Windows Database Programming

Multiple Document Interface

This chapter teaches you to store data to and retrieve data from
databases. The chapter focuses on Microsoft Access and Microsoft
SQL Server databases; however, the programming techniques covered
also work with other database management systems (DBMS) such as
Oracle Corporation's Oracle DBMS and Oracle databases. You will
learn to display data in various Windows-based controls such as
TextBox and DataGridView controls.

INTRODUCTION
In this chapter you will develop a project for the VB University that
enables administrators to store new student records and retrieve
detailed information about courses offered and students enrolled in
courses. You will develop several different forms that retrieve and store
data.

The first form displays information from the Course table of

the VBUniversity database through use of a DataGridView control.

Databases and ADO.NET

Concepts and Terminology
Terminology – learn these terms:
• Database – a special repository—consists of one or more physical
files—used to store and retrieve data.
• Relational database – a specific type of database where data
rows are stored in separate tables, and the tables are related to
each other by key values (see figures showing table data later in
these notes).
• Table – basic database object that stores data – looks like a
spreadsheet when you're viewing data. This figure shows
a Student table diagram from a Microsoft SQL Serverdatabase.

Rows and Columns – a table consists of rows and columns.

• Row = a row is a record for an individual course or student.
• Column = a column is a field of data stored for each course such
as CourseID, Title, Department, or for each student such as
the StudentSSN, LastName, and FirstName.
• Key Column (Field) – uniquely identifies a row in a table – almost
all database tables require one or more columns that form the key
column(s) to identify rows uniquely – eliminates the occurrence of
duplicate rows.

Database Products – VB.NET stores and retrieves data for many

different database products including, but not limited to:
 • Oracle (by Oracle Corporation) and DB2 (by IBM) for large
systems—these are competing relational database management
systems.
• Microsoft SQL Server for mid-sized systems and larger scalable
systems.
• Microsoft Access and other small-sized, individual user or small
group systems.

Entities and Relationships – a database stores data about

individual entities in separate tables – example university database
entities include Students, Courses, Enrollment (the enrollment of
students in courses), and States.
• This figure shows an entity-relationship diagram for tables in a
Microsoft SQL Server version of the VB University database.

• Relationship – the lines connecting entities represent

relationships between the rows in one table and rows in another
table.
 • One-to-many relationship – this is the relationship from rows in
the Student table to rows in the Enrollment table (there can be
multiple enrollments by students in a course).
o The key symbol represents the one side of the relationship;
the infinity symbol represents the many side of the
relationship.
o A student can have many enrollments, but an enrollment row
belongs (is associated) to only one student row.
o The relationship from Course to Enrollment is also one-to-
many – a course can have many enrollments.
o There are other kinds of relationships that you will study in
your course on database modeling and design.

Primary Key Columns –table rows are uniquely identified by one or

more primary key columns. Each table has a different primary key. In
the above figure the primary key column for the various tables are:
• Student table key = StudentSSN (social security number).
• States table key = StateCode (2-character abbreviation for the
state name).
• Course table key = CourseID (up to 7-characters identifying a
course).
• Enrollment table key
= CourseID + StudentSSN + TermCode + YearEnrolled (all four
columns are required to uniquely identify a row in this table since
students enroll in a course more than once. Terms are coded
values: SU=Summer; FA=Fall; SP=Spring.

Table Types
• Base table – a base table is one that stores basic information
about entities – examples above are
the Course and Student tables.
• Association table – an association table stores information about
associations between entities or information about business
transactions – the Enrollment table
associates Course and Student records and the act of enrolling in
a course is a business transaction for the university.
• Validation table – a validation table validates data entered into
another table. The States table is used to validate the value of
the StateCode column information entered for a student row in
the Student table.
ADO.NET
VB.NET uses ADO.NET (Active-X Data Objects with .NET technology),
a database technology that supports connection to different database
products. ADO.NET:
• Provides the application programming interface between the
program application and the Database Management System that
manages the database. The current API is ADO.NET 4.
• Stores and transfers data using the Extensible Markup
Language (XML).
• Provides four different types of connections to databases across
networks:
o SQLClient – used to connect to Microsoft's SQL Server
DBMS.
o OracleClient – used to connect to Oracle Corporation’s
Oracle DBMS.
o OLEDB (Object Linking and Embedding Database) – used to
connect to all other database formats – this includes
Microsoft Access DBMS.
o ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) – used to connect to
miscellaneous data sources.
• ADO.NET supports database access using forms developed for
either a Windows or Web Form environment.
• ADO.NET provides controls that you add to a form that are used
to connect to and manage data in a database table. Columns from
a database table are bound to database controls.
• Controls you can bind include: Label, TextBox, and ComboBox
controls as well as some new controls such as the DataGridView
control.

Connecting to a Database or Data Source with VB

This figure shows the steps in setting up a connection to a database or
other type of data source.
 • Configure a binding source. The binding source links to a data
source – a data source is usually a specific database file, but can
be another data source such as an array or text file. Note: Your
text erroneously states that the data source objects replaces the
connection object used in earlier versions of VB – actually the data
source object is used to configure the connection object – they are
two different objects.
• Configure a table adapter. A table adapter handles data retrieval
and updating. The table adapter creates a dataset.
• Create a dataset. A dataset stores data rows that have been
retrieved.
• Add controls to the form and set properties of the controls
to bind the controls to the columns of a specific table in the
dataset.
• VB will automatically write the code needed to fill a dataset.

Databases Used for Class Projects

For our projects, you may work at home or in the computer
laboratory. We will use Microsoft Access – there are copies of the
databases saved as Microsoft SQL Server version files for those of you
who wish to experiment in using SQL Server.
• MS Access databases are stored in a single file.
o A MS Access database file is much smaller than the same
data stored in MS SQL Server and is very portable.
o You will learn to access data in the file through Visual Basic
so you need not have Microsoft Office installed on your
home computer.
o The database files are named with a .mdb file name
extension.
 • MS SQL Server Express is a free version of this Microsoft
DBMS.
o The free Express version is downloadable from Microsoft.
o SQL Server and VB make it easy to move small SQL Server
databases along with your projects for testing. You will
learn how to do this as part of the in-class exercise.
o The database has at least two files – one is named with
a .mdf filename extension and the accompany log file used
for data recovery has a .ldf filename extension.

Microsoft Access and Windows 7 Problems

The Windows 7 operating system is generally purchased as a 64-
bit version. This creates a problem:
• The Microsoft Access database provider (the
Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 provider) is not available in a 64-
bit version -- it is only available as 32-bit.
• Generates the "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 provider is not
registered on the local machine" error when attempting to load a
form that connects to a database.
• This figure shows a data load failure exception for the Course
Grid form that you will build later in this note set. Also, the form
will not display any data after you click the OK button.

The approach you take to fixing this problem depends on whether you
are running Visual Studio Ultimate Edition or the Visual Basic Express
Edition.
Visual Studio Ultimate Edition Fix
Use this procedure if you are running Visual Studio Professional
Edition. In order to connect to an Access database when running Visual
Studio on a 64-bit machine, you need to specify for Visual Studio to use
32-bit mode. Follow these steps to eliminate this error:

1. Open Solution Explorer -- click on the My Project node to open

the My Project window.

2. Click the Compile tab along the left side of My Project -- the figure
shown below will display.
3. Click the Advanced Compile Options... button to display
the Advanced Compiler Settings dialog box.
4. Click the Target CPU drop-down arrow and select the x86 target --
this will allow your program to run in 32-bit mode.
Visual Basic Express Edition Fix
Use this procedure if you are running Visual Basic Express Edition. In
order to connect to an Access database when running Visual Studio on
a 64-bit machine, you need to specify for Visual Studio to use 32-bit
mode; however, the above procedure will not work because the
Advanced Compiler Settings window will not display a Target CPU drop-
down box. Instead, you will need to carefully modify the project file
using a text or XML editor.

1. With your VB application program open, select

the File menu, Close Project option to close the project and/or
solution as shown in this figure.
2. Select File menu, Open File option as shown in this figure.

3. Navigate (browse) to the project directory, and highlight the project file
(the file is inside the solution folder for your project and ends in the
filename extension of .vbproj as shown in this figure). After
highlighting the project file, click the Open button.
4. After opening the file, it should display (open) in an XML editor
window.
5. Locate the first <PropertyGroup> section and add the following line:

<PlatformTarget>x86</PlatformTarget>

6. Save the project (.vbproj) file. You can now reopen the project—use
the File menu, Open Project option to browse for the project folder
 and click the solution file (.sln) to open the project, and continue with
your debugging and testing.

About SQL Server Express and Potential Problems

SQL Server Express (SSE) is a limited edition version of Microsoft SQL
Server database product.
• Designed for use as a single-user, desktop database.
• Operates very much like the full SQL Server database engine.
• Microsoft has recommended that application users move from the
use of Access files (.mdb) to SQL Server files (.mdf) for Visual
Studio.NET development -- we do not do this in our classrooms
because SSE requires you to logon as an administrator, and this is
not allowed for students in an SIUE classroom.

You may wish to experiment on your home PC with SSE. There are
potential SSE problems. Although the problems are rare, they usually
arise because SSE uses a logging file to track of transaction
modifications to the database (the .ldf file). If you receive error
messages while trying to access a SSE database file or while executing
code that should connect to an SSE database, you can try to resolve the
problem by restarting the SSE Windows service that runs the database
engine as follows:
• Start
• Control Panel
• If you are using Category View, select Performance and
Maintenance
• Administrative Tools
• Services
• Click on SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)
• Click on Restart
• Try again to access the file in Visual Studio

VB University Project – DataGridView Control

Copying the Database and Starting the Project
For this exercise you can use either the:
 • Sql Server Express VBUniversity.mdf and
accompanying VBUniversity_log.ldf files available on the
drive Y: network server, or
• Microsoft Access VBUniversity.mdb file available on the
drive Y: network server.

1. Copy the one of these databases from the drive Y: network server to
the My Documents folder.
2. Begin a new project – name it Ch10VBUniversity.
3. Set the first form's properties as follows:
• FileName = CourseGrid.vb
• Text = Course Grid
• Font – Size = 9
• Font – Bold = True

Displaying Data
4. Access the Data section of the Toolbox in design view. Add
a DataGridView control from the toolbox as shown here.

5. Click the smart arrow tag in the upper right-corner of the

DataGridView control – this displays the DataGridView Tasks window
shown in the figure given above.

6. Modify the DataGridView Tasks window as follows:

 • Dock property – you can select either the value Fill in
the Properties window or click the Dock in parent container link
shown in the figure above – this will cause the control to fill the
form.
• Check the Enable Column Reordering CheckBox.
• Uncheck the Enable Adding, Enable Editing, Enable Deleting –
these check boxes that are checked by default, but we want this
form to be read-only.
• Choose Data Source – click the dropdown and select the Add
Project Data Source… hyperlink shown in the figure below –
data sources can also be added with the Datamenu.

