remember a forms position on the screen

[cj]

I was googling for a way to have my single form application start in the
same location on the screen it was in when it was closed. I found this
very short article:

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/pr...lopment/?p=540

I can create the my.settings object as specified but I can't set the
form1's location to mainformlocation in form1's properties. It takes an
X and Y location.

Help!

[=?Utf-8?B?VGVycnk=?=]

You are looking at the location property in the properties window. Go to the
very top of the properties window and expand 'Application Settings' then set
the location.
--
Terry
"cj" wrote:

I was googling for a way to have my single form application start in the
same location on the screen it was in when it was closed. I found this
very short article:

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/pr...lopment/?p=540

I can create the my.settings object as specified but I can't set the
form1's location to mainformlocation in form1's properties. It takes an
X and Y location.

Help!

[cj]

Wow!, I'd never seen that before. Thanks! And the article works.

Terry wrote:

You are looking at the location property in the properties window. Go to the
very top of the properties window and expand 'Application Settings' then set
the location.

[cj]

Terry,

Now here's a follow up. I have an app that I allow 2 instances of it to
be running on a pc at the same time. Folks usually like to spread them
out so they can see both at the same time. Will these settings allow
each instance to remember where it was? Or will this cause problems?

Terry wrote:

You are looking at the location property in the properties window. Go to the
very top of the properties window and expand 'Application Settings' then set
the location.

[=?Utf-8?B?VGVycnk=?=]

Well, not a big problem. They will both open in the last saved location.
And then they will have to move one. When they close the form, the settings
will be saved. So the last one closed, will be the setting that the next
one(s) use to start with.
--
Terry
"cj" wrote:

Terry,

Now here's a follow up. I have an app that I allow 2 instances of it to
be running on a pc at the same time. Folks usually like to spread them
out so they can see both at the same time. Will these settings allow
each instance to remember where it was? Or will this cause problems?

Terry wrote:

You are looking at the location property in the properties window. Go to the
very top of the properties window and expand 'Application Settings' then set
the location.

[cj]

That's what I thought. As I detect which one is first and name it
instance A and the next one is named instance B perhaps it would work if
I made two entries in the project properties settings tab. Like
AMainFormLocation and BMainFormLocation then, then -- well shucks that
wouldn't help cause I don't actively control the saving of location.
It's no big deal. I've taken care of the programs that bothered me and
those don't. It was just a natural progression to wonder if it would
work for them too.

I'm not sure how all this works anyway. I guess the settings in the
project properties are saved by VB in the registry? Linking the setting
MainFormLocation to the location property of the application must keep
the values in both in sync. Am I on the right track?

As I said they do know which of them is A and which is B. I have first
thing in the form.load

objMutex = New System.Threading.Mutex(False, "AorB")
If objMutex.WaitOne(0, False) = False Then
objMutex.Close()
objMutex = Nothing
instance = "B"
Else
instance = "A"
End If

Well, if you know of an easy way to save location information for them
individually let me know but I don't have too much time to mess with it.

Thanks for all your help.

Terry wrote:

Well, not a big problem. They will both open in the last saved location.
And then they will have to move one. When they close the form, the settings
will be saved. So the last one closed, will be the setting that the next
one(s) use to start with.

[=?Utf-8?B?VGVycnk=?=]

Here is code designed to keep track of multiple form locations/sizes in the
same application. Instead of adding entries in Settings for each of the
forms in the application, you have 2 settings, location and size, and each
form uses its own settings object. You need an ApplySettings() call in the
Form Load event and a SaveSettings() call in the form closing event. In the
settings file have a formsize and a formlocation setting.

change the " Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name"
to something like Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name & Instance

I *think* that this will work.

Private ReadOnly Property Settings() As
System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase
Get
If _settings Is Nothing Then
_settings = New My.MySettings
End If
Return _settings
End Get
End Property

Private Sub ApplySettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)
If theSettings.FormSize <Drawing.Size.Empty Then
Me.Size = theSettings.FormSize
End If
If theSettings.FormLocation <Drawing.Point.Empty Then
Me.Location = theSettings.FormLocation
End If
End Sub

Private Sub SaveSettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)

If Me.WindowState = FormWindowState.Normal Then
theSettings.FormSize = Me.Size
Else
' If the form was maximized or minimized,
' return to the restore state
theSettings.FormSize = Me.RestoreBounds.Size
End If
theSettings.FormLocation = Me.Location

Settings.Save()
End Sub
--
Terry

[cj]

Thanks so much! It'll probably be the first of the week before I can
test it but I really appreciate it you sending me the code. Thanks!

