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• The hhTextBox .text property sometimes did not hold the current value. The problem sometimes appeared under the following conditions: The control's .BorderStyle property was 0, or the .Appearance property was 0 or the . MultiLine property was true and the control was the currently selected active control. This problem has been fixed with release 2.0.7.
• When you assigned lowercase characters to a hhTextBox control, those caracters still appeared lowercase, even if the .AllUcaseProperty has been set true. This problem has been fixed with release 2.0.7.
• The hhDateBox control sometimes accepted months 13 - 19 in YMD mode. This problem has been fixed with release 2.0.7.
• The hhComboBoxControl crashed under the following conditions: The .DropDownStyle property has been set true, the control holds an empty list, the control is the active control and the user presses a key. This problem has been fixed with release 2.0.7.
• The hhComboBox control under certain conditions fired a change event when the user clicked on the control with his mouse, even if the .enabled property was false. This problem has been fixed with release 2.0.7.
• The hhDateBox control sometimes crashed under the following conditions: Certain windows local settings and .CheckValue property set true. This problem has been fixed with release 2.0.9.
• With an "empty input", the hhDateBox control showed the error color or warning color, even if its .MustHaveValue property has been set to false. This problem has been fixed with release 2.0.10 .
• The .Item(...) property of the hhComboBox control sometimes happened to make some troubles. This has been fixed with release 2.0.15 .
• When you changed from one hhComboBox control to another one (e.g. by pressing the Tab-Key), the control getting the focus did not show the correct back color (focus color) when the first control's listbox happened to be dropped. This has been fixed with release 2.0.15 .
• When you have been in a HH NumBox control, changed to another window and then changed back to the previous window with the still active HH Num box control, this control refused to accept any input. This has been fixed with release 2.0.21
• Under certain circumstances the HH Date box control refused to accept the following dates: Jan 30th, March 30th, May 30th, July 30th, August 30th, Oct 30th, Dec 30th. This has been fixed with release 2.0.21
• Changing the KeyAscii value in the HH NumBox control's KeyPress event had no effect. Also, changing the KeyCode value in the HH NumBox control's KeyDown event did not affect the input. This has been fixed with release 2.0.25
• Changing the KeyAscii value in the KeyPress events of the HH DateBox control and the HH ComboBox control had no effect. This has been fixed with release 2.0.25
• The HH DateBox missed to raise the KeyUp event. This has been fixed with release 2.0.25
• Changing values in the assigned Font object had no effect at runtime until the next forced redraw. This has been fixed with release 2.0.25

• Since release 2.07 the hhComboBox control's .DataFiled and .DataIdField properties now automatically ignore trailing spaces.
• Since release 2.07 the change event of all controls are now default events.
• Since release 2.07 the .Text property of the hhTextBox, hhDateBox and hhComboBox controls are default properties.
• Since release 2.07 the .value property of the hhNumBox control is now the default property
• Since release 2.07 you may read out values with the .Item(Column Name) property, even if the hhComboBox control is in DropDownStyle mode. You just have to assign the proper column names to the .DataField and/or DataIdField properties.
• Since release 2.07 the second parameter of the hhComboBox control's .Item(..) property is now optional. If you leave it out, the control assumes that you want to read out the current list item's values.
• Since release 2.07 the hhComboBox control's .Item(...) property is no longer read only. You may assign values as well. If you assign a value with a new column name, this column is created by the control automatically.
• When you assigned true to the .MustFitDataList property of the hhComboBox control and false to its .MustHaveValue property, the control accepted every input, regardless if it fitted the data list or not. This behavior has been changed with release 2.09. Under that conditions the control now accepts values that can be found in the data list only.
• In difference to the standard ComboBox control, the hhComboBox control did not close the dropdown list when you clicked the dropdown button a second time. Since release 2.0.15 the hhComboBox dropdown button now behaves like the standard ComboBox dropdown button.
• The .CompleteNow method has been added to the hhComboBox control with release 2.0.15
• Since release 2.0.21 all HH Controls consume less windows resources.
• The HH ComboBox control repaints much faster since release 2.0.21
• Changing the .PostDecimalNumbers property of a HH NumBox Control caused an unnecessary Change Event. This has been fixed with release 2.0.23
• Since release 2.0.25 the input of a HH NumBox control is highlighted when the user double-clicks it.
• Since release 2.0.25 the HH NumBox control has implemented the Ctrl-X, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V and Ctrl-Z shortcuts (Cut, Copy, Paste and Undo).
• With windows set to "large fonts", the HH Controls have displayed all characters one pixel deeper. In addition to this, the HH Combo box revealed a little gap between its upper border an its buttons. This has been fixed with release 2.0.25

