How to create wizard?

[callraheel]

Hello
I have to make a data entry form and there are a lot of input fields so i have planned to make two or three pages to collect data.
Now problem is i dont know how to create wizards.
You might have seen while a wizard is running one collect information step by step.
So can anyone explain how to create it :
I guess it will not be creating multiple windows forms and then calling them back and forth by Hide and Show method. It should be something else.

Please help out.
Regards
Raheel

 

[jmcilhinney]

Below are two articles at The Code Project that should be of interest to you. Unfortunately the code is in C# but you can still compile C# projects and then reference them in your VB projects. Also C# is not so different to VB.NET anyway. So many of the classes are the same and the constructs are similar. Just remember, a function declared as "void" is like a procedure.

http://www.codeproject.com/cs/miscctrl/tswizard.asp

http://www.codeproject.com/cs/miscctrl/ak_wizard.asp

 

[Paszt]

One simple way would be to create a form with a tabcontrol and insert multiple tabpages for each 'form' of the wizard. You can hide the tabs if you wish.
Also, here is a link to an article: Using .NET to create a Windows XP 'Fading-pages' style Wizard

 

[Administrator]

I believe this only costs $65 and it's soooo worth the money! I've tried about all of the 3rd party wizard components, this one is the best IMHO:

http://www.divelements.com/net/controls/wizardframework/

 

[kulrom]

Hahaha ... how long i proposed these components ... they are simply the best!!! btw, they are free of charge for building of non profit applications http://www.divelements.com/net/controls/

Cheers

 

[callraheel]

Well well, I need something without any cost as i m building a non profitable application.
And Kulrom these are trial versions so they will soon ask for money.
Do you know some company or software throught which i can do this task with out any cost.
Regards

 

[LHandy]

Form-level variables and a tab control with hidden tabs.

When the "Next" button is hit, have it save the info on the current page (tab) to their respective variables and increment the current page (tab) by 1.

When the "Back" button is hit, simply go back a page.

That's how I've always done it.

 

[LHandy]

Alternatively, to do it without a tab control you could use a series of group boxes. However that worked best in VB6 since you could do control arrays to keep track of which one you were on by their index.

 

[jmcilhinney]

I always use Panels, personally, and you can simply put your Panels in an array and use their indexes to move to the next and previous by making the current Panel not Visible and making the next or previous in the array Visible.

 

[callraheel]

ok, the idea of panels is good but with one problem which is where to put panels at design time . If i use them at many places then i have to keep track of their locationa as well. Anyways this idea strikes. I will use it now.
Thanks to all of you for giving your time here.

 

[jmcilhinney]

You put them all in the exact same Location, then you simply right-click on the top one in design view and select "Send to Back" and it will be sent to the bottom of the Z-order. You do this repeatedly to cycle through all the Panels until you get to the one you want to work on. Also, if you select a Panel (in fact any control) that is not on top in the Properties window, that Panel will be selected. You can then right click on the selection border (perhaps anywhere within the border might work too but I'm not sure) and select "Bring to Front". Every control has BringToFront and SendToBack methods that can be called at run-time as well. I usually set the Visible properties of the Panels to only show the one I want, but you can manipulate the Z-order at run-time to make the Panel you want to show be on top of all the others.