Time edit control Free download with source code

Time edit control Free download with source code

Freeware download with source code of time edit control: Time Edit, Time Combo, Time Column for flexible time editing in Grid

Downloads and links for time edit control

Introduction to the time edit control

Similar Library

  1. Xceed Combo and Grid
  2. DXperience

How this time edit control library differs

Xceed DXperience This Library
Direct assignment to any control to combo Yes No Yes
Direct assignment to any control to column Yes Choose for pre-stored inline editors Yes
Supported Grid Xceed Grid DXperience Grid DataGridView
Can choose the control that is not present in the form No No Yes
Freeware No No Yes
Lightweight simple library No No Yes
Has many other useful components Yes Yes No

Why Do I Create time edit control?

  1. I need to extend the DataGridViewColumn without rewriting it each time.
  2. I need a flexible combobox that accepts any control as a dropdown.

What Does time edit control Application Do and Why is it Useful?

  1. We can use it to build your own grid column or your own combo simply.
  2. Use the included control convert to clone copy and create controls dynamically at run and design time.
  3. Use the included control editor to change the control type that you create at design time.
  4. We can use both control converter and control editor as TypeConverter and Editor attributes in developing new controls.

What Problem time edit control is solved

  1. Our component has a control property that creates controls of different types of design time and stores the created control as a simple text value.
  2. We can specify the Value property name of the drop-down control or editing control could as needed at design time, for example:
    Control Value Property Name
    NumericUpDown Text
    CheckedListBox CheckedItems
    TimeEdit Value
  3. Value property name could be list or collection and it will convert the to string that contains all items in the collection.

Using the code of time edit control

  1. Create new forms in the Windows application.
  2. Add reference to AnyControlComboColumn.
  3. Add new Data Grid View and add a new column and set its type to GridColumn.
  4. In the property window, go to EditingControl(Create New) the property and choose the control type from the drop-down list.
  5. From the toolbox, add to the form DropDownCombo.
  6. In the property window, go to DropDownButton property and expand it.
  7. Under DropDownButton, go to DropDownControl(Create New) property and choose the control type from the drop-down list.

The demo application

The demo application contains DropDownCombo that we could choose the drop-down control of it to be: CheckedListBox or DirList or FileList, and it contains a DataGridView with two columns – the first with NumericUpDown as an editing control and the second column is with Mask Text Box as an editing control.

About the time edit control

This library contains the following classes:

  1. DropDownButton: This class provides a drop-down button that accepts any control as a drop-down control and any other control to be the display area.
  2. DropDownCombo is a text box that contains the above drop-down button and so it provides a text box with drop-down control that could be set or changed at run time or at design time.
  3. ControlConverter and ControlEditor provide a technique to serialize any control to simple text to be stored in the form designer.
  4. EditingControl, GridCell and GridColumn provide the ability to use any control as an editing control in DataGridView.

About C# Code in This Article

I developed this library using VB. After that, I get the C# code by code converters. For more information about code converters, please see:

About the DropDownButton

  1. The drop-down button is the main class for creating drop-down combos.
  2. If I added to any control, then the control will dock to the right side.
  3. We can assign two controls: the first is drop-down control, and the second is the display area.
  4. The display area in the control will show the value of the created combo and could be a text box or rich text box or any control
  5. The drop-down control is the control that we can drop if we clock the drop-down button.
  6. To set the drop-down control, we could choose control in the form or choose from a list that will contain all control types of system.windows.forms assembly and assemblies that the application includes a reference to them.
  7. When clicking the drop-down button, the drop-down value will be changed to meet the value of the display area
  8. When the drop-down popup is closed, it will change the display area value to meet the value of the drop-down control
  9. DropDownCombo is a Text box that contains a drop-down button.

About the GridColumn

  1. GridColumn is the class which is used to extend the DataGridView to accept any control as editing control.
  2. To use this class, we need to use DataGridView and add GridColum to it from DataGridView Designer window.
  3. To set the editing control, we could choose control in the form or choose from a list that will contain all control types in system.windows.forms assembly and assemblies that the application include a reference to them.