7. Data Source Configuration Wizard – the wizard displays

the Choose a Data Source Type window, select the Database as a
data source type as shown in this figure, then click the Next button.
8. Choose a Database Model window – click Dataset option and click
the Next button.
9. Choose Your Data Connection window – click the New
Connection button. Your software may show an existing connection
such as that shown in the figure below – it shows a connection to a
server named doug8400 (my home computer) – you want a new
connection for this project so ignore any existing connections.

10a. Either a Choose Data Source or an Add Connection window will

open.
• If a Choose Data Source window is displayed as shown in this
figure, we will usually select the Microsoft Access Database
File option. Click Continue.
 • If the Add Connection window is open or if you wish to change the
type of connection to be created, then click
the Change button. The default Data Source is Microsoft SQL
Server (SqlClient) as shown in the figure below – to add either a
SQL Server Database file or MS Access database file to your
project as the data source, click the Changebutton.

10b. Change Data Source window – this window may display next
depending on the type of database you copied from drive Y: (either MS
SQL Server Express or MS Access). The appearance of the window is
different for different data sources. You may want to change the data
source by clicking the Change button to change to Microsoft Access.

NOTE: Usually in class we will change to a Microsoft Access

Database File option. If you are using Microsoft Access, skip to
Step 11b.
11a. If you are using SQL Server Express:
• The next figure shows the MS SQL Server Add
Connection dialog box, click Browse – locate
the VBUniversity.mdf file you earlier copied to the My
Documents location – select it and click Open in the browse
window – you will see the path and database file name added to
the Add Connection dialog box as shown in the figure below.
• The server logon will use Windows authentication.
• Click the Test Connection button – if the connection succeeds,
you will see a popup window telling you that the Test connection
succeeded. Click OK to close the popup and OK to close the Add
Connection dialog box.
• Skip to step 12.
11b. If you are using Microsoft Access:
• The next figure shows the Microsoft Access Add
Connection dialog box, click Browse – locate
the VBUniversity.mdb file you earlier copied to the My
Documents location – select it and click Open in the browse
window – you will see the path and database file name added to
the Add Connection dialog box as shown in the figure below.
• The database logon will use the Admin user – no password is
necessary for a MS Access database.
• Click the Test Connection button – if the connection succeeds,
you will see a popup window telling you that the Test connection
succeeded. Click OK to close the popup and OK to close the Add
Connection dialog box.
12. Choose Your Data Connection dialog box – you are returned to
this window after selecting the database. Note that the name of the
database file has been added to the window. This window shows an
Access database file. Click Next.
13. Visual Studio now asks if you would like the database file (local data
file) added to the project as shown in the Figure 10.13 below. Click Yes.

• Clicking Yes causes the database file to copy to the project

folder's root directory making the project portable so you can
take it back and forth to/from work/home/school – however, the
 file is copied every time you run the project so any changes you
make in terms of adding new rows, modifying existing rows, or
deleting rows will not be made permanently to the copy of the
file without making additional modifications to the properties of
the database file – we will make those changes after configuring
the data source.
• Clicking No causes the project to point (locate) the file based
on the ConnectionString property setting in its original position
– a copy of the database file is not made in the project.

14. Save the Connection String to the Application Configuration

File – defaults to a selection of Yes – saving the connection string to a
configuration file will enable you to change the string if necessary at a
later point in time. Ensure the check box is checked, and then
click Next.

15. Choose Your Database Objects – VB retrieves information from

the database file about the tables and other database objects available
for your use. This takes a few moments as shown in this figure.
15 (continued). Choose Your Database Objects – you must specify
the table(s) from which to retrieve the data to be data displayed by the
DataGridView control.
• In this figure, the Tables node is expanded and the Course table
is selected.
• Check the Course table checkbox – an alternative is to expand
the Course table node and check just selected columns—not all
columns need be selected if they are not needed by the application
user.
• Change the dataset name generated by VB
to CourseGridDataSet as shown.
• Click Finish.
16. After the wizard closes, the DataGridView control now has column
names from the Course table as column headings. Also the system
component tray displays BindingSource, TableAdapter,
and DataSet objects with names assigned by VB.
Test the Project
Start Debugging – the CourseGrid form will fill with data.
• The form will appear to be similar to the figure shown below.

• You can expand the form to fill the entire computer screen if
desired.
• Column sizes can be modified by the application user.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the form does not display any data and/or you
get an error message The Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 provider is not
registered on the local machine shown in the figure below, refer to the
section Microsoft Access and Windows 7 Problems provided earlier
in these notes.
Changing the Database File's Properties
When the project runs, if you make changes to the data in the database,
it is NOT saved with the current settings.

The VBUniversity.mdb (or VBUniversity.mdf file when using SQL

Server) in the root folder of the project is copied (overwritten) to
the \bin\Debug folder – it is this second copy of the database file that is
modified during program execution.

Each time the program executes, the original root folder copy of the
database is again copied to \bin\Debug folder – thus the changes made
to the data are lost from any previous execution runs.

• Copy to Output Directory property setting – you must change

this property of the VBUniversity.mdb or VBUniversity.mdf file
as shown in the figure below.
• Change from Copy always to Copy if newer – when you make
data row changes (inserts, edits, or deletes) during program
execution, the changes will now be saved because the copy in
the \bin\Debug folder will be the newest copy of the database file
and the database file copy in the project root directory will not
overwrite the database file copy in the \bin\Debug folder.
Coding the Course Form
VB automatically generates code for the form's Load event. The code is
shown here.
• Fill method – the table adapter’s Fill method executes the
SQL statement (it is a SQL SELECT statement) that is stored in
the table adapter. This fills the data set object with data from
the Course table.
• VB generates the code automatically, but you can modify the
code as necessary.
• Note that the keyword Me refers to the current form.

Private Sub CourseGrid_Load(ByVal sender As Syste

m.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase
.Load
'TODO: This line of code loads data into the
'CourseGridDataSet.Course' table. You can move, or
remove it, as needed.
 Me.CourseTableAdapter.Fill(Me.CourseGridDataS
et.Course)

End Sub

• Modify the Load event – add a Try-Catch block to handle

situations where a network connection fails.

Private Sub CourseGrid_Load(ByVal sender As Syste

m.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase
.Load
Try
'Load Course table
Me.CourseTableAdapter.Fill(Me.CourseGridD
ataSet.Course)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report
this error to the system administrator: " &
ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Course Data
Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString,
TitleString, MessageBoxButtons.OK,
MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

Formatting DataGridView Control Output

You can edit a DataGridView control in order to improve how data is
displayed in its data columns, primarily numeric and date/time data
columns.

Format Column Headings and Width

Follow these steps to format column headings and column width.

1. Smart Tag – click the DataGridView control's Smart Tag arrow to

display the DataGridView Tasks window shown in the figure below –
click the Edit Columns link as shown in this figure.
2. Edit Columns window – edit the properties indicated.

3. CourseID Column – set the HeaderText property = Course

ID (added a blank space for readability). DO NOT CHANGE
the DataPropertyName property by mistake.

4. Title Column.
• AutoSizeMode property – change from Not Set to None.
• Width property – change to 300 pixels – on startup the column
will now display the entire Title column value.
5. Other Columns – modify the HeaderText property of other columns
as indicated:
• CreditHours – Credit Hours
• CourseFees – Course Fees
• DateLastUpdate – Date Last Updated

6. Modify the AutoSizeMode from Not Set to None and Width property
to 75 pixels for the CreditHours , Tuition,
and CourseFees columns. Click OK to close the Edit Columns dialog
box.

7. AutoSizeColumnsMode property – an alternative to setting each

column's Width property is to set the DataGridView
control's AutoSizeColumnsMode property to a value of AllCells. –
 • This will cause all column sizes to vary to match the data
displayed.
• Individual columns that have the AutoSizeMode property
changed from Not Set to None and the Width property set to a
specific width will retain the specified width – this will override the
DataGridView control’s AutoSizeColumnsMode property setting.
• Close the Edit Columns window. In the Properties window access
the AutoSizeColumnsMode property of the DataGridView control
and set the property to AllCells.

Format Numeric Data Display

To format the display of numeric columns such as
the Credit Hours, Tuition, and CourseFees, open the Edit
Columns dialog box again by using the smart arrow tag.

8. Select the Credit Hours column.

• DefaultCellStyle property – click the dialog button (… button) for
this property to open the CellStyle Builder window.
• Format property – click dialog button (… button) for this property
to display the Format String Dialog window –
Select Numeric with 2 Decimal places.
• Alignment property in the CellStyle Builder window – choose
the MiddleRight setting.
• Click OK to close the window.

9. Repeat the steps for this column as you did in step 8 for
the Tuition and CourseFees columns.

10. Click OK to close the Edit Columns dialog box. Test the project –
make any additional changes needed in order to achieve a satisfactory
display of data. Stop debugging when you finish testing.
 VB University Project – StudentGrid Form
This section provides you additional practice using the DataGridView
control. Build a form like the one shown in this table to display student
information by using a DataGridViewcontrol.

1. Add a new form to the project. Access the Project | Add

Windows Form… menu to add a new Windows form.
2. Name the form StudentGrid.vb.
• Set the form's Font property = 9 point.
• Set the form's Text property = Student Grid.

3. Drag a DataGridView control to the form.

4. Click the smart arrow tag of the DataGridView control to display the
DataGridView Tasks window.
• Dock the DataGridView control to fill the entire form.
• Enable column reordering, but disable adding, editing, and
deleting data rows.

5. Choose a data source – use the existing data connection when the
wizard displays the Choose Your Data Connection dialog box.
• Work through the wizard. In the Choose Your Database
Objects dialog box select the Student table.
• Name the dataset StudentGridDataSet.
• Click Finish – when the wizard closes, observe the new objects in
the system component tray and the columns displayed in the
DataGridView control.

6. Resize the form to make it large enough to display most of the data
columns.

7. Open the coding window for the form and modify the Load event to
add a Try-Catch block like the one shown here.

Private Sub StudentGrid_Load(ByVal sender As Syst

em.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBas
e.Load
'Load the Student table
Try
Me.StudentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentGri
dDataSet.Student)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report
this error to the system administrator: " &
ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Student Data
Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString,
TitleString, MessageBoxButtons.OK,
MessageBoxIcon.Error)
 End Try
End Sub

8. Set the DataGridView control's AutoSizeColumnsMode property

to AllCells.

9. Click the smart arrow tag to open the Edit Columns link. Use the
Edit Columns dialog box to:
• Set the HeaderText property – change selected columns to the
values indicated:
o StudentSSN – SSN
o FirstName – First Name
o LastName – Last Name
o MiddleInitial – Mi
o StateCode – State
o ZipCode – Zip
o PhoneNumber – Telephone
o EmailAddress – Email
o AccountBalance – Account Balance

• Reorder the first three columns to be SSN, Last Name, and

First Name (Select LastName and use the Up/Down arrows).
• Set properties for the AccountBalance column:
o DefaultCellStyle property – use this to format to display data
as currency with 2 digits to the right of the decimal.
o Alignment property of this column to MiddleRight.
o AutoSizeMode from Not Set to None.
o Width property – change to 100 pixels.