All HH Controls share a smart validation and back color switching logic. First of all, you can define a focus color (default: light green) beside the normal back color. When the HH Control gets the focus, the background switches to this focus color automatically. Then you can define an special error color (default: light red). If the user is up to enter an improper value, the background changes to this error color immediately. Then you may define a special warning color (default: light yellow), if you like. This is the back color the control takes on, in case the user has entered an improper value and has left the control. You may activate and deactivate this "warning color behaviour" with the UseWarningColor property. If you disable a HH Control, the background changes to the "disabled color" you chose in the DisabledColor property (default: grey). So, in difference to the VB's standard TextBox control, the user will always know whether the control is disabled or not.

• BackColor: returns or sets the background color
• ForeColor: returns or sets the foreground color
• DisabledColor: Returns or sets the disabled color of the control. (eg. the back color when the control is disabled)
• FocusColor: Returns or sets the color the background is changing to when the control gets the focus (thereby indicating the active Control.)
• ErrorColor: Returns or sets the color the background is changing to when the user enters an incorrect value. (e.g. a value out of range or an incorrect date)
• WarningColor: Returns or sets the color the background is changing to when the user entered an incorrect value and leaves the control (i.e. the control lost the focus). This property can be used to indicate the user that the forms data can not be saved yet due to incorrect or missing user-entries.

Defines whether the field’s data are optional or mandatory. Relevant for the Error- and Warning color properties.

This property is implemented for reasons of compatibility. This property is read only.

Returns or sets the paint style of HHcontrols on an MDIForm or Form object. In difference to VB's standard controls, this property can be set at run time and at design time.

Returns or sets the border style of. In difference to VB's standard controls, this property can be set at run time and at design time.

In difference to VB's standard controls, you may assign NULL values to the HH Controls. This is especially valuable if you are developing a database application. When you have assignet a NULL value to a HH Control, the NullToEmptyString property now determines, what you will get when reading out the control:

This property is implemented just for reasons of compatibility. It is read only.

That property works similar to the Enabled Property. When a control is locked it "locks" the keyboard but allows user mouse-clicks (an fires the proper events). When using with the HHCombobox the GoTo-Button is still working but the ArrowDown-Button is disabled.

In difference to standard VB's controls, the Text property of the HH Controls accept and return NULL values as well. The string returned by the Text property always looks like the string displayed by the control. Therefore with the HHDateBox and the HHNumBox control, the string returned by the Text property always contains all chosen separators and with the HHTextBox and the HHComboBox, the string returned by the Text property includes leading spaces if the control has still the focus, even if the Trim property is set true.

That property is a so-called ambient control, like the Height or the Width property. This means that it is provided by your development environment (e.g. Visual Basic), not by the control itself. However, we state this property here to point out that, in difference to other ActiveX controls, it should work perfectly with VB and VBA. You may assign your tool tip text at design time as well as at run time.

The following properties act the same like in the regular VB's TextBox control and need no further explanaition:

• Enabled
• Font
• FontName (hidden)
• FontSize (hidden)
• FontBold (hidden)
• FontItalic (hidden)
• FontUnderline (hidden)
• FontStrikethru (hidden)
• ForeColor
• MouseIcon
• MousePointer

Returns or sets a value indicating whether there is a maximum number of characters that can be entered in the TextBox control and, if so, specifies the maximum number of characters that can be entered.

Returns or sets a value indicating whether the control can accept and display multiple lines of text. In difference to VB's standard controls, this property can be set at run time and at design time.

Returns or sets a value indicating whether the characters typed by a user or placeholder characters are displayed in the control; returns or sets the character used as a placeholder.

Returns or sets a value indicating whether characters typed by a user will be ignored.

e.g.: MyHHTxtBox1.ForbiddenCharakters = "$%&!§"

This property is of use, for example, if you do not want the user to enter quote marks, because this would spoil your SQL query.

This property returns a "preview" of the text as it will be formatted on lost focus. One example for using this property will be the saving of the form’s data by a shortcut (Ctrl-S). The current control will not loose the focus, but the data should be save in correct (formatted) form.

