this duplication of code is unnecessary - we could simply have the filImage_DblClick procedure call the cmdShow_Click procedure.  We’ll learn more about this next class.

7.    Attach this code to the cmdExit_Click procedure.

Private Sub cmdExit_Click()

End

End Sub

8.    Save your project.  Run and try the application.  Find bitmaps, icons, and metafiles.  Notice how the image box Stretch property affects the different graphics file types.  Here’s how the form should look when displaying one example metafile:

Common Dialog Boxes

·         The primary use for the drive, directory, and file name list boxes is to develop custom file access routines.  Two common file access routines in Windows-based applications are the Open File and Save File operations.  Fortunately, you don’t have to build these routines.

·         To give the user a standard interface for common operations in Windows-based applications, Visual Basic provides a set of common dialog boxes, two of which are the Open and Save As dialog boxes.  Such boxes are familiar to any Windows user and give your application a professional look.  And, with Windows 95, some context-sensitive help is available while the box is displayed.  Appendix II lists many symbolic constants used with common dialog boxes.

·         The Common Dialog control is a ‘custom control’ which means we have to make sure some other files are present to use it.  In normal setup configurations, Visual Basic does this automatically.  If the common dialog box does not appear in the Visual Basic toolbox, you need to add it.  This is done by selecting Components under the Project menu.  When the selection box appears, click on Microsoft Common Dialog Control, then click OK.

·         The common dialog tool, although it appears on your form, is invisible at run-time.  You cannot control where the common dialog box appears on your screen.  The tool is invoked at run-time using one of five ‘Show’ methods.  These methods are:

Method                      Common Dialog Box

ShowOpen                Open dialog box

ShowSave                Save As dialog box

ShowColor                Color dialog box

ShowFont                 Font dialog box

ShowPrinter              Printer dialog box

·         The format for establishing a common dialog box named cdlExample so that an Open box appears is:

cdlExample.ShowOpen

Control to the program returns to the line immediately following this line, once the dialog box is closed in some manner.  Common dialog boxes are system modal.

·         Learning proper use of all the common dialog boxes would require an extensive amount of time.  In this class, we’ll limit ourselves to learning the basics of getting file names from the Open and Save As boxes in their default form.

Open Common Dialog Box

·         The Open common dialog box provides the user a mechanism for specifying the name of a file to open. We’ll worry about how to open a file in Class 6.  The box is displayed by using the ShowOpen method.  Here’s an example of an Open common dialog box:

·         Open Dialog Box Properties:

CancelError       If True, generates an error if the Cancel button is clicked.  Allows you to use error-handling procedures to recognize that Cancel was clicked.

DialogTitle          The string appearing in the title bar of the dialog box.  Default is Open.  In the example, the DialogTitle is Open Example.

FileName            Sets the initial file name that appears in the File name box.  After the dialog box is closed, this property can be read to determine the name of the selected file.

Filter                     Used to restrict the filenames that appear in the file list box.  Complete filter specifications for forming a Filter can be found using on-line help.  In the example, the Filter was set to allow Bitmap (*.bmp), Icon (*.ico), Metafile (*.wmf), GIF (*.gif), and JPEG (*.jpg) types (only the Bitmap choice is seen).

FilterIndex          Indicates which filter component is default.  The example uses a 1 for the FilterIndex (the default value).

Flags                    Values that control special features of the Open dialog box (see Appendix II).  The example uses no Flags value.

·         When the user closes the Open File box, you should check the returned file name to make sure it meets the specifications your application requires before you try to open the file.

Quick Example:  The Open Dialog Box

1.    Start a new project.  Place a common dialog control, a label box, and a command button on the form.  Set the following properties:

Form1:

      Caption                      Common Dialog Examples

      Name                         frmCommon

CommonDialog1:

      DialogTitle                 Open Example

      Filter                           Bitmaps (*.bmp)|*.bmp|

                                          Icons (*.ico)|*.ico|Metafiles (*.wmf)|*.wmf

                                          GIF Files (*.gif)|*.gif|JPEG Files (*,jpg)|*.jpg

                                          (all on one line)

      Name                         cdlExample

Label1:

      BorderStyle               1-Fixed Single

      Caption                      [Blank]

      Name                         lblExample

Command1:

      Caption                      &Display Box

      Name                         cmdDisplay

When done, the form should look like this (make sure your label box is very long):

2.    Attach this code to the cmdDisplay_Click procedure.

Private Sub cmdDisplay_Click()

cdlExample.ShowOpen

lblExample.Caption = cdlExample.filename

End Sub

This code brings up the Open dialog box when the button is clicked and shows the file name selected by the user once it is closed.

3.    Save the application.  Run it and try selecting file names and typing file names.  Notice names can be selected by highlighting and clicking the OK button or just by double-clicking the file name.  In this example, clicking the Cancel button is not trapped, so it has the same effect as clicking OK. 