10. Test the project. In the Solution Explorer window:

• Click My Project.
• Select StudentGrid as the Startup form from the dropdown
selection.
• Close My Project.
• Run the project. Check the display of all column data. Adjust
any column widths as necessary with the individual
column’s AutoSizeMode and Width properties in the Edit
Columns window.
• Note that the zip code and telephone number display formatting
is not satisfactory – this can be corrected, but only by
purchasing a 3rd party add-on program to enable
 using MaskedTextBox columns that can be edited, or by
writing quite a bit of code to edit the column. You will learn to
edit telephone numbers for individual control forms later in
these notes.

Project Special Files

XML Schema File
Each data source added to a project generates an XML (extensible
markup language) schema file with file extension of .xsd.

This figure shows the .xsd schema file for the StudentGrid form in
the Solution Explorer window – double-clicking the file will display the
schema in visual format. The visual format shows:
• the primary key column(s).
• other column names.
• multiple tables and their relationships when more than one
table has data displayed.
• the table adapter (StudentTableAdapter at the bottom of
the Student image) – selecting this displays properties that
include the CommandText property that stores the SQL
statement used to select data from the Student table.
XML is an industry-standard format used to store and transfer data.

You do not need to know how to write XML to use VB to program

database applications. VB will automatically generate any necessary
XML. It does help to understand basic facts about XML.

Proprietary database formats typically store data in binary format –

proprietary data cannot be processed by other systems or pass
through Internet firewalls.

XML data is stored as plain text identified by tags like HTML tags. You
can edit an XML file with a plain text editor such as Notepad, and the
data can be transferred through Internet firewalls.

An XML schema file can also be used to describe fields (columns), data
types, and any constraints such as fields that are required. Each
VB.NET project that connects to a database has an XML schema
file. The data in the XML data file is validated against the data
definitions in the XML schema file.

App.Config File
Recall that earlier you directed the system to generate a configuration
file. The code shown below is that generated and stored in
the App.Config file found in the Solution Explorerwindow.

The code is written by VB in the XML (extensible markup language)

format. You can modify the application confirmation as necessary by
altering this XML code. For example, you might need to modify the
connection string information (highlighted below in yellow) to a new data
source when you port your application from a testing to production
environment.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<configuration>
<configSections>
</configSections>
<connectionStrings>
<add name="Ch10VBUniversity.My.MySettings.VBU
niversityConnectionString"
connectionString="Provider=Microsoft.Jet.
OLEDB.4.0;Data
Source=|DataDirectory|\VBUniversity.Mdb"
providerName="System.Data.OleDb" />
</connectionStrings>
<system.diagnostics>
<sources>
<!-- This section defines the logging
configuration for My.Application.Log -->
<source name="DefaultSource" switchName="
DefaultSwitch">
<listeners>
<add name="FileLog"/>
<!-- Uncomment the below section
to write to the Application Event Log -->
<!--<add name="EventLog"/>-->
</listeners>
</source>
</sources>
<switches>
<add name="DefaultSwitch" value="Informat
ion" />
</switches>
<sharedListeners>
<add name="FileLog"
 type="Microsoft.VisualBasic.Logging.
FileLogTraceListener, Microsoft.VisualBasic,
Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,
PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a,
processorArchitecture=MSIL"
initializeData="FileLogWriter"/>
<!-- Uncomment the below section and
replace APPLICATION_NAME with the name of your
application to write to the Application Event Log -->
<!--<add name="EventLog"
type="System.Diagnostics.EventLogTraceListener"
initializeData="APPLICATION_NAME"/> -->
</sharedListeners>
</system.diagnostics>
</configuration>

VB University Project – Individual Data Fields –

StudentDetails Form
Binding Data to Other Controls
Another way to display data is with controls such as Label, TextBox and
ComboBox controls – in this design approach, the controls are
termed bound controls.
• The form can be designed through use of the Data
Sources window – set the data source to display and drag the
data table to the form.
• Data Sources window – access by selecting
the Data menu, Show Data Sources menu item or from the Data
Sources tab in the Solution Explorer.
• Can be used to add a new data source to a project.

You will learn how to build a third form for the project like the one shown
here.
Add a New Form
1. Project menu, Add Windows Form option – click to add a new form
named StudentDetails.vb.

2. Font Size and Bold properties – set as desired (the figure has a 9
point font with Bold = True).

3. Text property – set to Student Data – Add, Edit, and Delete.

Add Data Source

4. Select Data menu, Show Data Sources menu item as in the figure
below (you can also use the Server Explorer window to add a new data
source).

• You should see the

existing CourseGridDataSet and StudentGridDataSet data
sources.
• For existing data sources, the dataset(s) will display in the Data
Sources window as in this figure along with any tables or views
stored in the dataset.
5. Add New Data Source – add a new data source for this form.
• Click the icon shown in this figure (or use the Data menu, Add
New Data Source menu option).
• This causes the Data Source Configuration wizard to display.

6. Data Source Configuration wizard:

• Select the Database icon – click Next.
• Choose a Database Model dialog box – click Dataset and
then Next.
• Choose Your Data Connection dialog box – click Next to use the
existing connection.
• Choose Your Database Objects dialog box – expand
the Tables node as shown in the figure below – checkmark
the Student table – name the dataset
object StudentDetailsDataSet – click Finish.
Adding Bound Controls to the Form
You are ready to add bound controls to the form. You will use a
drag/drop approach to build the form – this is really fast and easy to
use. If you mess it up, just delete the form and start over.

7. Data Sources window –

• Expand the StudentDetailsDataSet.
• Single-click on the Student table name as shown in the figure
below.
• Select the drop-down arrow by the Student table and
select Details (if the drop-down arrow does not display, ensure
that the form view for design mode is displayed – not the coding
view).
• Note that the icon for a Details view is different than that for
a DataGridView.
8. Point at the Student table name in the Data Sources window
– drag/drop the table to the StudentDetails form to a position about an
inch from the top and left margins of the form – the form will
automatically have Label and TextBox controls generated and displayed
for each column in the Student table as shown in this figure.
Note the following:
• The labels have the Text property setting generated automatically
by VB – the column names are automatically divided into prompts
appropriate for the form.
o A column named StateCode will generate a label prompt
of State Code:.
o A column named Email_Address will generate a label
prompt of Email Address:.
• Note the new components that were automatically added to the
system component tray:
o StudentDetailsDataSet
o StudentBindingSource
o StudentTableAdapter
o TableAdapterManager
o StudentBindingNavigator – corresponds to
the StudentBindingNavigator control that is automatically
added across the top of the form. It has the following
features:
 1. Student record (row) counter (1 of 14 in the
figure).
2. Move buttons (Move first and Move previous are
grayed out in the figure) such as the Move next
button highlighted in the figure next to the Move last
button.
3. Add, Delete, and Save button icons.
• The form will run and execute, but the layout is not very “user-
friendly.”

9. Alter the layout by drag/drop the controls on the form as shown in the
figure below.
• Adjust the size of the controls as appropriate as shown here.
• Reorder the name to display Last Name, then First Name, then
Middle Initial.
• Change the labels as shown on the figure for the Middle Initial (to
M), City, State Code, and Zip Code (to City/State/Zip) and Phone
Number (to Phone).
• Tab order – reset to reflect the new arrangement to tab from left-
to-right, top-to-bottom.
• AccountBalanceTextBox control – set TextAlign property
to Right.

Set the Startup Form/Test the Project

Change the startup form to the StudentDetails form.
• Open the My Project object in the Solution Explorer window.
 • In the Application tab change the Startup Form property setting
to the StudentDetails form.

Test the project.

• Note the telephone textbox and account balance textbox controls
do not display formatted.
• Navigation buttons – test the ability to navigate from row to
row. Note the display of data as you navigate from row to row
• The form enables you to alter the dataset in memory, and will save
changes to the database.
o Practice saving a row of data – click the Add button, enter the
data, and click the Save button.
o Shutdown and then run the project again – locate the new
data row.
• The BindingNavigator also has some potential problems.
o Try adding a duplicate row (with Student SSN = 111-11-
1111) – note that the system generates
an ConstraintException was unhandled error message
when the Savebutton is clicked.
o Try to delete a data row (with Student SSN = 111-11-1111) –
note that the system generates an OleDBException was
unhandled error message when the Save button is clicked –
this is because the Student table data row is related to data
row(s) in the Enrollment table (the exception generated
depends on whether you are using a Microsoft Access or Sql
Server database).
• These problems are addressed later in this note set by writing
additional program code.

VB University Project – Individual Data Fields Coding

Form Load Event
The code generated by VB for the StudentGrid form’s Load event needs
to be modified by adding a Try-Catch block to catch exceptions as was
done earlier for the Student form.

Private Sub StudentDetails_Load(ByVal sender As Syste

m.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase
.Load
'Trap exceptions that occur during data load
 Try
Me.StudentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentDetails
DataSet.Student)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report this
error to the system administrator: " &
ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Student Details
Data Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, TitleString,
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

Sorting Data
The data displayed in the form is not sorted.

There are several ways to change the sorted display of data. This
describes one approach.

1. Select the StudentBindingSource object.

2. In the Properties window select the Sort property – type the name of
the column or columns to be used to sort data in the dataset – the
column name(s) entered must EXACTLYmatch those in the dataset.
• The figure below shows sorting by LastName and
then FirstName column name values.
• Enter the property value as LastName, FirstName – do not forget
the comma between the column names.
3. Run the project and confirm that the data is sorted by last name and
then first name within last name.

Formatting String Data – Using a MaskedTextBox –

Manually Setting Data Binding
You can use a MaskedTextBox control to format string output such as a
telephone number, zip code, and social security number values.

Format Telephone Number

1. Delete the PhoneNumberTextBox control and replace it with
a MaskedTextBox control.

2. Name the control PhoneMaskedTextBox.

3. Set the Mask property by opening the Input Mask window (click
the … dialog box button) and select Phone number for a mask.

The new MaskedTextBox will not display any data because the
control is not bound to the DataSource.

4. Select the MaskedTextBox control –

• Expand the DataBindings property.
• Select the Text property – Use the drop-down arrow for this
property to select the StudentBindingSource, and then select
 the PhoneNumber column – this will bind the Textproperty so that
it will display data from the PhoneNumber column of
the StudentBindingSource object to the MaskedTextBox control
as shown in the figure below.

5. Run the project.

• The telephone numbers should display with the mask.
• Navigate from row to row with the buttons and note how the form
appears when the student has no telephone number recorded in
the database.

Format Student SSN and Zip Code

1. Replace the student SSN and the zip code TextBox controls with
MaskedTextBox controls.
• Name the controls
o SSNMaskedTextBox.
o ZipMaskedTextBox.

2. Set the Mask property option for each control.

3. Bind the DataBindings-Text property of the controls to the

appropriate fields from the StudentBindingSource object.
4. Reset the tab order for the form.