Terry wrote:

Here is code designed to keep track of multiple form locations/sizes in the
same application. Instead of adding entries in Settings for each of the
forms in the application, you have 2 settings, location and size, and each
form uses its own settings object. You need an ApplySettings() call in the
Form Load event and a SaveSettings() call in the form closing event. In the
settings file have a formsize and a formlocation setting.

change the " Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name"
to something like Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name & Instance

I *think* that this will work.

Private ReadOnly Property Settings() As
System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase
Get
If _settings Is Nothing Then
_settings = New My.MySettings
End If
Return _settings
End Get
End Property

Private Sub ApplySettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)
If theSettings.FormSize <Drawing.Size.Empty Then
Me.Size = theSettings.FormSize
End If
If theSettings.FormLocation <Drawing.Point.Empty Then
Me.Location = theSettings.FormLocation
End If
End Sub

Private Sub SaveSettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)

If Me.WindowState = FormWindowState.Normal Then
theSettings.FormSize = Me.Size
Else
' If the form was maximized or minimized,
' return to the restore state
theSettings.FormSize = Me.RestoreBounds.Size
End If
theSettings.FormLocation = Me.Location

Settings.Save()
End Sub

[=?Utf-8?B?VGVycnk=?=]

Missed one line, need to declare _settings right before the Private Readonly
Property Settings....

Private _settings as My.MySettings
--
Terry
"cj" wrote:

Thanks so much! It'll probably be the first of the week before I can
test it but I really appreciate it you sending me the code. Thanks!

Terry wrote:

Here is code designed to keep track of multiple form locations/sizes in the
same application. Instead of adding entries in Settings for each of the
forms in the application, you have 2 settings, location and size, and each
form uses its own settings object. You need an ApplySettings() call in the
Form Load event and a SaveSettings() call in the form closing event. In the
settings file have a formsize and a formlocation setting.

change the " Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name"
to something like Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name & Instance

I *think* that this will work.

Private ReadOnly Property Settings() As
System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase
Get
If _settings Is Nothing Then
_settings = New My.MySettings
End If
Return _settings
End Get
End Property

Private Sub ApplySettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)
If theSettings.FormSize <Drawing.Size.Empty Then
Me.Size = theSettings.FormSize
End If
If theSettings.FormLocation <Drawing.Point.Empty Then
Me.Location = theSettings.FormLocation
End If
End Sub

Private Sub SaveSettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)

If Me.WindowState = FormWindowState.Normal Then
theSettings.FormSize = Me.Size
Else
' If the form was maximized or minimized,
' return to the restore state
theSettings.FormSize = Me.RestoreBounds.Size
End If
theSettings.FormLocation = Me.Location

Settings.Save()
End Sub

[=?Utf-8?B?Q29sc0h1Yg==?=]

Pls help this humble newbie...
This thread looks like what I need but I'm having trouble following it.
Here's what I want to do- If the user moves the application to another place
on the screen, I want the app to appear there the next time it is run.

According to the link-
"I will use the Location property of the My.Settings object. Follow these
steps to access the My.Settings object:"

What is "My.Settings.Object"? and where do I put it?

Thanks
ColsHub
"Terry" wrote:

Missed one line, need to declare _settings right before the Private Readonly
Property Settings....

Private _settings as My.MySettings
--
Terry
"cj" wrote:

Thanks so much! It'll probably be the first of the week before I can
test it but I really appreciate it you sending me the code. Thanks!

