Form close changes notification and databinding

[TonFrere]

Hello,
I'm simply trying to keep track of changes on a windows form as users modify control values. I created a boolean variable called IsDirty and want it set to true whenever the user changes something.

The problem is: where to set IsDirty to true?

If I raise the event on "TextChanged" event of a control (let say a textbox), it is set to true whenever the user changes current record.

I also tried to raise it on "Validating" event but then, as soon as I enter a control and leave it, IsDirty is set to true even if the user haven't made any changes.

This was very easy with the DatagridView control since I could add the code to the OnCellEndEdit event.

I bet there's a much easyier way to look for a "row dirtiness" directly on the form (maybe through the bindingsource?).

Any advice?
Thanks a lot,
Justin

[Plater]

What controls do you need it for besides textbox?
"TextChanged" seemed like a good place for it?

[TonFrere]

Common controls: Combobox, CheckBoxes etc. Is it ok to look it from the control side or should I find a way to check if the bindingsource or dataset are changed?

I'm a little embarrassed to be stock on something that seems so obvious.

Justin

What controls do you need it for besides textbox?
"TextChanged" seemed like a good place for it?

[TonFrere]

I can't use "TextChanged" because this would be raised each time the user changes record.

Windows Forms, C#, Visual Studio 2005.

Still need help.
Thanks!

[Plater]

I can't use "TextChanged" because this would be raised each time the user changes record.

Don't you WANT that to happen so you can set isDirty=true?

[TonFrere]

Sorry, I'll try to describe a little more.

I want IsDirty set to true whenever a user changes a value on the form. This is to track changes (and to advice the user if he leaves without saving).

If I set IsDirty to True in the "TextChanged" event, it happens whenever a user make changes (which is good) but also, whenever a user move between records using the Binding Navigator move next, move previous etc. buttons (which is not good). This happens because the actual value of the control changes from a record to the other (which is perfectly logic) but I can't find an event that would be raised only when a user physically changes the contain of a control.

I also tried adding the event in the "validated" event. But then, as soon as a control gets the focus, IsDirty is set to true (even if the user doesn't make any changes or the control gets the focus "accidentally").

In other words, I want to track only user simply "have made changes"...

I have a feeling I'm doing this the wrong way.

What do you think?
Justin

[TonFrere]

I think I found the perfect combo to make this work:

- For each control TextChange (or equivalent for other controls) I set IsDirty to True. (Capturing users changes)

- On BindingSource CurrentChanged, I set IsDirty to False. (Because it is set to true when controls are filled with db values.)

- On form OnActivated event, I set IsDirty to false (this way I don't get it set to true after the initial binding is done).

The only trouble with this is that users will not be notified if they have made changes to a record, then move to another, and finally close the form without changing anything. I might as well save changes between record navigation.

It works though... this seems a lot of trouble for such a trivial feature.

Anybody has a better idea?

And is there be a way of adding the "set isdirty to true" feature on all controls on my form (when form load or whatever)? This way, I would make sure that new controls added to the form would have the same feature (Should I override all controls type classes and add the feature to them... is this good or bad pratice?)

Thanks,
Justin