5. Test the application.

Formatting Numeric or Currency (Money) Display – Format

Account Balance
Some tables have data columns that represent numeric output such as
the student AccountBalance column.
• SQL Server stores the data with four digits to the right of the
decimal point so simply displaying the data to a TextBox results in
a display that application users may find confusing.
• Neither SQL Server nor MS Access displays numeric data
formatted as currency or numeric with appropriate currency
symbols, commas, and the correct number of digits to the right of
the decimal point.

1. Select AccountBalanceTextBox control.

2. DataBindings-Advanced property – expand and select this property

of the AccountBalanceTextBox control to displays numeric data to
open the Formatting and Advanced Binding dialog box shown in the
figure below.
• Text property – select this property.
• Binding – ensure the correct database table field is bound – here
the AccountBalance is bound.
• Format type – select either currency, numeric, or customize the
formatting.
• Decimal places – usually select 2 decimal places.
• Click OK to save the formatting and advanced binding.
 Data Row Edit Operations
This section explains Data Row Edit Operations with
a BindingNavigator control.
• The default configuration enables an application user to modify
any data row, but does not provide a means to enforce saving
changes when they are made.
• The Save button provided by default will save changes, but there
is no way to ensure the application user clicks Save other than
through the Form's Closing event.
• Using the Form's Closing event to save changes can result in an
attempt to save multiple changes at the same time, but some of
these may violate database integrity rules, such as the length of
a data value or the type of data to be saved from a TextBox or
other bound control. This can cause the save event code to
ABEND.

The approach you will learn here changes the default configuration as
follows:
 • Make Bound Controls ReadOnly – each bound control on the
form will have ReadOnly = True – this will prevent changing any
data row values.
• Add an Edit Button – edit operations will begin by having the
application user click an Edit Button on the BindingNavigator
control – since there is no Edit Button on the control, one will need
to be added.
• Add a Cancel Button – a Cancel Button will need to be added to
the BindingNavigator control in the event that the application user
decides not to edit a data row or clicks the Edit Button by accident.
• Disable Cancel and Save Buttons – both of these buttons needs
to be disabled while viewing records – their Enabled property
= False; during Add and Edit operations set Enabled = True for
both of these buttons.
• Alter the BindingNavigator Control Interface – during Edit
operations, all items on the BindingNavigator control except
the Save and Cancel Buttons will be disabled by making them
invisible – set Visible = False.
• When the operation is either saved or canceled, the values
of ReadOnly and Visible will be reversed.

Adding BindingNavigator Buttons

1. Change the ReadOnly Property for Bound Controls.
• Set ReadOnly = True for
all TextBox and MaskedTextBox controls that display data.
• Notice that the background color of the controls changes from
white to light blue or gray.

2. Add EditToolStripButton and CancelToolStripButton Controls.

• Select the BindingNavigator control.
• Click the Add ToolStripButton drop-down on the control and
select a Button to be added as shown in this figure. This adds
a ToolStripButton.
• Select the new ToolStripButton – set the Name property
= EditToolStripButton.
• Right-click the EditToolStripButton button (the default image is a
mountain with the sun shining) and either set the Image property
to an appropriate image or switch the DisplayStyle property
to Text – we will use an image.

• Images are available on drive Y: for the Chapter 10 project.

o Select the Image property.
o Click the dialog button ( … ) to open the Select
Resource dialog box shown in the figure below – click the
Import button and navigate to the directory that stores class
image files – select the image file named edit-48x48.png (as
shown in the figure).
o Click OK to close the Select Resource dialog box.
 • If you use Text instead of an image, set the Text property = Edit.
• Repeat these steps to add a second Button with Name property
= CancelToolStripButton.
• Set the DisplayStyle property = Image and import the image file
named x-48x48.png.

The new buttons are shown in this figure.

3. Change the Enabled property for the button controls.

• Set Enabled = False for the Save
(StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem) and Cancel (CancelToolSt
ripButton) Buttons on the BindingNavigator control.

4. Change the Text property for the new button controls

 • Set the Text = Edit for the EditToolStripButton.
• Set the Text = Cancel for the CancelToolStripButton.

SetControls Sub Procedure

We need to code a separate sub procedure that can be called to alter
the BindingNavigator interface to make BindingNavigator controls
invisible except for the Save and CancelButtons.
• This sub procedure will set ReadOnly = False for the bound
controls that display data row values.
• If the parameter ValueBoolean = True, then the controls are
enabled.
• If the parameter ValueBoolean = False, then the controls are
disabled

Private Sub SetControls(ByVal ValueBoolean As Bool

ean)
'This sub procedure sets the user interface
for the
'BindingNavigator control and bound controls
for Edit/Add
'operations

'ReadOnly/Not ReadOnly the bound controls

SSNMaskedTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
LastNameTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
FirstNameTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
MiddleInitialTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
AddressTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
CityTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
StateCodeTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
ZipMaskedTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
PhoneMaskedTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
EmailAddressTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
MajorTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
AccountBalanceTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean

'Make the Move, Position, and Buttons

'(except Save and Cancel) Invisible
BindingNavigatorMoveFirstItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
 BindingNavigatorMoveLastItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorMoveNextItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorMovePreviousItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorPositionItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorCountItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorAddNewItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorDeleteItem.Visible =
ValueBoolean
EditToolStripButton.Visible = ValueBoolean

'Enable/disable the Save and Cancel Buttons

StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem.Enabled
= Not ValueBoolean
CancelToolStripButton.Enabled
= Not ValueBoolean
End Sub

Add this sub procedure to your program. Check that the control names
on your form match the names used in the sub procedure.

EditToolStripButton Click Event

You must add a click event sub procedure for the
new EditToolStripButton control. The event is very simple. You are
altering the controls on the form to allow editing by calling
the SetControls sub procedure with a value of False.
• Makes the TextBox and MaskedTextBox controls ReadOnly =
False so the data can be altered.
• Makes the BindingNavigator control’s Move, Position and Buttons
(except Cancel and Save) invisible.
• Enables the Save and Cancel buttons.

Private Sub EditToolStripButton_Click(ByVal sender

As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handl
es EditToolStripButton.Click
 'Call SetControls with False to alter the
form to
'allow editing a data row
SetControls(False)
End Sub

Add this sub procedure to your program. Check that the control names
on your form match the names used in the sub procedure.

CancelToolStripButton Click Event

You must add a click event sub procedure for the
new CancelToolStripButton control. The event requires two actions.

1. CancelEdit method – use this method of the BindingSource control

to "throw away" any changes that may have been made to the current
data row.
• Application users may wish to cancel when they accidentally click
Edit or Add.
• They may also wish to click cancel when they change their mind
about editing a record.

2. SetControls – call this sub procedure with a value of True to make

the form's bound controls ReadOnly again and to make
the BindingNavigator control's buttons visible.
• This reverses the status of the TextBox, MaskedTextBox, and
BindingNavigator control’s buttons.

Private Sub CancelToolStripButton_Click(ByVal sen

der As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Ha
ndlesCancelToolStripButton.Click
'Cancel the operation
StudentBindingSource.CancelEdit()

'Call SetControls with True to alter the form

to
'make the form ReadOnly
SetControls(True)
End Sub

Test the project.

 • Run the project to ensure that the form starts up with
all BindingNavigator controls visible and enabled except for
the Save and Cancel Button controls.
• Ensure the bound controls displaying data are ReadOnly.
• Click Edit – the form should now enable editing with only
the Save and Cancel Button controls visible on the
BindingNavigator.
• Change a record and click Cancel – the change should be "thrown
away" and the form will be restored to its original configuration.
• Before you can save any changes, you need to modify
the Save Button code—the next section explains Data Row Save
Operations.

Data Row Save Operations

This section explains Data Row Save Operations with
a BindingNavigator control. It is necessary to have a way to save
changes made to a DataSet during both Edit and Addoperations so that
the changes are updated across the network to the database.

About the Save Button – Coding the Save Button

Normally when a BindingNavigator control is added to a form it
does not include a Save Button.
• Visual Studio adds a Save Button to the BindingNavigator when
the TableAdapter is generated when you drag the table onto the
form.
• If you add a BindingNavigator control to a form, you will not see
a Save Button and will need to add one.

The code generated by VB for the Save button of the binding navigator
control is very simple and does not catch exceptions. The code is
shown here.

Private Sub StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem_Click

(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Eve
ntArgs) HandlesStudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem.Click
Me.Validate()
Me.StudentBindingSource.EndEdit()
 Me.TableAdapterManager.UpdateAll(Me.StudentDe
tailsDataSet)
End Sub

• The Validate method for the form confirms that

any Validating event sub procedures have validated data on the
form – on this project you will not use any Validating event sub
procedures so this line of code has no purpose for your program –
this line of code can be deleted or converted to a remark in case it
is needed later.
• The EndEdit method of the StudentBindingSource object ends
all edit operations. This applies to both updates of existing data
rows and the addition of new data rows.
• The UpdateAll method of the TableAdapterManager control
causes a reconnection to the database and updates any
modifications of StudentDetailsDataSet.
• If an exception occurs, it will be caused by the UpdateAll method
– possible exceptions include:
o Trying to save a new row that duplicates an existing database
row.
o Trying to update a column value with an illegal value.
• It is also necessary to call the SetControls sub procedure to
reestablish the user interface on the form following a successful
save.

Using a Try-Catch Block

Modify the code by using a Try-Catch block to catch exceptions. The
revised sub procedure:

Private Sub StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem_Click(

ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Even
tArgs) HandlesStudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem.Click
'Trap any exceptions during student table
update
Try
'Me.Validate()
Me.StudentBindingSource.EndEdit()
Me.TableAdapterManager.UpdateAll(Me.Stude
ntDetailsDataSet)
 'Call sub procedure to enable
BindingNavigator controls
'by sending a parameter value True
Me.SetControls(True)

Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report
this error to the system administrator: " &
ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Error During
Save Operation"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString,
TitleString, MessageBoxButtons.OK,
MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

The UpdateAll method is fairly complex and is more useful than the
older Update method that was previously used to update datasets.
• Updates are performed on a row-by-row basis – this means that
if multiple DataSet modifications (either Insert, Update, or Delete
operations), then you would need to control the order of the
updates.
• Using the TableAdapterManager ensures that updates involving
multiple tables are processed in the correct order where the order
of the updates is important.
• The code you're learning in this note set only allows a single
update operation to take place at a time – if the database rejects
the update, then it is easier to handle the OleDbException that is
thrown by the database back to your application with a Try-Catch
block.
• The Structured Query Language commands to execute the
required INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statements on the
database are generated automatically by Visual Studio and
the UpdateAll method automatically selects the correct command
to pass to the database.
• When an UpdateAll method fires,
the TableAdapterManager examines each data
row's RowState property in order to execute the
required INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETEstatements.
• After a successful update, changes to the data row are accepted
within the DataSet – this makes it unnecessary to call
the AcceptChanges method of the DataSet object.
Test the project.
• Run the project, select a data row to edit, and click
the Edit Button.
• Make a change to the data (such as the student's Major field of
study) and click the Save button.
• Shutdown the application, then start it back up again – you should
find that the data row was saved with the new data value.