Terry wrote:

Here is code designed to keep track of multiple form locations/sizes in the
same application. Instead of adding entries in Settings for each of the
forms in the application, you have 2 settings, location and size, and each
form uses its own settings object. You need an ApplySettings() call in the
Form Load event and a SaveSettings() call in the form closing event. In the
settings file have a formsize and a formlocation setting.
>
change the " Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name"
to something like Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name & Instance
>
I *think* that this will work.
>
Private ReadOnly Property Settings() As
System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase
Get
If _settings Is Nothing Then
_settings = New My.MySettings
End If
Return _settings
End Get
End Property
>
Private Sub ApplySettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)
If theSettings.FormSize <Drawing.Size.Empty Then
Me.Size = theSettings.FormSize
End If
If theSettings.FormLocation <Drawing.Point.Empty Then
Me.Location = theSettings.FormLocation
End If
End Sub
>
Private Sub SaveSettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)
>
If Me.WindowState = FormWindowState.Normal Then
theSettings.FormSize = Me.Size
Else
' If the form was maximized or minimized,
' return to the restore state
theSettings.FormSize = Me.RestoreBounds.Size
End If
theSettings.FormLocation = Me.Location
>
Settings.Save()
End Sub
>
>

[cj]

I did this in VB 2005. I'm not sure it will work in 2003. And while
I'm very grateful to Terry for the code to allow this to work on
multiple instances of the same app I must admit I never got a chance to
try it. I still might one day.
ColsHub wrote:

Seth- no such thing as rude here.
I'm using Frameworks 1.1
I don't get a "settings" tab when I do Project/ Properties. Should I?
I haven't typed in My.Settings because I don't know where to type it in. Is
this part of the code or does it go in the settings tab that I can't find? A
short example would be great. My ProjectName is "Drawing Builder" and the
FormName is "frmMain".

ColsHub

>This might sound rude, but did you type in My.Settings?

The Location object you need should be there unless you are using an
old framework version. BTW if that doesn't work, what framework
version are you using?

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

[kimiraikkonen]

On Jan 15, 11:33*pm, cj <[e-mail]:

I did this in VB 2005. *I'm not sure it will work in 2003. *And while
I'm very grateful to Terry for the code to allow this to work on
multiple instances of the same app I must admit I never got a chance to
try it. *I still might one day.

ColsHub wrote:

Seth- no such thing as rude here.
I'm using Frameworks 1.1
I don't get a "settings" tab when I do Project/ Properties. Should I?
I haven't typed in My.Settings because I don't know where to type it in.Is
this part of the code or does it go in the settings tab that I can't find? A
short example would be great. My ProjectName is "Drawing Builder" and the
FormName is "frmMain".

ColsHub

This might sound rude, but did you type in My.Settings?

The Location object you need should be there unless you are using an
old framework version. BTW if that doesn't work, what framework
version are you using?

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

cj,

There's a useful article which includes how to save form size and many
other things, you can do the same for other things like last form
location etc.
http://www.devcity.net/Articles/281/1/article.aspx

[=?Utf-8?B?Q29sc0h1Yg==?=]

Seth- no such thing as rude here.
I'm using Frameworks 1.1
I don't get a "settings" tab when I do Project/ Properties. Should I?
I haven't typed in My.Settings because I don't know where to type it in. Is
this part of the code or does it go in the settings tab that I can't find? A
short example would be great. My ProjectName is "Drawing Builder" and the
FormName is "frmMain".

ColsHub

This might sound rude, but did you type in My.Settings?

The Location object you need should be there unless you are using an
old framework version. BTW if that doesn't work, what framework
version are you using?

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

[=?Utf-8?B?Q29sc0h1Yg==?=]

My problem is I don't get the "settings" tab when I open the Projects/
property window. What am I doing wrong?

ColsHub
Framework 1.1
VisualStudio 2003

"kimiraikkonen" wrote:

>
There's a useful article which includes how to save form size and many
other things, you can do the same for other things like last form
location etc.
http://www.devcity.net/Articles/281/1/article.aspx

[cj]

Looks interesting. ColsHub was strying to save screen positions like
Terry helped me with awhile back. I was just pointing out to him that I
had done that in VB 2005 where he seems to be using 2003.

Of course now I'm using 2008 so I'll have to see what changes were made
to that.

kimiraikkonen wrote:

On Jan 15, 11:33 pm, cj <[e-mail]:

>I did this in VB 2005. I'm not sure it will work in 2003. And while
I'm very grateful to Terry for the code to allow this to work on
multiple instances of the same app I must admit I never got a chance to
try it. I still might one day.