• Smallest Value: Returns/sets the lower boundary of the validation range.
• Largest Value: Returns/sets the upper boundary of the validation range.

Whether the set value is included in the range or not, is defined by the properties IncludeSmallestValue and IncludeLargestValue.

Returns or sets the character used for the decimal point ("." or ",")

Returns or set whether the thousand-separator is displayed or not.

Specifies the number of digits to the right of the decimal point

Specifies the number of digits to the left of the decimal point

Returns and sets the current content of the HHNumBox as numeric value. In difference to this property, the Text property returns a string containing all chosen separators.

• Smallest Value: Returns/sets the lower boundary of the validation range.
• Largest Value: Returns/sets the upper boundary of the validation range.

Whether the set value is included in the range or not, is defined by the properties IncludeSmallestValue and IncludeLargestValue.

Sets and returns the date format as it is shown in the HHDateBox.

Sets and returns the Date in the Day-Month-Year format, regardless of the displayed format.

Sets and returns the Date in the Year-Month-Day format, regardless of the displayed format.

Sets and returns the Date in the Month-Year-Day format, regardless of the displayed format.

Sets and returns the Date in the internal date format (used for calculation with date values), regardless of the displayed format.

Sets and returns the separator character for the displayed Day-Month-Year format.

Sets and returns the separator character for the displayed Year-Month-Day format.

Sets and returns the separator character for the displayed Month-Year-Day format.

The following properties have the same functionality like the known VB's ListBox properties and need no further explanation:

Sets whether the HHComboBox acts like a regular drop-down-style combo box control or not. This setting is ignored if the HHComboBox is data bound.

If you set this property to true, you may use the control you may use it similar to a standard VB dropdown style ComboBox. But even then you have a lot of advantages. Have you ever tried to use the Change event of VB's standard ComboBox control? Have you ever wondered why the Height property of VB's standard ComboBox control is read-only? Or do you find the way the VB's standard ComboBox ListClick event works puzzling? We do. And these are some reason why we have developed this control.

Sets whether the text in the control has to match with (at least) one item of the data list.

If you set this property to true, you may use this control as a kind of text box that checks the user's input automatically against your database. If you have assigned the proper values to the SqlQueryString property, to the Connection Property and to the DataField property (see all below), the control will automatically check the if there is an entry in the database matching the user's input. If so, the input is completed immediately as the control looses focus. Or, if the user has entered not enough characters, a dropdown list containing all matching database entries pops up immediately so that the user can select the appropriate input simply by the click of the mouse or by using his keyboard.

If you set this property to false, on the other hand, you may use this control as a kind of look-up text box. If you have assigned the proper values to the SqlQueryString property, to the Connection Property and to the DataField property (see all below), the control will not force the user to enter an appropriate value, but he or she may still click the dropdown button or press the enter key to see a list of all matching database entries or to have the input completed automatically.

This property specifies the connection the control is working with. By assigning a connection instead of a recordset (like the regular bound controls) the HHComboBox is especially prepared for client-server applications. As the HHComboBox closes and opens a recordset just for a moment, it won’t make much row locking and recordset updating problems. You can assign DAO connections as well as RDO connections.

Example:

Or

Specifies the source of the records using the SQL-Syntax. The Syntax depends on the connection type used (DAO or RDO). The keyword "{DataField}" is a placeholder for the text entered in the TextBox. Use it in your SQL-Query to have the control dynamically searching only the records matching the text.

Example:

Sets the field of the SQL-Query to be displayed in the list. As the SQL-Query can contain several fields (which can be read out separately by the "Item"-property) it is necessary to tell the HHComboBox which one to use for filling the list.

Example:

MyHHComb.SQLQueryString = "SELECT LastName, FirstName, Age, ID FROM People WHERE LastName LIKE '{DataField}%' ORDER BY LastName"
MyHHComb.DataField = "LastName"

Sets the field of the SQL-Query to be used as the unique identifier. This property is optional, you do not need to declare an ID Field.

Example:

Sets the locking type for the internally used recordset or resultset. Use –1 for the default locktype (rdOpenForwardOnly and dbOpenForwardOnly). See DAO- or RDO-Reference for further details.