Data Row Add Operations

This section explains Data Row Add Operations with
a BindingNavigator control. The purpose of Add operations is to
enable adding a new data row to a DataSet and then update a
database. New data row values are checked for violations of data
integrity rules built into the database.

Controlling Add Operations

An application program may ABEND during an Add operation if the
application user does any of these things:
• Clicks the Add New button to add a second new record before the
first Add operation is finished.
• Clicks one of the Move buttons – this triggers an Update of the
dataset even though the new record isn't complete.

Calling the SetControls sub procedure with a value of False will ensure
that neither of the above conditions can occur because during an Add
Operation the Add New button and all Move buttons are invisible.

The VB code must accomplish the following:

• Display the form with "empty" controls to allow entry of a new
student record – this is accomplished by the application user
clicking the Add New Button on the BindingNavigatorcontrol –
this requires NO coding on your part as the AddNew method is
automatically called by clicking the Add New Button
• Once an Add operation begins, the application user must only be
able to click Save or Cancel. Calling SetControls accomplishes
this.
 • The initial focus should be set to
the SSNMaskedTextBox control.
• When an Add operation is finished, the application user clicks
either Save or Cancel.

BindingNavigatorAddNewItem Click Event

1. Add New Item button – add a Click event sub procedure for this
button on the BindingNavigator control as shown here.
• SetControls – the click event sub procedure calls
the SetControls sub procedure to disable some of the binding
navigator controls.
• Focus method – this method sets focus to
the SSNMaskedTextBox to make it easy for the application user
to begin to enter new row data.

Private Sub BindingNavigatorAddNewItem_Click(ByVa

l sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArg
s) HandlesBindingNavigatorAddNewItem.Click
'Call SetControls with False to alter the
form to
'allow adding a data row
SetControls(False)

'Set focus
SSNMaskedTextBox.Focus()
End Sub

2. Test the project.

• Click the Add Button – add a new data row for yourself as a
student.
• Try to add a second data row that has a duplicate SSN value
of 111-11-1111 – clicking Save should cause the data row to be
rejected because it would be a duplicate student row.
• Clicking Cancel should "throw away" the new duplicate data row.

Data Row Delete Operations

This section explains Data Row Delete Operations with
a BindingNavigator control. This operation does not use
the Save or Cancel Buttons – rather, the code for the Delete button click
event updates the database.

Changing BindingNavigatorDeleteItem Button Behavior

You should change the way that the Delete Button on
the BindingNavigator works in order to ask for application user
confirmation a deletion before deleting a data row.
• Sounds simple, but by the time the code that you write for
the Button's Click event executes, the BindingNavigator has
already called the RemoveCurrent method for
the BindingSource object and there is no simple way to cancel
the action.
• The BindingNavigator has a DeleteItem property – when
the ToolStripItem (Delete Button) associated with the property is
clicked, the RemoveCurrent method is called.
• To change the behavior, clear the DeleteItem property to prevent
implicitly calling
the BindingSource object's RemoveCurrent method.

1. StudentBindingNavigator – select this component.

2. Properties window – set the DeleteItem property of

the StudentBindingNavigator = (none) at the top of the list of
enumerated values as shown in the figure below.
BindingNavigatorDeleteItem Click Event

3. Code a sub procedure to handle removal of data rows.

• Delete Button of the BindingNavigator control – double-click to
create a Click event sub procedure.
• Add the code shown here.

Private Sub BindingNavigatorDeleteItem_Click(ByVa

l sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArg
s) HandlesBindingNavigatorDeleteItem.Click
'Delete the row if there is no relationship
to
'existing data rows in the ENROLLMENT table

'Store the current DataSet position in case

the deletion fails
 Dim RowNumberInteger As Integer =
StudentBindingSource.Position

Try
Dim ResponseDialogResult As DialogResult
= MessageBox.Show("Confirm to delete the student
record.", "Delete Y/N?", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo,
MessageBoxIcon.Question,
MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button2)

If ResponseDialogResult =
Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Yes Then
'Delete the row by removing the
current record,
'ending the edit, and calling the
Update method
StudentBindingSource.RemoveCurrent()
StudentBindingSource.EndEdit()
TableAdapterManager.UpdateAll(Student
DetailsDataSet)
End If

Catch exOleDb As OleDb.OleDbException

'The deletion attempt failed due to a
relationship
'to existing data rows in the ENROLLMENT
table

'Restore the deleted row with the

RejectChanges method
StudentDetailsDataSet.RejectChanges()

'Reposition to the row that was deleted

StudentBindingSource.Position =
RowNumberInteger

'Display appropriate error message

MessageBox.Show("This student cannot be
deleted - the student is enrolled in courses." &
ControlChars.NewLine & exOleDb.Message, "Delete
Operation Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK,
MessageBoxIcon.Error)

Catch ex As Exception
 'Some other exception was triggered
MessageBox.Show("Unexpected error in
delete operation: " & ControlChars.NewLine &
ex.Message, "Delete Operation Error",
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try

End Sub

• Assume that the delete operation may fail – it will be necessary

to restore the dataset and redisplay the deleted record. The first
line of code saves the record number of the data row to be
deleted.
• If the application user responds to delete the row, the value
of ResponseDialogResult is checked. If it is "Yes", then:
o The RemoveCurrent method removes the row.
o The EndEdit method ends the edit.
o The UpdateAll method of
the TableAdapterManager updates
the StudentDetailsDataSet object (This can also be coded
using the Update method of the StudentTableAdapter:
StudentTableAdapter.Update(StudentDetailsDataSet.Stu
dent)

• If the deletion fails, the line of code generating the exception will
usually be the line of code with the UpdateAll method. This
triggers an OleDbException that is caught by the first of
two Catch blocks. The OleDbException is raised when a deletion
fails due to referential integrity constraints:
o A message box displays an appropriate message.
o The DataSet's RejectChanges method is used to reject the
deletion in the DataSet – essentially this undeletes the
deleted row that the database rejected.
o The BindingSource's Position property is reset to the
record number of the data row for which deletion failed.

A DataSet's RejectChanges method rolls back all DataSet changes

made since the DataSet was created, or since the last execution
of DataSet.AcceptChanges.
• When a DataSet's AcceptChanges method fires, all DataRow
objects in edit-mode successfully end their edits.
 • Each DataRow's RowState property changes
– Added and Modified rows become Unchanged,
and Deleted rows are removed from the DataSet.
• However, it is not necessary to code a call of
the AcceptChanges method because the UpdateAll method
automatically does this for you as the programmer.

Data Validation
Additional Exception Handling
A program can be improved through the use of techniques to ensure
data values entered during Edit and Add operations are valid.
• You have learned to use a ValidData function to validate data
entry
• This chapter also requires you to write a ValidData function to
validate data. A good practice is to use a ValidData function to
validate data entered for a new record or modified for an existing
record prior to executing an UpdateAll method to modify the
database.
• You can replace the Me.Validate command generated for
a Save button with the BindingNavigator control with a call to
a ValidData function.

ValidData Function

The function shown here enforces three different types of validation

rules:
• Missing data – data cannot be missing from a bound control if the
corresponding field in the database table requires stores of data,
i.e., required data.
o Here we are testing for missing data for the:
▪ LastNameTextBox
▪ FirstNameTextBox
▪ AddressTextBox
▪ CityTextBox
 ▪ StateCodeTextBox
▪ ZipMaskedTextBox (this control is allowed to be
empty by the database, but is required here to
demonstrate how to test this type of value/control for
valid data).
o The following TextBox and MaskedTextBox controls are
allowed to be empty:
▪ MiddleInitialTextBox
▪ PhoneMaskedTextBox
▪ EmailAddressTextBox
▪ MajorTextBox
▪ AccountBalanceTextBox

• A control cannot be partially completed – data fields such as

the SSN and Zip Code cannot contain blank
spaces. The MaskCompleted method can test a MaskedTextBox
control to determine if all required values are completed. In the
case of the SSN, the control cannot contain any blank
spaces. The mask setting of the Zip Code enforces the rule that it
cannot contain any blank spaces within the first five characters –
the last four characters of a zip code can be blank.
• Data must be numeric – the AccountBalanceTextBox is
allowed to be blank; however, if it contains data, it must be valid
numeric data.

Initially the code sets the function name ValidData = False – this
assumes that some of the data is not valid.
• Each business rule is tested.
• If a rule fails, an error message is displayed and control passes to
the End If at the bottom of the function and the function exits
returning a value of False. This approach ensures that only one
error message at a time will display.
• If all business rules are satisfied, the Else branch executes
setting ValidData = True and the function exits returning a value
of True.
• Note the use of Focus and SelectAll methods to make the
program more user-friendly.

1. ValidData Function – add the function to your program.

Private Function ValidData() As Boolean

'Initialize function return value
 ValidData = False
Dim MessageString As String

'Test CustomerID is complete

If SSNMaskedTextBox.MaskCompleted
= False Then
'Required employee ID is not complete
MessageBox.Show("Student SSN is not
complete", "Student SSN Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK,
MessageBoxIcon.Error)
SSNMaskedTextBox.Focus()
SSNMaskedTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf LastNameTextBox.Text.Trim
= String.Empty Then
'Validate Last Name
MessageString = "Last name is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
LastNameTextBox.Focus()
LastNameTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf FirstNameTextBox.Text.Trim
= String.Empty Then
'Validate First Name
MessageString = "First name is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
FirstNameTextBox.Focus()
FirstNameTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf AddressTextBox.Text.Trim
= String.Empty Then
'Validate Address
MessageString = "Address is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
AddressTextBox.Focus()
AddressTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf CityTextBox.Text.Trim
= String.Empty Then
'Validate City
MessageString = "City is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
CityTextBox.Focus()
CityTextBox.SelectAll()
 ElseIf StateCodeTextBox.Text
= String.Empty Then
'Validate State
MessageString = "State is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
StateCodeTextBox.Focus()
ElseIf ZipMaskedTextBox.MaskCompleted
= False Then
'Zip code required
MessageString = "Zip code is incomplete."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
ZipMaskedTextBox.Focus()
ZipMaskedTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf AccountBalanceTextBox.Text.Trim
<> String.Empty AndAlso IsNumeric(AccountBalanceTextB
ox.Text) = False Then
'Validate Account Balance is numeric if
there is a value stored here
MessageString = "Account balance must be
a numeric amount."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
AccountBalanceTextBox.Focus()
AccountBalanceTextBox.SelectAll()
Else
'All of the data is valid
ValidData = True
End If
End Function

The initial If statement tests the first validation rule – SSN must be 11
characters.
• The MaskCompleted method of the MaskedTextBox determines
if the controls is full of numbers – no blanks, none missing.

Later in the ValidData function the MaskCompleted method tests

the ZipMaskedTextBox control – the code will discover whether or not
the Zip Code value contains the minimum required 5 digits. Remember,
the last four digits of a zip code (digits beyond the dash) are optional.
2. Save Button Click event – modify the event to call
the ValidData function. The new code is highlighted in yellow.