About ControlConverter and Control Properties Serialization

Before building the control property of the drop-down control, we need to serialize it to string to be stored in the form designer but don’t use XmlSerializer to serialize control properties because:

  1. XmlSerializer not supported types:
    • ISite
    • IDictionary
    • Any class that Implements unsupported interface
    • Any class has the property that returns an unsupported interface
    • Control
    • PropertyDescriptorCollection
    • SortedList
    • Collection
    • TreeNodeCollection
    • TreeNode
    • Any class that Inherits not supported class
    • Any class has the property that returns unsupported class
  2. Also, XmlSerializer can serialize the following types, but it can’t de-serialize them:
    • ArrayList
    • List of Objects
    • ListBox.ObjectCollection
    • CheckedListBox.ObjectCollection
  3. XmlSerializer returns multi-line value with and it is better to store the control property as simple text
  4. To test XmlSerializer, we could use the following code:
Imports System.Xml.Serialization
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports AnyControlComboColumn
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Public Module Module1
    Public Function Serialize(ByVal Value As Object) As String
        Try
            If Value Is Nothing Then
                Return ""
                Exit Function
            End If
            Dim Serializer As New XmlSerializer(Value.GetType)
            Dim vMemoryStream As New IO.MemoryStream
            Serializer.Serialize(vMemoryStream, Value)
            Dim s = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(vMemoryStream.ToArray)
            s = s.Replace("<?xml version=""1.0""?>", _
		"<?xml version=""1.0"" encoding=""utf-8""?>")
            vMemoryStream = New IO.MemoryStream(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(s))

            s = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(vMemoryStream.ToArray)

            'Try to Deserialize
            Try
                Dim f = Serializer.Deserialize(vMemoryStream)
            Catch ex As Exception
                Return ""
            End Try
            Return s
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return ""
        End Try
    End Function
End Module
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Xml.Serialization;
using System.Reflection;
using System.ComponentModel;
using AnyControlComboColumn;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace AnyControlComboColumn {
    public static class MSerialize {
        public static string Serialize(object Value) {
            try {
                if (Value == null) {
                    return "";
                    return null;
                }
                XmlSerializer Serializer = new XmlSerializer(Value.GetType());
                System.IO.MemoryStream vMemoryStream = new System.IO.MemoryStream();
                Serializer.Serialize(vMemoryStream, Value);
                var s = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(vMemoryStream.ToArray());
                s = s.Replace("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>", "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?>");

                vMemoryStream = new System.IO.MemoryStream(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(s));

                s = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(vMemoryStream.ToArray());

                //>Try to Deserialize
                try {
                    var f = Serializer.Deserialize(vMemoryStream);
                } catch (Exception ex) {

                    return "";
                }
                return s;
            } catch (Exception ex) {
                return "";
            }
        }
    }
}

We don’t use the default ComponentConverter because:

  1. It only allows selecting from pre-created controls in the form.
  2. It does not allow to choose a control that is not present in the form.
  3. It can be used at design time only and can’t be used at run time.

What ComponentConverter does:

  1. Creates an instance of the control from the selected type.
  2. Converts the control to string to ControlText.
  3. Converts the control text to the control object.

Points of interest about time edit control

To assign drop-down control to the drop-down button, we use the following properties:

'VB
' this code is a part of the time edit control
'Don't add TypeConverter attribute so this property uses the default ComponentConverter
<DisplayName("DropDownControl(Created in the form)")> _
Public Property DropDownControl() As Control

<TypeConverter(GetType(ControlConverter)), _
Editor(GetType(ControlEditor), GetType(UITypeEditor)), _
DisplayName("DropDownControl(Create New)")> _
Public Property NewDropDownControl() As Control

<Description("a text that will be used to create new DropDownControl")> _
Public Overridable Property ControlText As String
//C#
// this code is a part of the time edit control
//Don't put DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Content
//this is only good for read-only property
//ControlConverter does not work automatically if property type inherits form componenet or control
//so we need a ControlText property
[TypeConverter(typeof(ControlConverter)), Editor(typeof(ControlEditor), typeof(UITypeEditor)), 
DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Hidden), 
Description("Create new control displayed when OpenDropDown."), 
DefaultValue(typeof(Control), "Nothing"), Category("DropDown"), 
DisplayName("DropDownControl(Create New)"), EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]
public Control NewDropDownControl { 
//...........
}

