Grouping controls logically

[brett_eden]

In the interest of keeping my code compact and easy to maintain, I need some advice on how to group controls (in this case, checkboxes) and change their state without having to make a specific reference to each control.

I have:

chkMelbourne
chkPerth
chkAdelaide
chkBrisbane
chkHobart
chkDarwin
chkSydney

I need to alter their Enabled property based on the state of other checkboxes in my application, but would rather reference them in a group as opposed to individually. Some are enabled, some arent. The longhand way (if constructs and select case clauses)are making the code far too verbose. :-(

I suspect that adding these controls to a collection and then iterating through them is the better solution, but I do not know how.

Suggestions and/or sample code much appreciated.

Regards,
B.E.

 

[Shims]

How about some of your existing code. It is not really clear as to the circumstances that you want these check boxes to be disabled.

 

[brett_eden]

Some example code. Sure. Heres a snippet from another program I am writing.

If myCharacter.Strength < 6 Or myCharacter.Constitution < 8 Or _
myCharacter.Intelligence < 6 Then
If chkGnome.Enabled = True Then
chkGnome.Checked = False
chkGnome.Enabled = False
ElseIf chkGnome.Enabled = False Then
End If
Else : chkGnome.Enabled = True
End If Minimum ability scores for Gnome

If myCharacter.Dexterity < 6 Or myCharacter.Constitution < 6 Or _
myCharacter.Intelligence < 4 Then
If chkHalfElf.Enabled = True Then
chkHalfElf.Checked = False
chkHalfElf.Enabled = False
ElseIf chkHalfElf.Enabled = False Then
End If
Else : chkHalfElf.Enabled = True
End If Minimum ability scores for Half Elf

If myCharacter.Strength < 7 Or myCharacter.Dexterity < 7 Or _
myCharacter.Constitution < 10 Or myCharacter.Intelligence < 6 Then
If chkHalfling.Enabled = True Then
chkHalfling.Checked = False
chkHalfling.Enabled = False
ElseIf chkHalfling.Enabled = False Then
End If
Else : chkHalfling.Enabled = True
End If Minimum ability scores for Halfling

There are many similar pieces of code right throughout the program, doing various tests and then checking checkboxes or enabling/disabling controls. This way seems terribly verbose

Regards,
B.E.

 

[Shims]

Well, the thing is the code is as clean as it can be since you arent using the same properties every time. Although it seems a little wordy, the structure of it functions well. You can take out the second else if in the middle IF statement though. it is not needed.

If myCharacter.Strength < 7 Or myCharacter.Dexterity < 7 Or _
myCharacter.Constitution < 10 Or myCharacter.Intelligence < 6 Then

If chkHalfling.Enabled = True Then
chkHalfling.Checked = False
chkHalfling.Enabled = False
End If

Else

chkHalfling.Enabled = True

End If Minimum ability scores for Halfling

 

[wyrd]

You could make a reusable method that handles your checkboxes since they all seem to fit the same pattern for enabling/disabling. That way you you can just call a method and pass the checkbox to it. Something like this;

// Sets chk.checked and chk.enabled to opposite of bool value
// if chk.enabled == bool value.
private void _reverseChk(Checkbox chk, bool enabled) {
   if (chk.Enabled == enabled) {
      chk.Checked = !(enabled);
      chk.Enabled = !(enabled);
   }
}

Then you can replace your code with;

if (myCharacter.Strength < 6 || myCharacter.Constitution < 8 ||
myCharacter.Intelligence < 6) 
{
   _reverseChk(chkGnome, true);
}
else {
   chkGnome.Enabled = true;
}

if (myCharacter.Dexterity < 6 || myCharacter.Constitution < 6 ||
myCharacter.Intelligence < 4)
{
   _reverseChk(chkHalfElf, true);
}
else {
   chkHalfElf.Enabled = true;
}

if (myCharacter.Strength < 7 || myCharacter.Dexterity < 7 || 
myCharacter.Constitution < 10 || myCharacter.Intelligence < 6)
{
   _reverseChk(chkHalfling, true);
} 
else {
   chkHalfling.Enabled = true;
}

Btw.. D&D