Private Sub StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem_Click(ByV

al sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventAr
gs) HandlesStudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem.Click
'Trap any errors during update of the student
table
Try
If ValidData Then
'Me.Validate()
Me.StudentBindingSource.EndEdit()
Me.TableAdapterManager.UpdateAll(Me.Stude
ntDetailsDataSet)

'Call sub procedure to enable

BindingNavigator controls
'by sending a parameter value True
SetControls(True)
End If
Catch ex As Exception
. . . More code follows to handle exceptions.

MaxLength Property
One of the easiest ways to enforce validation rules regarding the
maximum length (size) of data to be stored to a particular column in a
table is by setting the MaxLength property of a control such as a
TextBox.
• MaxLength property – limits the number of characters that can be
typed into a control.
• Example: the value entered for StateCodeTextBox cannot be
larger than 2 characters such as CA for California or IL
for Illinois. You should set the MaxLength property of
the StateCodeTextBox control to 2.

MaxLength should be set for each control that stores data to be saved
to the database as follows:
• String data. If the control (a TextBox or label) displays string
data, you can examine the database table in design mode and
determine the maximum allowed length for values to be
stored/displayed in the control.
 • Numeric data. For numeric data, you need to use good judgment
or determine what rules the business wishes to enforce.
o Example #1: a TextBox control that displays the number of
credit hours for which a student can enroll may be limited to
a maximum value of 12 hours if the University does not offer
courses for more than that number of credit hours (some
School of Education student teaching classes may be taken
for up to 12 credits per term) – since 12 hours is the
maximum credit hours for a course and two characters are
sufficient to store the largest value, set the MaxLength for
this TextBox to 2.
o Example #2: You need to store a currency value such
as $99,999.00. You need to allow characters for the
display/storage of the dollar sign, comma and decimal
point. This particular value is 10 characters at a maximum.
• Date/Time data. For date/time data, do not worry about enforcing
a maximum length – date/time values are stored in a database as
data that are a fixed length in size.

The maximum size of a data value to be stored to the STUDENT table

can be obtained by using the View menu, Server Explorer window
option. Drill down to the STUDENT table and examine each field –
the Properties window will display the Length property.

Set the MaxLength property values as shown here:

• Student SSN – cannot be set, a MaskedTextBox does not have a
MaxLength property.
• Last Name = 20.
• First Name = 20.
• Middle Initial = 1.
• Address = 50.
• City = 40.
• State Code = 2.
• Zip Code – cannot be set, a MaskedTextBox does not have a
MaxLength property.
• Phone Number – cannot be set, a MaskedTextBox does not have
a MaxLength property.
• Email Address = 50.
• Major = 20.
• Account Balance = 11 (to allow a value up to $999,999.99).
Key_Press Event
The Key_Press event of a control is used to validate various keys on
the keyboard as shown in the example below for
the AccountBalanceTextBox_KeyPress subroutine.

This event validates the keystrokes for a TextBox or other type of control
such as a ComboBox.
• Example: the AccountBalanceTextBox control for
the STUDENT table should only store numbers, a decimal point, a
comma, and a currency symbol (we will use a $ assuming US
currency) – example account balance: $1,542.98.
• The application user must also be able to use the backspace key
to delete erroneous entries.
• The event should restrict keystrokes that are accepted into
the TextBox to numbers (Asc values 48 to 57), a decimal point
(Asc value 46 ), a comma (Asc value 44 ), the dollar sign
(Asc value 36), and the backspace key (Asc value 8).
• Note that the Key_Press event does not trap the
keyboard’s delete key and arrow keys.

The value of the KeyChar property of "e", a KeyPressEventArgs value,

is used in the SELECT Case structure and the Handled property is set
to False to allow the key; otherwise the keystroke is handled (ignored)
by this event.

Private Sub AccountBalanceTextBox_KeyPress(ByVal send

er As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyPres
sEventArgs) HandlesAccountBalanceTextBox.KeyPress
'Allow Backspace (8), numeric keys (48 to 57),
comma (44),
'decimal point (46)and dollar sign (36)
Select Case Asc(e.KeyChar)
Case 8, 36, 44, 46, 48 To 57
e.Handled = False 'Allow the key
Case Else
e.Handled = True 'Ignore the key
End Select
End Sub

Note that the AccountBalanceTextBox must still be tested by

the ValidData function because an application user could enter a
numeric value such as 8.9.$5,332, however, this numeric value is
obviously invalid and the IsNumeric function will catch this error and
return a value of False.

If you have not already done so, modify your project as follows:
• Code a ValidData function and Key_Press event sub procedure.
• Set the MaxLength property of the appropriate TextBox controls.
• Set the CharCasing property of
the StateCodeTextBox to Upper.
• Modify the Save button’s Click event sub procedure
• Test the program by trying to enter invalid data.

Using a ComboBox Control

Earlier in the course you learned to use ComboBox and ListBox
controls.
• You stored data to the Items (collection) property at design time
thereby creating a static listing.
• Here you will learn to store data to the Items (collection) property
at run time to create a dynamic listing.

Making Data Navigation Easier with a LastNameComboBox

You can use a list type of control, such as a ComboBox to make it easier
to find student records if the list of students in the dataset is large, such
as when there are several hundred or thousand records.

Use a ComboBox to display the student last name or SSN value and
then when a value is selected from the ComboBox, display the
corresponding values in the other bound controls on the form.

Add and Data Bind a ComboBox

1. Add a label and accompanying ComboBox control next to the
existing SSNMaskedTextBox control.
• Label Text property – Select:.
• ComboBox Name property – LastNameComboBox.
• DropDownStyle – DropDownList.
2. Bind the ComboBox to the StudentBindingSource object by clicking
the ComboBox smart tag arrow.

3. Check the Use data bound items check box as shown in the figure
below – this causes the Data Binding Mode properties to display as
shown in the figure:
o DataSource – StudentBindingSource.
o DisplayMember – LastName.
o ValueMember – StudentSSN.

4. Properties window – set TabStop = False.

Alter the SetControls Sub Procedure

You do not want the application user to access
the LastNameComboBox control during an Edit or Add operation.

5. SetControls sub procedure -- add the following line of code to

the SetControls sub procedure.

'Enable/disable ComboBox
LastNameComboBox.Enabled = ValueBoolean

6. Test the project.

• Select a name from the ComboBox.
 • Some names are duplicated because the ComboBox displays the
last name column (due to the DisplayMember property setting)
and the LastName column is not unique – more than one student
can have the same last name.
• The data is actually found by the setting of
the ValueMember property since LastName is not unique,
but StudentSSN is unique.
• This technique may not get you to the exact student record
desired, but it does get you close to the record – use
the Move navigation buttons of the BindingNavigator control to
navigate to the exact student record.
• Click the Edit or Add Button – confirm the ComboBox is not
accessible (disabled). Click the Cancel Button – confirm the
ComboBox is now accessible again.

If the column displayed by the DisplayMember property is the primary

key column of the table, then you need not set
the ValueMember property; otherwise, set ValueMember to
the primary key column.

A State ComboBox
The States table of the VBUniversity database is a validation table. It
has two columns:
• StateCode – stores the two character abbreviation code.
• StateName – stores the full name of a state.

It may be desirable to display the entire state name on

the StudentDetails form because some application users will not know
all of the two-character state code abbreviations.
• Even though the full state name will be displayed, you must still
save just the two-character state code to the Student table when
editing existing records or when adding a new record.
• The state table contents can be displayed to the form by use of
a ComboBox control with DropDownStyle = DropDownList so
that new states cannot be added by the application user.

Add a ComboBox
1. Delete the existing StateCodeTextBox control.

2. Add a ComboBox control – set properties as follows

• Name = StateComboBox.
• DropDownStyle = DropDownList.
• Enabled = False.

3. Reset the form's tab order.

Add a DataSource
4. Click the StateComboBox Smart Arrow Tag as shown in the figure
below.
5. Check the Use data bound items CheckBox as shown in the figure
blow.
6. Select the Data Source drop-down arrow and then click the Add a
Project Data Source link.

7. Data Source Configuration Wizard

• Choose a Data Source Type – choose Database and click Next.
• Choose a Data Model – select Dataset and click Next.
• Choose Your Data Connection – use the existing connection to
the VBUniversity database.
• Choose Your Database Objects – expand the Tables node and
check the States table.
 • Name the dataset StatesDataSet and click Finish.
• Note the new StatesBindingSource, StatesTableAdapter,
and StatesDataSet components that display to the system
component tray.

Bind the StateComboBox

8. Bind the StateComboBox – click the smart arrow tag for
the StateComboBox and set the four properties shown in the figure
below.

• DataSource = StatesBindingSource – this binds the ComboBox

control to this data source.
• DisplayMember = StateName – this is the StateName column of
the States table – this value displays in the ComboBox's Text
property.
• ValueMember = StateCode – this is the StateCode column of
the States table – this is the name of the data column of
the States table whose value is stored in the list and is the value
returned by the SelectedValue property of the ComboBox.
• SelectedValue = StudentBindingSource – StateCode – this
property gets the value of the currently selected item and binds
the ValueMember property to the StateCodecolumn of
the Student table.

• These four property settings enable you to display data from one
column of a validation table (here this is the States table), and
save a value from another column of a validation table to a column
of a table in another data source (here this is
the Student table, StateCode column).
• The value actually saved to an edited or new Student table row is
the two-character state code.
 • You must ensure that the (DataBindings)-Text property of
the ComboBox = None – if this property is not cleared,
the ComboBox will not work correctly.

9. Sort the new data source – select the StatesBindingSource – in the

Properties window, set the Sort property = StateName.

Modify Form Load, SetControls, and ValidData Procedures

10. Form's Load Event – adding the new StatesDataSource will
cause VB to generate a new line of code in
the StudentDetails_Load event – you need to modify this new code by
moving the line of code into the Try-Catch block that is highlighted in
yellow.

Private Sub StudentDetails_Load(ByVal sender As S

ystem.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles My
Base.Load
'Trap exceptions that occur during data load
Try
Me.StatesTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StatesDataS
et.States)
Me.StudentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentDet
ailsDataSet.Student)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report
this error to the system administrator: " &
ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Student
Details Data Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString,
TitleString, MessageBoxButtons.OK,
MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

11. The StateCodeTextBox control has been deleted – you must

remove all references to this control in the form's code and replace the
lines of code with appropriate code for the newStateComboBox control.

• SetControls sub procedure. Delete the line of code that sets

the ReadOnly property of the StateCodeTextBox.
 • Add a line of code to change Enabled for the StateComboBox.

'Remark out next line when StateComboBox replaces

'the StateCodeTextBox and add the line of
'code to enable the StateComboBox
'StateCodeTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
StateComboBox.Enabled = Not ValueBoolean

• ValidData function.
o Delete the code that validates the StateCodeTextBox.
o Add new code to validate the StateComboBox as shown here.