[DefaultValue(""), Browsable(false), 
        Description("a text that will be used to create new DropDownControl")]
public virtual string ControlText {
//.................
}

//Don't add TypeConverter attribute so this property uses the default ComponentConverter
[Description("The control displayed when OpenDropDown."), 
DefaultValue(typeof(Control), "Nothing"), Category("DropDown"), 
DisplayName("DropDownControl(Select form the form controls)")]
public Control DropDownControl {
//................
}
  1. The DropDownControl property is named in the property windows as DropDownControl (created in the form) uses the default ComponentConverter to choose the control from already created control that is present in the parent form
  2. NewDropDownControl property is named in the property windows as DropDownControl (create New) uses our control converter and control editor to select a control from a list containing all supported controls for applications or we could type the control name directly such as TextBox, Button and so on.
  3. ControlText property is a simple text property that accepts and returns a text that includes the control type name followed with the assembly name and the control none default properties values.

The control converter uses the following code to convert the text to control:

'VB
'this code is a part of the time edit control
Public Overrides Function ConvertFrom(ByVal context As ITypeDescriptorContext, _
 ByVal culture As System.Globalization.CultureInfo, ByVal value As Object) As Object
    Try
        If value Is Nothing OrElse (Not TypeOf value Is String) _
        OrElse String.IsNullOrEmpty(CType(value, String)) Then
            Return Nothing
            Exit Function
        End If
        Dim vPropertyValues As New Dictionary(Of String, String)

        Dim TypeParts = Split(CType(value, String), "@")
        If UBound(TypeParts) <> 2 Then
            ReDim Preserve TypeParts(2)
        End If
        If String.IsNullOrEmpty(TypeParts(1)) Then
            TypeParts(1) = WinFormsAssemblyName
        End If
        vPropertyValues.Add(c_TypeName, TypeParts(0))
        vPropertyValues.Add(c_AssemblyName, TypeParts(1))

        Dim aPropertyValues() As String = Split(TypeParts(2), ",")
           For i As Integer = 0 To UBound(aPropertyValues)
              If (Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(aPropertyValues(i))) AndAlso _
                aPropertyValues(i).Contains(":"c) Then
                Dim KeyAndValue = Split(aPropertyValues(i), ":")
                vPropertyValues.Add(KeyAndValue(0).Trim, KeyAndValue(1).Trim)
            End If
        Next
        Return Me.CreateInstance(Nothing, vPropertyValues)
    Catch ex As Exception
        ErrMsg(ex)
        Return Nothing
    End Try
End Function
//C#
// this code is a part of the time edit control
public override object ConvertFrom(ITypeDescriptorContext context, 
                System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture, object value) {
    try {
        if (value == null || (! (value is string)) || string.IsNullOrEmpty(Convert.ToString(value))) {
            return null;
            return null;
        }
        Dictionary<string,> vPropertyValues = new Dictionary<string,>();

        string[] TypeParts = Microsoft.VisualBasic.Strings.Split(Convert.ToString(value), 
                                 "@", -1, Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompareMethod.Binary);
        if (TypeParts.GetUpperBound(0) != 2)
            Array.Resize(ref TypeParts, 3);
        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(TypeParts[1]))
            TypeParts[1] = WinFormsAssemblyName;
        vPropertyValues.Add(c_TypeName, TypeParts[0]);
        vPropertyValues.Add(c_AssemblyName, TypeParts[1]);