4.    Notice once you select a file name, the next time you open the dialog box, that selected name appears as default, since the FileName property is not affected in code.

Save As Common Dialog Box

·         The Save As common dialog box provides the user a mechanism for specifying the name of a file to save. We’ll worry about how to save a file in Class 6.  The box is displayed by using the ShowSave method..  Here’s an example of a Save As common dialog box:

·         Save As Dialog Box Properties (mostly the same as those for the Open box):

CancelError       If True, generates an error if the Cancel button is clicked.  Allows you to use error-handling procedures to recognize that Cancel was clicked.

DefaultExt          Sets the default extension of a file name if a file is listed without an extension.

DialogTitle          The string appearing in the title bar of the dialog box.  Default is Save As.  In the example, the DialogTitle is Save As Example.

FileName            Sets the initial file name that appears in the File name box.  After the dialog box is closed, this property can be read to determine the name of the selected file.

Filter                     Used to restrict the filenames that appear in the file list box.

FilterIndex          Indicates which filter component is default.

Flags                    Values that control special features of the dialog box (see Appendix II).

·         The Save File box is commonly configured in one of two ways.  If a file is being saved for the first time, the Save As configuration, with some default name in the FileName property, is used.  In the Save configuration, we assume a file has been previously opened with some name.  Hence, when saving the file again, that same name should appear in the FileName property.  You’ve seen both configuration types before.

·         When the user closes the Save File box, you should check the returned file name to make sure it meets the specifications your application requires before you try to save the file.  Be especially aware of whether the user changed the file extension to something your application does not allow.

Quick Example:  The Save As Dialog Box

1.    We’ll just modify the Open example a bit.  Change the DialogTitle property of the common dialog control to “Save As Example” and set the DefaultExt property equal to “bmp”.

2.    In the cmdDisplay_Click procedure, change the method to ShowSave (opens Save As box).

3.    Save the application and run it.  Try typing names without extensions and note how .bmp is added to them.  Notice you can also select file names by double-clicking them or using the OK button.  Again, the Cancel button is not trapped, so it has the same effect as clicking OK. 

Exercise 4

Student Database Input Screen

You did so well with last week’s assignment that, now, a school wants you to develop the beginning structure of an input screen for its students.  The required input information is:

1.   Student Name

2.   Student Grade (1 through 6)

3.   Student Sex (Male or Female)

4.   Student Date of Birth (Month, Day, Year)

5.   Student Picture (Assume they can be loaded as bitmap files)

Set up the screen so that only the Name needs to be typed; all other inputs should be set with option buttons, scroll bars, and common dialog boxes.  When a screen of information is complete, display the summarized profile in a message box.  This profile message box should resemble this:

Note the student’s age must be computed from the input birth date - watch out for pitfalls in doing the computation.  The student’s picture does not appear in the profile, only on the input screen.

My Solution:

Form:

	Frame4
			optLevel
							cmdExit

Properties:

Form frmStudent:

            BorderStyle = 1- Fixed Single

            Caption = Student Profile

CommandButton cmdLoad:

            Caption = &Load Picture

Frame Frame3:

            Caption = Picture

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontBold = True

            FontSize = 9.75

            FontItalic = True

Image imgStudent:

            BorderStyle = 1 - Fixed Single

            Stretch = True

CommandButton cmdExit:

            Caption = E&xit

CommandButton cmdNew:

            Caption = &New Profile

CommandButton cmdShow:

            Caption = &Show Profile

Frame Frame4:

            Caption = Grade Level

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontBold = True

            FontSize = 9.75

            FontItalic = True

OptionButton optLevel:

            Caption = Grade 6

            Index = 5

OptionButton optLevel:

            Caption = Grade 5

            Index = 4

OptionButton optLevel:

            Caption = Grade 4

            Index = 3

OptionButton optLevel:

            Caption = Grade 3

            Index = 2

OptionButton optLevel:

            Caption = Grade 2

            Index = 1

OptionButton optLevel:

            Caption = Grade 1

            Index = 0

Frame Frame2:

            Caption = Sex

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontBold = True

            FontSize = 9.75

            FontItalic = True

OptionButton optSex:

            Caption = Female

            Index = 1

OptionButton optSex:

            Caption = Male

            Index = 0

Frame Frame1:

            Caption = Date of Birth

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontBold = True

            FontSize = 9.75

            FontItalic = True

VScrollBar vsbYear:

            Max = 1800

            Min = 2100

            Value = 1960

VScrollBar vsbDay:

            Max = 1

            Min = 31

            Value = 1

VScrollBar vsbMonth:

            Max = 1

            Min = 12

            Value = 1

Label lblYear:

            Alignment = 2 - Center

            BackColor = &H00FFFFFF& (White)

            BorderStyle = 1 - Fixed Single

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontSize = 10.8

Label lblDay:

            Alignment = 2 - Center

            BackColor = &H00FFFFFF& (White)

            BorderStyle = 1 - Fixed Single

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontSize = 10.8

Label lblMonth:

            Alignment = 2 - Center

            BackColor = &H00FFFFFF& (White)

            BorderStyle = 1 - Fixed Single

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontSize = 10.8

TextBox txtName:

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontSize = 10.8

CommonDialog cdlBox:

            Filter = Bitmaps (*.bmp)|*.bmp

Label Label1:

            Caption = Name

            FontName = MS Sans Serif

            FontBold = True

            FontSize = 9.75

            FontItalic = True

Code:

General Declarations:

Option Explicit

Dim Months(12) As String

Dim Days(12) As Integer

Dim Grade As String

cmdExit Click Event:

Private Sub cmdExit_Click()

End

End Sub

cmdLoad Click Event:

Private Sub cmdLoad_Click()

cdlbox.ShowOpen

imgStudent.Picture = LoadPicture(cdlbox.filename)

End Sub

cmdNew Click Event:

Private Sub cmdNew_Click()

'Blank out name and picture

txtName.Text = ""

imgStudent.Picture = LoadPicture("")

End Sub

cmdShow Click Event:

Private Sub cmdShow_Click()

Dim Is_Leap As Integer

Dim Msg As String, Age As Integer, Pronoun As String

Dim M As Integer, D As Integer, Y As Integer

'Check for leap year and if February is current month

If vsbMonth.Value = 2 And ((vsbYear.Value Mod 4 = 0 And vsbYear.Value Mod 100 <> 0) Or vsbYear.Value Mod 400 = 0) Then

  Is_Leap = 1

Else

  Is_Leap = 0

End If

'Check to make sure current day doesn't exceed number of days in month

If vsbDay.Value > Days(vsbMonth.Value) + Is_Leap Then

  MsgBox "Only" + Str(Days(vsbMonth.Value) + Is_Leap) + " days in " + Months(vsbMonth.Value), vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "Invalid Birth Date"

  Exit Sub

End If

'Get current date to compute age

M = Val(Format(Now, "mm"))

D = Val(Format(Now, "dd"))

Y = Val(Format(Now, "yyyy"))

Age = Y - vsbYear

If vsbMonth.Value > M Or (vsbMonth.Value = M And vsbDay > D) Then Age = Age - 1

'Check for valid age

If Age < 0 Then

  MsgBox "Birth date is before current date.", vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "Invalid Birth Date"

  Exit Sub

End If

'Check to make sure name entered

If txtName.Text = "" Then

  MsgBox "The profile requires a name.", vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "No Name Entered"

  Exit Sub

End If

'Put together student profile message

Msg = txtName.Text + " is a student in the " + Grade + " grade." + vbCr

If optSex(0).Value = True Then Pronoun = "He " Else Pronoun = "She "

Msg = Msg + Pronoun + " is" + Str(Age) + " years old." + vbCr

MsgBox Msg, vbOKOnly, "Student Profile"

End Sub

Form Load Event:

Private Sub Form_Load()

'Set arrays for dates and initialize labels

Months(1) = "January": Days(1) = 31

Months(2) = "February": Days(2) = 28

Months(3) = "March": Days(3) = 31

Months(4) = "April": Days(4) = 30

Months(5) = "May": Days(5) = 31

Months(6) = "June": Days(6) = 30

Months(7) = "July": Days(7) = 31

Months(8) = "August": Days(8) = 31

Months(9) = "September": Days(9) = 30

Months(10) = "October": Days(10) = 31

Months(11) = "November": Days(11) = 30

Months(12) = "December": Days(12) = 31

lblMonth.Caption = Months(vsbMonth.Value)

lblDay.Caption = Str(vsbDay.Value)

lblYear.Caption = Str(vsbYear.Value)

Grade = "first"

End Sub

optLevel Click Event:

Private Sub optLevel_Click(Index As Integer)

Select Case Index

Case 0

   Grade = "first"

Case 1

   Grade = "second"

Case 2

   Grade = "third"

Case 3

   Grade = "fourth"

Case 4

   Grade = "fifth"

Case 5

   Grade = "sixth"

End Select

End Sub

vsbDay Change Event:

Private Sub vsbDay_Change()

lblDay.Caption = Str(vsbDay.Value)

End Sub

vsbMonth Change Event:

Private Sub vsbMonth_Change()

lblMonth.Caption = Months(vsbMonth.Value)

End Sub

vsbYear Change Event:

Private Sub vsbYear_Change()

lblYear.Caption = Str(vsbYear.Value)

End Sub