ColsHub wrote:

>>Seth- no such thing as rude here.
I'm using Frameworks 1.1
I don't get a "settings" tab when I do Project/ Properties. Should I?
I haven't typed in My.Settings because I don't know where to type it in. Is
this part of the code or does it go in the settings tab that I can't find? A
short example would be great. My ProjectName is "Drawing Builder" and the
FormName is "frmMain".
ColsHub
This might sound rude, but did you type in My.Settings?
The Location object you need should be there unless you are using an
old framework version. BTW if that doesn't work, what framework
version are you using?
Thanks,
Seth Rowe [MVP]- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

cj,

There's a useful article which includes how to save form size and many
other things, you can do the same for other things like last form
location etc.
http://www.devcity.net/Articles/281/1/article.aspx

[rowe_newsgroups]

On Jan 15, 3:40 pm, ColsHub <[e-mail]:

Pls help this humble newbie...
This thread looks like what I need but I'm having trouble following it.
Here's what I want to do- If the user moves the application to another place
on the screen, I want the app to appear there the next time it is run.

According to the link-
"I will use the Location property of the My.Settings object. Follow these
steps to access the My.Settings object:"

What is "My.Settings.Object"? and where do I put it?

Thanks
ColsHub

"Terry" wrote:

Missed one line, need to declare _settings right before the Private Readonly
Property Settings....

Private _settings as My.MySettings
--
Terry

"cj" wrote:

Thanks so much! It'll probably be the first of the week before I can
test it but I really appreciate it you sending me the code. Thanks!

Terry wrote:
Here is code designed to keep track of multiple form locations/sizes in the
same application. Instead of adding entries in Settings for each of the
forms in the application, you have 2 settings, location and size, and each
form uses its own settings object. You need an ApplySettings() call in the
Form Load event and a SaveSettings() call in the form closing event. In the
settings file have a formsize and a formlocation setting.

change the " Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name"
to something like Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name & Instance

I *think* that this will work.

Private ReadOnly Property Settings() As
System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase
Get
If _settings Is Nothing Then
_settings = New My.MySettings
End If
Return _settings
End Get
End Property

Private Sub ApplySettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)
If theSettings.FormSize <Drawing.Size.Empty Then
Me.Size = theSettings.FormSize
End If
If theSettings.FormLocation <Drawing.Point.Empty Then
Me.Location = theSettings.FormLocation
End If
End Sub

Private Sub SaveSettings()
Settings.SettingsKey = Me.Name
Dim theSettings As My.MySettings
theSettings = DirectCast(Settings, My.MySettings)

If Me.WindowState = FormWindowState.Normal Then
theSettings.FormSize = Me.Size
Else
' If the form was maximized or minimized,
' return to the restore state
theSettings.FormSize = Me.RestoreBounds.Size
End If
theSettings.FormLocation = Me.Location

Settings.Save()
End Sub

This might sound rude, but did you type in My.Settings?

The Location object you need should be there unless you are using an
old framework version. BTW if that doesn't work, what framework
version are you using?

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

[=?Utf-8?B?VGVycnk=?=]

The whole My. everything was added in VS2005. You can not do this in 2003
(at least not the way I describe).
--
Terry
"ColsHub" wrote:

My problem is I don't get the "settings" tab when I open the Projects/
property window. What am I doing wrong?

ColsHub
Framework 1.1
VisualStudio 2003

"kimiraikkonen" wrote:

There's a useful article which includes how to save form size and many
other things, you can do the same for other things like last form
location etc.
http://www.devcity.net/Articles/281/1/article.aspx

[=?Utf-8?B?VGVycnk=?=]

Just a note cj, it's not multiple instances of the same app, it's mutiple
forms in the same app. and does not require you to 'set-up' in advance a
location and size setting for each form in your app, but uses a 'key'
property of the settings object to associate a setting with the form.
--
Terry
"cj" wrote:

I did this in VB 2005. I'm not sure it will work in 2003. And while
I'm very grateful to Terry for the code to allow this to work on
multiple instances of the same app I must admit I never got a chance to
try it. I still might one day.
ColsHub wrote:

Seth- no such thing as rude here.
I'm using Frameworks 1.1
I don't get a "settings" tab when I do Project/ Properties. Should I?
I haven't typed in My.Settings because I don't know where to type it in. Is
this part of the code or does it go in the settings tab that I can't find? A
short example would be great. My ProjectName is "Drawing Builder" and the
FormName is "frmMain".