        string[] aPropertyValues = Microsoft.VisualBasic.Strings.Split(TypeParts[2], 
                                    ",", -1, Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompareMethod.Binary);
        for (int i = 0; i <= aPropertyValues.GetUpperBound(0); i++) {
            if ((! (string.IsNullOrEmpty(aPropertyValues[i]))) && aPropertyValues[i].Contains(":")) {
                string[] KeyAndValue = Microsoft.VisualBasic.Strings.Split(aPropertyValues[i], ":", 
                                             -1, Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompareMethod.Binary);
                vPropertyValues.Add(KeyAndValue[0].Trim(), KeyAndValue[1].Trim());
            }
        }
        return CreateInstance(null, vPropertyValues);
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        _ErrMsg.ErrMsg(ex);
        return null;
    }
}
  1. The Text format is TypeName@AssmblyName@ControlPropertyValues.
  2. First, the converter gets the type name and the assembly name properties values.
  3. It creates a properties values dictionary which comprises a pair of properties names and their values converted to string using the property assigned type converter besides the assembly and type names.
  4. Create an instance of the control using CreateInstance method.
  5. To create the instance of the object from the type object, we use the following code: 
    'VB
Public Overloads Shared Function CreateInstance(ByVal vType As Type) As Control
        Try
            '####### Dim c As New vType is not correct
            If vType Is Nothing Then
                Return Nothing
                Exit Function
            End If
            Dim ConstructorInfo = vType.GetConstructor({})
            If ConstructorInfo Is Nothing Then
                Return Nothing
                Exit Function
            End If
            Return CType(ConstructorInfo.Invoke({}), Control)
        Catch ex As Exception
            ErrMsg(ex)
            Return Nothing
        End Try
    End Function
    //C#
public static Control CreateInstance(Type vType) {
    try {
        //> Dim c As New vType is not correct
        if (vType == null) {
            return null;
            return null;
        }
        var ConstructorInfo = vType.GetConstructor(new System.Type[0]);
        if (ConstructorInfo == null) {
            return null;
            return null;
        }
        return (Control)(ConstructorInfo.Invoke(new System.Type[0]));
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        _ErrMsg.ErrMsg(ex);
        return null;
    }
}
  6. To get the type object from the type name, we use the following code: 
    'VB
Dim vAssembly = System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(AssemblyName)
Dim vType = vAssembly.GetType(TypeName)
    //C#
var vAssembly = System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(AssemblyName);
var vType = vAssembly.GetType(TypeName);

To view the drop-down control, I use ToolStripDropDown and ToolStripControlHost:

'VB
Private WithEvents Popup As ToolStripDropDown
Private Host As ToolStripControlHost

Public Property DropDownControl() As Control
    Get
        Return _DropDownControl
    End Get
    Set(ByVal value As Control)
        Try
           '....some code for testing and preparing value the cloning it to
            NewControl = ControlConverter.Clone(value)
            Popup.Items.Clear()
            Host = Nothing
            _DropDownControl = NewControl
            _DropDownControl.Margin = Padding.Empty
            _DropDownControl.Padding = Padding.Empty
            Host = New ToolStripControlHost(_DropDownControl)
            Host.Margin = Padding.Empty
            Host.Padding = Padding.Empty
            Host.AutoSize = False
            Host.Size = value.Size
            Popup.Items.Add(Host)
            Popup.Size = Host.Size
            Popup.AutoSize = True
            _DropDownControl.Location = New Point(0, 0)
            If _DisplayArea IsNot Nothing Then
                DisplayAreaValue = DropDownControlValue
            End If
            OnClosed(Nothing, Nothing)
        Catch ex As Exception
            ErrMsg(ex)
        End Try
    End Set
End Property

Protected Overrides Sub OnClick(ByVal e As EventArgs)
    Try
        MyBase.OnClick(e)
        If Me.DroppedDown Then
            Me.CloseDropDown()
        Else
            Me.OpenDropDown() 'Using Popup.Show method
        End If
    Catch ex As Exception
        ErrMsg(ex)
    End Try
End Sub

Public Overridable Sub OpenDropDown()
    Try
        If _DropDownControl Is Nothing OrElse Host Is Nothing OrElse _
        _DisplayArea Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
        Dim frm = _DisplayArea.FindForm
        Dim Pos As Point
        'additional code to adjust the position according to Drop Down Direction
        Pos = New Point(_DisplayArea.Left, _DisplayArea.Bottom + 1)
        Popup.Show(frm, Pos, ToolStripDropDownDirection.BelowRight)

    Catch ex As Exception
        ErrMsg(ex)
    End Try
End Sub

Links to time edit control on code project

https://www.codeproject.com/KB/combobox/FlexibleEditingControl.aspx

end of the article [Time edit control Free download with source code]

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