ElseIf StateComboBox.SelectedIndex = -1 Then

'Validate State
MessageString = "State is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data Error",
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
StateComboBox.Focus()

12. Test the form by both editing and adding rows.

VB University Project – Two DataGridView Controls –

StudentEnrollmentGrid Form
This section demonstrates how to create a Master-Detail Form that
uses two DataGridView controls like that shown in the figure below.
• Student Table Data – the first DataGridView control (the Master)
displays information from the Student table.
• Enrollment Table Data – the second DataGridView control
(the Detail) will display detail Enrollment table information for a
selected Student.
Add a Data Source
1. Add a new data source for the Student and Enrollment Tables –
select the Data | Add New Data Source menu.

2. Data Source Configuration Wizard

• Choose a Data Source Type –choose Database and click Next.
• Choose Your Data Connection – use the existing connection to
the VBUniversity database.
• Choose Your Database Objects – expand the Tables node and
check both the Student and Enrollment tables as shown in the
figure below. Expand the Student table node and only select the
columns indicated in the figure.
 • Name the dataset StudentEnrollmentDataSet and click Finish.

Add a New Form

3. Add a new form to the project. Access the Project | Add
Windows Form… menu to add a new Windows form.

4. Name the form StudentEnrollmentGrid.vb.

• Set the form's Font property = 9 point.
• Set the form's Text property = Student and Enrollment Grid.

5. Access the Toolbox | Containers section. Drag

a SplitContainer control to the form. A SplitContainer control tends to
fill the form. It is a container type of control. You will split the form
horizontally into top and bottom halves.
 • Right-click the design surface as shown in the figure below and
choose the Select ‘SplitContainer1’ menu option.
• In the Properties window set the control’s properties as follows:
o Dock = Fill.
o Orientation =Horizontal.

• Use the mouse to drag/drop the divider line

between Panel1 and Panel2 and adjust the panel sizes so the
form is about evenly split.

Add a StudentDataGridView Control

6. Data Sources window.
• Expand the Data Sources window as shown in the figure below.
• Expand the StudentEnrollmentDataSet and select
the Student table.
• Drag/drop the Student table to Panel1 of the new form.
7. Modify the StudentDataGridView control.
• Name the control StudentDataGridView.
• Position the StudentDataGridView control within Panel1 – resize
the form horizontally to enable display of all Student table column
data at the same time.
• Edit the StudentDataGridView control.
o Disable Adding, Editing, and Deleting.
o Enable Column Reordering.
o Edit the columns and order columns: StudentSSN, LastName,
FirstName, MiddleInitial, Address, and City.
o Set AutoSizeColumnsMode property = AllCells for the
DataGridView.

8. Modify the StudentBindingNavigator control

and StudentBindingSource.
• Delete the Add, Delete, and Save buttons from
the StudentBindingNavigator control.
• Select the StudentBindingSource control – in the Properties
Window sort the data by setting the Sort property
= LastName, FirstName.

Add an EnrollmentDataGridView Control

9. Data Sources window.
• Expand the Data Sources window as shown in the figure below.
• Expand the StudentEnrollmentDataSet and then expand
the Student table node.
• Select the subordinate Enrollment table shown in the figure
below, then drag/drop this table to Panel2 of the new form.

10. Modify the EnrollmentDataGridView control.

• Name the control EnrollmentDataGridView.
• Position the EnrollmentDataGridView control within Panel2 –
resize the form horizontally to enable display of
all Enrollment table column data at the same time.
• Edit the EnrollmentDataGridView control.
o Disable Adding, Editing, and Deleting.
o Enable Column Reordering.
o Edit the columns and order columns: StudentSSN, CourseID,
TermCode, YearEnrolled, and GradeCode.
o Set AutoSizeColumnsMode property = AllCells for the
DataGridView.

Modify Programming Code for the Form

11. Modify the programming code for the form’s Load event as shown
here by adding a Try-Catch block.
 Private Sub StudentEnrollmentGrid_Load(ByVal send
er As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Han
dles MyBase.Load
'Fill the StudentEnrollmentDataSet
Try
Me.StudentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentEnr
ollmentDataSet.Student)
Me.EnrollmentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.Student
EnrollmentDataSet.Enrollment)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report
this error to the system administrator: " &
ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Student or
Enrollment Data Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString,
TitleString, MessageBoxButtons.OK,
MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

12. Delete the StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem_Click sub

procedure.

13. Test the project:

• In the Solution Explorer window click the My Project node.
• Select StudentEnrollment as the startup form from the
dropdown selection.
• Close My Project.
• Run the project.
o A form similar to that shown earlier in this note set should
display. Check the display of all column data.
o Change student records and note that the correct enrollment
records display for each student.
o You can adjust the size of controls, modify column headings,
and adjust column widths as necessary in order to provide a
more professional looking interface.

Question: Can you determine how the program automatically modifies

the display of enrollment records to match each student record?
 Multiple Document Interface
The project now has multiple forms. The multiple document
interface (MDI) allows the creation of a parent form within which child
forms can be opened.

Advantages of the MDI include:

• The parent form can have a menu that can be used to manage the
parent and child forms.
• Child forms can be minimized, maximized, and restored within the
parent form.
• When the parent form closes, all child forms close automatically.
• Child forms cannot move outside of the parent form.
• Forms such as Splash forms can continue to operate
independently of the parent form.
• The parent form can have a Window menu item that enables the
display of a list of open windows (forms) and can help you move
from one active form to another.

Add a MDIParent Form

Visual Studio has a form template for a MDIParent form; however, we
will not use it as most of the features built into the template are not very
useful for business applications. Instead we will use a regular Windows
Form and convert it to a MDIParent form.

1. Select the Project menu, Add Windows Form option and add a new
form named VBUniversityParent.vb.

2. In the Properties window for the new form set

the IsMDIContainer property to True – this causes the new form to be a
parent form. Note that the BackColor property of the form is now a dark
gray.

3. You may want to size the form either:

• Size the form manually through trial and error until you achieve an
acceptable size and set StartPosition = CenterScreen, or
• Set the WindowState property to a value of Maximized – this will
cause the parent form to fill the entire display screen on startup.
4. Open My Project – set the StartupForm property
to VBUniversityParent – close My Project.
Set the form's Text property to VB University.

Modify Each Child Form

Child forms should open within the parent form such that multiple child
forms tile across one another.

5. Open each child form

(CourseGrid, StudentGrid, StudentEnrollmentGrid,
and StudentDetails) – check that the StartPosition property
= WindowsDefaultLocation.

Add a Menu to the Parent Form

6. Add a menu strip control to the parent form with the following menu
items.

&File &Display &Window

&Close &Course Grid &Cascade
E&xit &Student Grid Tile &Horizontally
Student-&Enrollment Tile &Vertically
Grid
Student &Details

7. Access the Properties window for the menu strip control.

8. Select the MdiWindowListItem property, set it to a value

of WindowToolStripMenuItem. This causes the Window top-level
menu to display a list of all open forms.

Code the Parent Form

Displaying Forms. Clicking the Course Grid menu item will open and
display an instance of the Course form. This is accomplished in the
click event for this menu item by:
1. Declaring an instance of the form. In the code below a generic
name for the form is used (aForm) – any form name will due.
 2. Set the form instance MdiParent property to Me (the parent form).
3. Execute the Show method to show the form – using
the Show method instead of ShowDialog will enable the
application user to move between multiple open forms.

9. Add this sub procedure to your program.

Private Sub CourseGridToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal s

ender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
HandlesCourseGridToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the CourseGrid form
Dim aForm As New CourseGrid

'Assign the MdiParent property the name of the

parent form
aForm.MdiParent = Me

'Show the form so that the application user can

switch
'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub

You can use this same approach to code the Student Grid, Student-
Enrollment Grid, and Student Details menu items. Note that the same
generic form name is used, thus making it easier to copy/past/modify the
code.

10. Add these three sub procedures to your program.

Private Sub StudentGridToolStripMenuItem_Click(By

Val sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventA
rgs) HandlesStudentGridToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the StudentGrid form
Dim aForm As New StudentGrid

'Assign the MdiParent property the name of

the parent form
aForm.MdiParent = Me
 'Show the form so that the application user
can switch
'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub

Private Sub StudentEnrollmentGridToolStripMenuIte

m_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As Sys
tem.EventArgs) HandlesStudentEnrollmentGridToolStripM
enuItem.Click
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the
StudentEnrollmentGrid form
Dim aForm As New StudentEnrollmentGrid

'Assign the MdiParent property the name of

the parent form
aForm.MdiParent = Me

'Show the form so that the application user

can switch
'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub

Private Sub StudentDetailsToolStripMenuItem_Click

(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Eve
ntArgs) HandlesStudentDetailsToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the StudentDetails
form
Dim aForm As New StudentDetails

'Assign the MdiParent property the name of

the parent form
aForm.MdiParent = Me

'Show the form so that the application user

can switch
'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub
11. Run the project. Note that this approach enables opening multiple
instances of a form. This figure shows one of each of the forms open,
but it is easy to also display multiple instances of the CourseGrid form
and other forms—try it!

Code Windows Layout Options

The code for the menu items within the Window top-level menu item is
shown here. The LayoutMDI method is used along with
the MdiLayout enumeration and its enumerated values to arrange the
display of open forms (windows).

12. Add the code for these three sub procedures to the program.

Private Sub CascadeToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal send

er As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Han
dlesCascadeToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Arrange open forms by cascading
Me.LayoutMdi(MdiLayout.Cascade)
End Sub

Private Sub TileHorizontallyToolStripMenuItem_Click(B

yVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Event
Args) HandlesTileHorizontallyToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Arrange open forms by tiling horizontally
Me.LayoutMdi(MdiLayout.TileHorizontal)
End Sub

Private Sub TileVerticallyToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByV

al sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventAr
gs) HandlesTileVerticallyToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Arrange open forms by tiling vertically
Me.LayoutMdi(MdiLayout.TileVertical)
End Sub

This figure shows two forms open in windows arranged for display by
cascading. Note the Window menu displays a listing of each form
automatically due to setting the MdiWindowListItem property of the
menu strip control to the Window menu item.
Code File Close and Exit Menu Options

The code for the Close menu item under the File menu is shown here.
• The Me.ActiveMdiChild property is checked to determine if there
is an active child form with the If statement. This is done by
comparing the value of the property to the keyword Is Nothing.
• The Me.ActiveMdiChild.Close method closes the currently
selected (active) child form.

Private Sub CloseToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender

As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handl
esCloseToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Close the currently selected active child
form. Check to
'determine if a child form is active.
If Not Me.ActiveMdiChild Is Nothing Then
Me.ActiveMdiChild.Close()
End If
End Sub

The code for the Exit menu item under the File menu is straight-forward
– all open child forms will automatically close.

Private Sub ExitToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender

As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handle
s ExitToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Close the main form - this automatically closes
all child forms.
Me.Close()
End Sub

13. Add the code for the Close and Exit ToolStripMenuItem click
event sub procedures to the program.

You can provide a “polished” touch to the program by adding program

comments for each form. Each form must have comments identifying
the project, programmer, date the form was developed, form identifier,
and Option Strict On.

You should also organize the code for each form by

using Region statements.
You can continue to develop the MDI layout by adding additional tools to
the parent form including toolbars with the tool strip control and status
bars with the status strip control, among other controls. Many of these
features are covered in our advanced VB course.