ColsHub

This might sound rude, but did you type in My.Settings?

The Location object you need should be there unless you are using an
old framework version. BTW if that doesn't work, what framework
version are you using?

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

[rowe_newsgroups]

Seth- no such thing as rude here.

You must not have seen some of discussions I have.... lol

I'm using Frameworks 1.1

As I feared, the My namespace started with the 2.0 framework.

I don't get a "settings" tab when I do Project/ Properties. Should I?

No

I haven't typed in My.Settings because I don't know where to type it in. Is
this part of the code or does it go in the settings tab that I can't find?

Part of the code, if it existed in the 1.1 framework :-(

Basically what you need to do is store the location of the form when
it closes. The most common places are the registry (which is no longer
recommended) and an XML file or some other file type. Then when the
form opens you just grab the values out of the xml file and set the
appropriate values. The My.Settings class just wraps all this
functionality for you, in your case you will need to write the save/
retrieve methods yourself.

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

[kimiraikkonen]

On Jan 15, 11:57 pm, ColsHub <[e-mail]>
wrote:

My problem is I don't get the "settings" tab when I open the Projects/
property window. What am I doing wrong?

ColsHub
Framework 1.1
VisualStudio 2003

"kimiraikkonen" wrote:

There's a useful article which includes how to save form size and many
other things, you can do the same for other things like last form
location etc.
http://www.devcity.net/Articles/281/1/article.aspx

Assuming you use VS2005 or higher then you should have settings on
properties of your app by default.

[cj]

Or upgrade to 2005 or 2008. Don't let yourself get too far behind--it
makes getting caught up a real pain. BTDT. :(
rowe_newsgroups wrote:

>Seth- no such thing as rude here.

You must not have seen some of discussions I have.... lol

>I'm using Frameworks 1.1

As I feared, the My namespace started with the 2.0 framework.

>I don't get a "settings" tab when I do Project/ Properties. Should I?

No

>I haven't typed in My.Settings because I don't know where to type it in. Is
this part of the code or does it go in the settings tab that I can't find?

Part of the code, if it existed in the 1.1 framework :-(

Basically what you need to do is store the location of the form when
it closes. The most common places are the registry (which is no longer
recommended) and an XML file or some other file type. Then when the
form opens you just grab the values out of the xml file and set the
appropriate values. The My.Settings class just wraps all this
functionality for you, in your case you will need to write the save/
retrieve methods yourself.

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

[cj]

Oh! Well, that probably will not help me as I'm running the program
twice on the same pc. I check when the program starts to see if another
copy is already running so I know if the program is the first instance
or not (please don't try running it a 3rd time). Given this I could
save the settings to either instance A variables or B variables I guess.
Anyway I just haven't had time to look at it.

Terry wrote:

Just a note cj, it's not multiple instances of the same app, it's mutiple
forms in the same app. and does not require you to 'set-up' in advance a
location and size setting for each form in your app, but uses a 'key'
property of the settings object to associate a setting with the form.

[=?Utf-8?B?VGVycnk=?=]

Ok, now I remember - I still think the code I gave you will work. Instead of
just using the forms name as the key you will have to create a key based on a
combination of the instance and the form name.
--
Terry
"cj" wrote:

Oh! Well, that probably will not help me as I'm running the program
twice on the same pc. I check when the program starts to see if another
copy is already running so I know if the program is the first instance
or not (please don't try running it a 3rd time). Given this I could
save the settings to either instance A variables or B variables I guess.
Anyway I just haven't had time to look at it.

Terry wrote:

Just a note cj, it's not multiple instances of the same app, it's mutiple
forms in the same app. and does not require you to 'set-up' in advance a
location and size setting for each form in your app, but uses a 'key'
property of the settings object to associate a setting with the form.