listbox bound to arraylist no changing values when values in arraylist are added or deleted

[Dave]

Hi all,

I have a listbox that is complex bound by an arraylist. The problem is that
when I delete an object from the arraylist, the listbox does not reflect
those changes. I tried refreshing the listbox with no luck and, because it
is already bound, I can't just delete the item directly from the listbox
without an error (because it already has a datasource, you are not allowed
to delete/add anything to the listbox directly).

The application basically is doing nothing but a dual listbox populator
(values in the right listbox are sent to the left with an "add" or an "add
all" button - and vice-versa with "remove" and "Remove all"). Instead of
using datatables, it uses arraylists to keep track of objects. Because the
objects will ultimately contain more than 1 item, I can't do a simple
binding (I wish MS did not ruin the listbox).
If anyone has seen a dual listbox using arraylists (instead of datatables),
please post a link or code .

Private alRegionNames As New ArrayList

Private alSelectedRegio nNames As New ArrayList

Private Sub form4_Load(ByVa l sender As System.Object, ByVal e As
System.EventArg s) Handles MyBase.Load

loadDBRegionNam es()

End Sub

Private Sub loadDBRegionNam es()

alRegionNames = SalesRegionsDB. GetRegionNamesA ctiveAL 'returns an
arraylist of SalesRegionDD objects

lstRegionNames. DisplayMember = "reg_name"

lstRegionNames. ValueMember = "reg_idx"

lstRegionNames. DataSource = alRegionNames 'this listbox is bound to the
arraylist, so changes to the arraylist should reflect in the listbox, but
they do not!

lstSelectedRegi onNames.Display Member = "reg_name"

lstSelectedRegi onNames.ValueMe mber = "reg_idx"

End Sub

Private Sub Add() 'moves items from the right listbox to the left listbox

If lstRegionNames. SelectedIndex < 0 Then Return

Dim sr As New SalesRegionDD

sr = lstRegionNames. SelectedItem

Me.lstSelectedR egionNames.Item s.Add(sr)

Me.TextBox1.Tex t = sr.reg_idx

Me.alRegionName s.Remove(sr)

End Sub

Private Sub btnAdd_Click(By Val sender As System.Object, ByVal e As
System.EventArg s) Handles btnAdd.Click

Me.Add()

End Sub

Here is the SalesRegionDD class (DD stands for dropdown in case you were
wondering - this is reused in other parts of the app for dropdowns):

Public Class SalesRegionDD

Private _reg_idx As String

Private _reg_name As String

Public Sub New() 'nothing happens here, yet

End Sub

Public Property reg_idx() As String

Get

Return _reg_idx

End Get

Set(ByVal Value As String)

_reg_idx = Value

End Set

End Property

Public Property reg_name() As String

Get

Return _reg_name

End Get

Set(ByVal Value As String)

_reg_name = Value

End Set

End Property

End Class

If anyone has any insight on what I am doing wrong or if this is another MS
DotNet bug I am wasting my time chasing, please let me know. I've spent an
entire week trying to do a simple ping-pong dual listbox (driven by a
database) bound by arraylists.
A dual listbox is such a common item in DB apps, I can't believe that no one
has done one before in VB.Net (I spent an afternoon at the bookstore
looking for an example with no luck).

Help!

TIA

Dave