Using ActiveX Controls

To add ActiveX controls click the button on the top toolbar in the Design Tab. This will open the Custom Controls dialog.

To refer to a control click the button in the Control Reference box, you will be prompted to enter the late binding reference for example "RICHTEXT.RichtextCtrl" would load the Microsofts Rich Text Box control. If you are refering to a control that would not be installed on the target machines of the form users then you need to included the file in the Dependancies for the form. Make sure you have a re-distributable license for the control you are including. To add the file simple click the button in the Dependancies to be compiled list and browse for the OCX or DLL.

Once you completed close the Custom Controls dialog and now your controls will be listed in the Custom Drop down in the controls tool bar on the Design tab.

 

Custom Control Requirements

If the you desire an ActiveX control that uses multiple fields you must tell your ActiveX control to create an array string for the Forms Reader to understand. For example if you desire a complex form you can simple design the entire form within an ActiveX control and simply refer to it in the Forms Creator. For each of the fields or input values that you want the reader to read you have to add a property name in the Tag of the field. If you have a TextBox representing a Sender Name you would add the Tag of that TextBox to something like "SenderName". Once all the fields have been tagged you need to create a property called VSTag, this is the property that the Creator and Reader will look for string arrays in. Here is an example for a Visual Basic function:

Private Sub RefreshTag()
Dim sTmpTags As String
Dim oCtrls As Control

    sTmpTags = ""
    For Each oCtrls In UserControl.Controls
        If Trim(oCtrls.Tag) <> "" Then sTmpTags = sTmpTags & oCtrls.Tag & "||" & oCtrls.Text & "}{"
    Next
    m_VSPTag = sTmpTags

End Sub

The "||" and "}{" seperate the property name and value so the Reader can read it. Adding the VSTag property to your ActiveX in a Visual Basic sample:

Private psFullTag As String
Private m_VSPTag As String

Public Property Get VSPTag() As String
    VSPTag = m_VSPTag
End Property

Public Property Let VSPTag(ByVal sTag As String)
    m_VSPTag = VSPTag
    PropertyChanged "VSPTag"
End Property

Private Sub UserControl_ReadProperties(PropBag As PropertyBag)
    m_VSPTag = PropBag.ReadProperty("VSPTag")
End Sub

Private Sub UserControl_WriteProperties(PropBag As PropertyBag)
    Call PropBag.WriteProperty("VSPTag", m_VSPTag)
End Sub

Once completed you have simply add your control to the form and add the word "Array" to the "Settings" in the Property in the design tab.