Word Processor Version .01

The first version of our word processor will use a variety of Visual Basic controls to allow the user to set the font name (radio buttons), font style (check boxes), and font size (horizontal scroll bar).

The Horizontal Scroll Bar

The Horizontal Scroll Bar (as well as the Vertical Scroll Bar) allow the user to select an integer by sliding a scroll bar.

	The range of integers the horizontal scroll bar can represent is set by the max and min properties.
	The scroll bar does not have a caption property. In order to see the value of the scroll bar, you must use a label.
	The value property specifies the initial value of the scroll bar.
	The amount the scroll bar changes when click on an arrow is controlled by the smallchange property
	The amount the scroll bar changes when click a the open area between the handle and the arrow is controlled by the largechange property
	The Change event occurs whenever the value of the scroll bar changes.

Example

The following program allow the use to input a number between 1 and 100.

Design the Interface

Set the Properties

Scroll Bar	Name = hsbScroll1 Value = 50 smallchange = 1 largechange = 5
Label	Name = lblValue Caption = "50" Alignment = Center

Write the Code

Private Sub hsbScrollBar1_Change()

lblValue.Caption = hsbScrollBar1.Value

End Sub

Option Boxes and Check Boxes

Option buttons (AKA Radio buttons) allow the user to choose from many choices. They must choose 1 and only 1 option. Choosing 1 "unchooses" the rest! Option buttons look like this:

Check boxes are used when the user may choose as many selections as they would like (including zero!). Here is what check boxes look like.

Write a program that uses option buttons to set a font size and check boxes to select font style.

Design the Interface

Set The Properties

lblTestFont

Alignment = Center

Caption = "Test Font Style"

FontSize = 14

optSmallFont

Caption = "Small Font"

Value = "True"

chkBold

Caption = "Bold"

Value = "0- unchecked"

Write the Code

For the option button, the code is simple. If it is clicked, set the font to the small size. Since the control automatically is linked to the other option button, that's all you have to do.

Private Sub optSmallFont_Click()

lblTestFont.FontSize = 14

End Sub

The check boxes are a little more complex. Use and If..Then to determine the status. This type of control is called a switch in programming.

Private Sub chkBold_Click()

If chkBold.Value = 0 Then

lblTestFont.FontBold = False

Else

lblTestFont.FontBold = True

End If

End Sub

Now we can design the first version of our Word Processor.

Design the Form

Select New Form from the File Menu and Design the form as below

Set the Properties

Object	Name	Properties
Form	frmWord	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "Word Processor .01"
Command Button	cmdClear	Caption = "&Clear"
Command Button	cmdExit	Caption = "E&xit"
Text Box	txtFontSize	Alignment = Center
Scroll Bar	HSBFontSize	LargeChange = 4 Max = 22 Min = 6 SmallChange = 4 Value = 14
Check Box	chkItalics	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = �&Italics�
Check Box	chkUnderline	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = �&Underline�
Check Box	chkBold	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "&Bold"
Option Button	optSchoolbook	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "Schoolbook" FontName = "Century Schoolbook" FontSize = 8.25
Option Button	optArial	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "Arial" FontName = "Arial" FontSize = 8.25
Option Button	optSansSerif	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "Sans Serif"
Text Box	txtText	FontBold = False MultiLine = True ScrollBars = Vertical
Label	Label3	Alignment = Center BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "Font Size:"
Label	lblFontType	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "Font Type:"
Label	lblFont	BackColor = Make it blue Caption = "Select Font:"

Write the Code

For chkBold: If chkBold is false Then set Font bold in text widow to False Else set Font bold in text widow to True	For chkItalics If chkItalics is false set Font Italic in text window to False Else set Font Italic in text window to True
For HSBFontSize set text size caption to HSB�s Font size set text.window font size to HSB Font size	For optArial If its value is True Then txtText.FontName = "Arial"
For chkUnderline If its underline value is False Then set Font underline in text window to False Else set Font underline in text window to False	For optSansSerif If its� value is True set Font name to "MS Sans Serif"