Introduction
This tip applies to anyone that needs to create .NET ProgressBar controls at runtime and access its value.
Background
A regular knowledge of C#/VB.NET is useful to understand this tip.
Using the Code
During the build of a project, I had to put 255 ProgressBar controls in a form. The best way to perform it is during the code runtime, utilizing the following steps:
//
// Add ProgressBar
//
Dim PosX As Integer = 10
Dim PosY As Integer = 10
For X as integer = 0 To 255
Dim MyBar As ProgressBar = New ProgressBar
With MyBar
.Name = "MyBar" & X.ToString
.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(PosX + 90, PosY)
.Width = 180
.Height = 13
.Value = 1
.Maximum = 100
.BackColor = Color.Black
.ForeColor = Color.DarkGoldenrod
End With
Me.Controls.Add(MyBar)
PosY += 13
Next
...
The problem had appeared when I tried to access their values. Visual Studio does NOT allow us to set the ProgressBar value directly if it was created at runtime:
//
// Set values of MyBars
//
For xx = 0 To 255
dim EachValue as integer = (Counter(xx) * 100) / GreaterNumber
Me.Controls("MyBar" & xx.ToString).value = EachValue
Next
...
If you try the code above, Visual Studio won't display the value property. In fact, VS won't display any ProgressBar property!
So, I would have two choices: create 256 ProgressBar controls in design-mode OR discover a way to access the controls values programmatically. I had discovered a way and I'll share it now with all CodeProject users: you just have to access it indirectly through a new control. See the sample:
//
// Set values of MyBars
//
For xx = 0 To 255
dim EachValue as integer = (Counter(xx) * 100) / GreaterNumber
Dim TmpObj As ProgressBar = Me.Controls("MyBar" & xx.ToString)
TmpObj.Value = EachValue
Next
...
Pretty simple, but I lost a lot of time searching for that solution on the internet. I hope it can be useful to you.
