Chapter 14 Quick Reference

Chapter 14 Quick Reference

To	Do this
Add a new form to a program	On the Project menu, click Add Windows Form, and then click Add.
Switch between forms in your project, or open hidden forms by using program code	Use the Show or ShowDialog method. For example: form2.ShowDialog() You can also use the My.Forms object to display a form. For example: My.Forms.HelpInfo.ShowDialog() Hide the current form by using the Me object. For example: Me.Visible = False Display a form that is hidden by using the Me object. For example: Me.ShowDialog() Note that to use the Me object, your program code must be located within the form you are manipulating.
Create a new form with program code and set its properties	Create the form by using the Dim and New keywords and the Form class, and then set any necessary properties. For example: Dim form2 As New Form form2.Text = "My New Form"
Position a startup form on the Windows desktop	Set the StartPosition property to one of the available options, such as CenterScreen or CenterParent.
Size and position a startup form on the Windows desktop by using code	Set the StartPosition to Manual, declare a Rectangle structure that defines the form's size and position, and then use the DesktopBounds property to size and position the form on the desktop. For example: form2.StartPosition =FormStartPosition.Manual Dim Form2Rect As New Rectangle _ (200, 100, 300, 250) form2.DesktopBounds = Form2Rect
Minimize, maximize, or restore a form at run time	Set the MaximizeBox and MinimizeBox properties for the form to True in design mode to allow for maximize and minimize operations. In the program code, set the form's WindowState property to FormWindowState.Minimized, FormWindowState.Maximized, or FormWindowState.Normal when you want to change the window state of the form.
Add controls to a form at run time	Create a control of the desired type, set its properties, and then add it to the form's Controls collection. For example: Dim button1 as New Button button1.Text = "Click Me" button1.Location = New Point(20, 25) form2.Controls.Add(button1)
Anchor an object a specific distance from specific edges of the form	Set the Anchor property of the object, and specify the edges you want to remain a constant distance from. Use the Or operator when specifying multiple edges. For example: Button1.Anchor =AnchorStyles.Bottom Or _ AnchorStyles.Right
Dock an object to one of the form's edges	Set the Dock property of the object, and specify the edge you want the object to be attached to. For example: PictureBox1.Dock = DockStyle.Top
Specify the startup form in a project	Click the Properties command on the Project menu to open the Project Designer. For a Windows Application project, you can specify any form in your project as the startup form by clicking the form name in the Startup Form list box.
Create a Visual Basic program with no user interface (or only a command line interface)	Create a console application project by clicking the New Project command on the File menu, clicking the Console Application template, and clicking OK. You then add the program code to one or more modules, not forms, and execution begins with a procedure named Sub Main.