Specifies the option parameters used for opening the recordset. Use (–1) for the default value "ReadOnly". See DAO- or RDO-Reference for further details. (OpenResultset Method)

Returns or sets a value indicating whether the down-arrow button of the HHComboBox is visible or hidden

The Down-Arrow Button works similar to the regular VB's ComboBox control. The user types several characters and when clicking the Down-Arrow the Control either completes the input or drops down a list with al matching words (assumed that you have entered the right SQL query using the {DataField} placeholder). If you make the arrow-button invisible the control is still fully functioning. It checks the input on lost focus (if the MustFitDataList is set true), and the user may initiate a database serch by pressing the enter key.

The "..."-button ("Goto-Button") is a special feature of the HHComboBox for letting the user change quickly between different Data-Forms. For example if your application is about writing invoices, it requires the user to first select a customer. Getting the Customer’s name the user might realize a misspelling of the name. By clicking the Goto-Button the user can quickly switch to the customer’s personal data form and correct the mistake. It’s up to the programmer to use this feature (by adding code to the Button2_Click event). Experiences shows that it enhances the user friendliness a lot

Sets or returns the amount of characters to be typed before the user can "open" the data list. By assigning a value of 2 the user is forced to specify the records to be obtained by the first two characters which for example avoids thousands of records passing the net.

Returns or sets the value of a specific column of an item. The syntax is:

Item(Column Name or Index, optional Item Index)

Example:

Or

Or

Returns the place of birth of the currently selected worker. IF you want to change the place of birth, simply write:

This event belongs to all of the HHControls. Whenever the controls validates the user entries ("MustHaveValue", "ValidationRange", etc.) the event is fired and ValueOkay contains the result of the validation so far as boolean. You can add additional validation code or simply overwrite the validation result.

Example:

Private Sub MyHHControl_ValidationCheck(ValueOkay As Boolean)
  ValueOkay = ValueOkay AND MyOwnAdditionalValidationFunction()
End Sub

This event is fired after the data list has been opened.

This event is fired whenever the user clicks the control's dropdown-button

This event is fired, whenever the user clicks the control's "..."-button

This event is fired whenever the user selects an existing item of the data list by typing a matching word, clicking on a specific item in the list or browsing the list with the arrow keys. Iwhen this event has been fired, you can be sure that the control's Index property holds a non-negative value.

This event is fired whenever a searching process had been started, but no matching item was found. The control's Index property now holds "-1" as value.

This Event is similar to the ItemFound() event but is not fired when the user browses the data list. In other word it is only fired when the user completed his selection by clicking on an item, pressing the enter key or leaving the control after having entered a significant input.

This method belongs to all of the HHControls. It forces a validation of the control 's data ("MustHaveValue", "ValidationRange", etc.) and returns the result as boolean. As the validation is normally triggered by the Lost Focus event this method is necessary whenever a validation is needed without leaving the control (e.g. the user wants to save the form’s data by using the shortcut Ctrl-S, thereby not leaving the control)

Implemented in: HHTextBox and HHComboBox. This method forces an immediate formatting of the text as it is normally done when loosing the focus.

This method adds an item to the control

Syntax:

MyHHComboBox.AddItem item, index

item: Required. string expression specifying the item to add to the object.

index: Optional. Integer specifying the position within the object where the new item or row is placed. For the first item, index is 0.

This method clears the contents and all the list entries of the control. This may be valuable if you run out of memory.

When you call this method, the control tries to complete the input. If the input is ambiguous, the control drops a listbox. However, if the listbox has been already dropped when you called this method, the control takes the currently selected item.

Removes an item from the list.

Syntax

MyHHControl.RemoveItem index

index: Required. Integer representing the position within the object of the item or row to remove. For the first item, index = 0.

Manually starts the searching for an item in the data list.

This method is a short representation of the following code sequence:

We implemented this method for the following reason: In a database application you may often think of the HHComboBox control more as a special data retrieving text box than a combo box. If you have, let's say, a HHComboBox control for entering a customer's name, under normal circumstances this control will hold the name of exactly one customer and it's ID. Just when the user wants to change this entry, a list may be build up by the control, but this is just to make it easy for the user to find the right customer. Your program is just interested in the specific customer the user has selected after all. So, for example, if the user loads an invoice of a customer, you want to fill the HHComboBox with this customer only. You, the programmer, are not interested in all the list box stuff at this point. You simply want to assign the customer's name an his ID to the control. And that is exactly what this method does.