How can I avoid code repetition?

How can I avoid code repetition?

• Batikit

  well if the labels had an incremental number at the end of the control name and so did the textfile, then its simple. Example:

  label1 -> textfile1.txt

  label2 -> textfile2.txt

   

  as you see, each "number" for the control maps to the "number" of the textfile. If this were the case, this could work:

   

  for each currentControl as Control in Me.Controls

     if currentControl.GetType() Is GetType(Label) then

        if currentControl.Name.StartsWith("label") then

           currentControl.Text = Me.GetText("fileName" & currentControl.SubString(currentControl.LastIndexOf("label" + 1) & ".txt")

        end if

     end if

  next

   

  private function GetText(byval fileName as string) as string

     if System.IO.File.Exists(fileName) = false then

        return "file not found"

     else

        Dim theFileContents as String = My.Computer.FileSystem.ReadAllText(fileName)

        return theFileContents

     end if

  end function

   

  this would be bad when getting the number of the label as we are doing some string parsing, the label may not have a number in it but lets just say it does, then this would hopefully work.

  The other way would be to check to see if the label has a number at the end of the word "label", by going through after each character of "label" and see if there is a number using Char.IsNumber()

  what would make it much easier is if the textfiles had the same name as the label control...we wouldnt have to do all the checking to see if there is a number that exists at the end of the word label and do some string parsing

  you could also maybe keep track of the current label index you are on so you can then load the textfile if the textfile has an incremental number so you can get the textfilename + the current index number

  does this help

  
  
  

• GP_S

  Hi,

  you could make a function like in the following example:

  Public Sub FillTextBoxWithFileContents(ByVal control As TextBox, ByVal filename As String)
  ' Return if file doesn't exist
  If Not My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(filename) Then
  Return
  End If
  control.Text = My.Computer.FileSystem.ReadAllText(filename)
  End Sub

  ... and call it with required parameters - the following example uses a loop to make the code even shorter:

  For i As Integer = 1 To 76
  Dim control As TextBox = Controls("TextBox" & i)
  Dim filename = String.Format("c:\textfile{0}.txt", i)
  FillTextBoxWithFileContents(control, filename)
  Next

  If you're filling labels instead of textboxes, replace TextBox references with Label in above code.

  Andrej

  
  
  

• Jeanvo

  It worked. Thanks for your time. The thing I didn't know was the container (Me.GroupBox1)
  

• jdevito

  I modified the code a bit (added bold italic lines):

  For i As Integer = 1 To 76
      Dim control As TextBox = Me.Controls("TextBox" & i)
      If control Is Nothing Then
          MessageBox.Show("Control not found, check the name again")
      Else
         Dim filename = String.Format("c:\textfile{0}.txt", i)
         FillTextBoxWithFileContents(control, filename)
      End If
  Next

  What was added, was a check if control was actually found - your exception's text indicates that it wasn't. Also, the above code assumes that all controls are put directly on the form, hence the Me.Controls(...) statement. If controls are put in some other container (a panel or similar), replace the Me part with the name of this container (e.g. Me.Panel1.Controls(...)).

  Hope this helps,

  Andrej

   

  
  
  

• Dietz

  Thanks both of you for your time, but it did not work.

  I already had a code similar to yours Andrej and it did not work. Unfortunately, this one didn't work either.

  I got this error message:

  "Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

  with

  control.Text = My.Computer.FileSystem.ReadAllText(filename)

  highlighted in yellow. I don't know if this means I havent goit the object, but i checked and everything is fine. Even the names range from "Label1" until "Label76".

  Hope you can help me

  
  
• How can I avoid code repetition?