This completes the Chapter 10 project.

Solution to In-Class Exercise

This solution shows the Ch10VBUniversity exercise code organized into
regions.

Parent Form
'Project: Ch10VBUniversity-AccessVersion
'D. Bock
'Today's Date

Option Strict On

Public Class VBUniversityParent

#Region " File Menu Events "

Private Sub CloseToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object,

ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CloseToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Close the currently selected active child form. Check to
'determine if a child form is active.
If Not Me.ActiveMdiChild Is Nothing Then
Me.ActiveMdiChild.Close()
End If
End Sub

Private Sub ExitToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object,

ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ExitToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Close the main form - this automatically closes all child forms.
Me.Close()
End Sub

#End Region

#Region " Display Menu Events "

Private Sub CourseGridToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Ob

ject, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CourseGridToolStripMenuItem.Clic
k
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the CourseGrid form
Dim aForm As New CourseGrid
 'Assign the MdiParent property the name of the parent form
aForm.MdiParent = Me

'Show the form so that the application user can switch

'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub

Private Sub StudentGridToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.O

bject, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles StudentGridToolStripMenuItem.Cl
ick
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the StudentGrid form
Dim aForm As New StudentGrid

'Assign the MdiParent property the name of the parent form

aForm.MdiParent = Me

'Show the form so that the application user can switch

'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub

Private Sub StudentEnrollmentGridToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender A

s System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles StudentEnrollmentGrid
ToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the StudentEnrollmentGrid form
Dim aForm As New StudentEnrollmentGrid

'Assign the MdiParent property the name of the parent form

aForm.MdiParent = Me

'Show the form so that the application user can switch

'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub

Private Sub StudentDetailsToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As Syste

m.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles StudentDetailsToolStripMenuI
tem.Click
'Display the form
'Declare an instance of the StudentDetails form
Dim aForm As New StudentDetails

'Assign the MdiParent property the name of the parent form

aForm.MdiParent = Me

'Show the form so that the application user can switch

'between any forms that are open
aForm.Show()
End Sub

#End Region

#Region " Window Menu Events "

Private Sub CascadeToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Objec

t, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CascadeToolStripMenuItem.Click
'Arrange open forms by cascading
Me.LayoutMdi(MdiLayout.Cascade)
 End Sub

Private Sub TileHorizontallyToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As Sys

tem.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles TileHorizontallyToolStripM
enuItem.Click
'Arrange open forms by tiling horizontally
Me.LayoutMdi(MdiLayout.TileHorizontal)
End Sub

Private Sub TileVerticallyToolStripMenuItem_Click(ByVal sender As Syste

m.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles TileVerticallyToolStripMenuI
tem.Click
'Arrange open forms by tiling vertically
Me.LayoutMdi(MdiLayout.TileVertical)
End Sub

#End Region

End Class

CourseGrid form
'Project: Ch10VBUniversity-AccessVersion
'D. Bock
'Today's Date

Option Strict On

Public Class CourseGrid

Private Sub CourseGrid_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As S

ystem.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Try
'Load Course table
Me.CourseTableAdapter.Fill(Me.CourseGridDataSet.Course)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report this error to the system
administrator: " & ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Course Data Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, TitleString,
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

End Class

Student Grid Form

'Project: Ch10VBUniversity-AccessVersion
'D. Bock
'Today's Date

Option Strict On

Public Class StudentGrid

 Private Sub StudentGrid_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As
System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
'Load the Student table
Try
Me.StudentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentGridDataSet.Student)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report this error to the system
administrator: " & ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Student Data Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, TitleString,
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

End Class

StudentEnrollment Grid Form

'Project: Ch10VBUniversity-AccessVersion
'D. Bock
'Today's Date

Option Strict On

Public Class StudentEnrollmentGrid

Private Sub StudentEnrollmentGrid_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, B

yVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
'Fill the StudentEnrollmentDataSet
Try
Me.StudentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentEnrollmentDataSet.Student
)
Me.EnrollmentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentEnrollmentDataSet.Enro
llment)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report this error to the system
administrator: " & ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Student or Enrollment Data Load
Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, TitleString,
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

End Class

Student Details Form

'Ch10VBUniverrsity - StudentDetails Form
'D. Bock
'Today's Date

Option Strict On

Public Class StudentDetails

 Private Sub StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, B
yVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem.Click
'Trap any exceptions during student table update
Try
If ValidData() Then
'Me.Validate()
Me.StudentBindingSource.EndEdit()
Me.TableAdapterManager.UpdateAll(Me.StudentDetailsDataSet)

'Call sub procedure to enable BindingNavigator controls

'by sending a parameter value True
Me.SetControls(True)
End If
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report this error to the system
administrator: " & ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Error During Save Operation"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString,
TitleString, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

Private Sub StudentDetails_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.E

ventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
'Trap exceptions that occur during data load
Try
Me.StatesTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StatesDataSet.States)
Me.StudentTableAdapter.Fill(Me.StudentDetailsDataSet.Student)
Catch ex As Exception
Dim MessageString As String = "Report this error to the system
administrator: " & ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message
Dim TitleString As String = "Student Details Data Load Failed"
MessageBox.Show(MessageString,
TitleString, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

Private Sub SetControls(ByVal ValueBoolean As Boolean)

'This sub procedure sets the user interface for the
'BindingNavigator control and bound controls for Edit/Add
'operations

'ReadOnly/Not ReadOnly the bound controls

SSNMaskedTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
LastNameTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
FirstNameTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
MiddleInitialTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
AddressTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
CityTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
ZipMaskedTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
PhoneMaskedTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
EmailAddressTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
MajorTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
AccountBalanceTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean

'Remark out next line when StateComboBox replaces

'the StateCodeTextBox and add the line of
'code to enable the StateComboBox
'StateCodeTextBox.ReadOnly = ValueBoolean
StateComboBox.Enabled = Not ValueBoolean

'Make the Move, Position, and Buttons

 '(except Save and Cancel) Invisible
BindingNavigatorMoveFirstItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorMoveLastItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorMoveNextItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorMovePreviousItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorPositionItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorCountItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorAddNewItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
BindingNavigatorDeleteItem.Visible = ValueBoolean
EditToolStripButton.Visible = ValueBoolean

'Enable/disable the Save and Cancel Buttons

StudentBindingNavigatorSaveItem.Enabled = Not ValueBoolean
CancelToolStripButton.Enabled = Not ValueBoolean

'Enable/disable ComboBox
LastNameComboBox.Enabled = ValueBoolean
End Sub

Private Sub EditToolStripButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As Sy

stem.EventArgs) Handles EditToolStripButton.Click
'Call SetControls with False to alter the form to
'allow editing a data row
SetControls(False)
End Sub

Private Sub CancelToolStripButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As

System.EventArgs) Handles CancelToolStripButton.Click
'Cancel the operation
StudentBindingSource.CancelEdit()

'Call SetControls with True to alter the form to

'make the form ReadOnly
SetControls(True)
End Sub

Private Sub BindingNavigatorAddNewItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal

e As System.EventArgs) Handles BindingNavigatorAddNewItem.Click
'Call SetControls with False to alter the form to
'allow adding a data row
SetControls(False)

'Set focus
SSNMaskedTextBox.Focus()
End Sub

Private Sub BindingNavigatorDeleteItem_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal

e As System.EventArgs) Handles BindingNavigatorDeleteItem.Click
'Delete the row if there is no relationship to
'existing data rows in the ENROLLMENT table

'Store the current DataSet position in case the deletion fails

Dim RowNumberInteger As Integer = StudentBindingSource.Position

Try
Dim ResponseDialogResult As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("Confirm to
delete the student record.", "Delete
Y/N?", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question, MessageBoxDefaultButton.Butto
n2)

If ResponseDialogResult = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Yes Then

'Delete the row by removing the current record,
 'ending the edit, and calling the Update method
StudentBindingSource.RemoveCurrent()
StudentBindingSource.EndEdit()
TableAdapterManager.UpdateAll(StudentDetailsDataSet)
End If

Catch exOleDb As OleDb.OleDbException

'The deletion attempt failed due to a relationship
'to existing data rows in the ENROLLMENT table

'Restore the deleted row with the RejectChanges method

StudentDetailsDataSet.RejectChanges()

'Reposition to the row that was deleted

StudentBindingSource.Position = RowNumberInteger

'Display appropriate error message

MessageBox.Show("This student cannot be deleted - the student is enrolled
in courses." & ControlChars.NewLine & exOleDb.Message, "Delete Operation
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)

Catch ex As Exception
'Some other exception was triggered
MessageBox.Show("Unexpected error in delete operation:
" & ControlChars.NewLine & ex.Message, "Delete Operation
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
End Try
End Sub

Private Function ValidData() As Boolean

'Initialize function return value
ValidData = False
Dim MessageString As String

'Test SSN is correct length

'Test existence of values in each textbox
If SSNMaskedTextBox.MaskCompleted = False Then
'The SSN value is not completes
MessageString = "SSN value is not complete."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
SSNMaskedTextBox.Focus()
SSNMaskedTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf LastNameTextBox.Text.Trim = String.Empty Then
'Validate Last Name
MessageString = "Last name is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
LastNameTextBox.Focus()
LastNameTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf FirstNameTextBox.Text.Trim = String.Empty Then
'Validate First Name
MessageString = "First name is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
FirstNameTextBox.Focus()
FirstNameTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf AddressTextBox.Text.Trim = String.Empty Then
'Validate Address
MessageString = "Address is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
 AddressTextBox.Focus()
AddressTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf CityTextBox.Text.Trim = String.Empty Then
'Validate City
MessageString = "City is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
CityTextBox.Focus()
CityTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf StateComboBox.SelectedIndex = -1 Then
'Validate State
MessageString = "State is required."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
StateComboBox.Focus()
ElseIf ZipMaskedTextBox.MaskCompleted = False Then
'Zip code required
MessageString = "Zip code is incomplete."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
ZipMaskedTextBox.Focus()
ZipMaskedTextBox.SelectAll()
ElseIf AccountBalanceTextBox.Text.Trim
<> String.Empty AndAlso IsNumeric(AccountBalanceTextBox.Text) = False Then
'Validate Account Balance is numeric if there is a value stored here
MessageString = "Account balance must be a numeric amount."
MessageBox.Show(MessageString, "Data
Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
AccountBalanceTextBox.Focus()
AccountBalanceTextBox.SelectAll()
Else
'All of the data is valid
ValidData = True
End If
End Function

Private Sub AccountBalanceTextBox_KeyPress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Syst

em.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs) Handles AccountBalanceTextBox.KeyPress
'Allow Backspace (8), numeric keys (48 to 57), comma (44),
'decimal point (46)and dollar sign (36)
Select Case Asc(e.KeyChar)
Case 8, 36, 44, 46, 48 To 57
e.Handled = False 'Allow the key
Case Else
e.Handled = True 'Ignore the key
End Select
End Sub

End Class

END OF NOTES