TomGee.us

I use this code to cycle through all controls on a form and disable them.  After each control has been disabled, you can then specify individual controls that you wish to be enabled.  This is a handy way to force users to click specific buttons or enter data in specific fields before the rest of the controls on a form become active (enabled).

Private Sub LockControls()
‘ Disable all the controls on the form
Dim ctrl As Control

For Each ctrl In Me.Controls
ctrl.Enabled = False
Next

Me.txt_Log.Enabled = True ‘ re-enable the log box
Me.progBar.Enabled = True ‘ re-enable the progress bar
Me.lst_ItemGroups.Enabled = True ‘ re-enable the listbox
End Sub

To enable all controls on the form, use the following function:

Private Sub UnlockControls()
‘ Enable all the controls on the form
Dim ctrl As Control

For Each ctrl In Me.Controls
ctrl.Enabled = True
Next
End Sub

VBA and VB6 developers are used to the familiar LEFT and RIGHT string manipulation functions.  However, VB.NET no longer has these functions built-in. As a result, when I create a new VB.NET application, I create the following two functions which I can then use to replicate the “old” LEFT and RIGHT functionality.

Public Function Left(ByVal Value As String, ByVal Length As Integer) As String
‘ Rereate a LEFT function for string manipulation
If Value.Length >= Length Then
Return Value.Substring(0, Length)
Else
Return Value
End If
End Function

Public Function Right(ByVal Value As String, ByVal Length As Integer) As String
‘ Recreate a RIGHT function for string manipulation
If Value.Length >= Length Then
Return Value.Substring(Value.Length – Length, Length)
Else
Return Value
End If
End Function