How to use the Sorted property
The Sorted property of an SBList can be changed at runtime, something which a standard
list box does not offer. This makes displaying list items exactly how you want
them much easier.
For example, suppose you wanted to show a list of users in your program, sorted
into alphabetical order, but have a special user called "Visitor" which allowed
access into the program but with reduced privileges. It would be much clearer if
this Visitor name appeared at the top of the list, with the names listed alphabetically
below, but how would you normally program that? The easiest way would be to have a
sorted list box hidden away on the form somewhere; dump the users into it so that
they get sorted, then copy them into your visible list and add the "Visitor" name
at the top? Sound familiar? Here's how to do it with just one SBList:
For this demonstration you will need to draw a form which has a single SBList on it.
Insert the following code into your Form_Load event:
Names$ = "Fred,Steve,Andy,Cindy,Clive,Sandra,George,"
SBList1.Sorted = True
Do While Names$ <> ""
P& = Instr(Names$, ",")
SBList1.AddItem Left$(Names$, P& - 1)
Names$ = Mid$(Names$, P& + 1)
Loop
SBList1.Sorted = False
' Add this item at the top of the list...
SBList1.AddItem "Visitor", 0
As you can see, once the Sorted property is turned off (at the end of the code) you
can add any items to the list exactly where you want them.
If you turn the Sorted property on and off, adding items here and there, the final
sort order will probably not be what you expected. Once you have turned off sorting
and added more items where you wanted them to go, turning Sorted back on and adding
more items may not place them in the order you expected. In fairness, you would be
missing the objective behind a controllable Sorted property:
Normally, when you draw a list box on a form you have to choose whether it will be
sorted or not, and then you're stuck with it. The Sorted property of the SBList is
changeable but the intention was that you would only alter the setting when the list
is empty. In other words, you would decide at runtime whether you wanted to display
items sorted or in their original order, and set the property accordingly before
populating the list.
The sample code above shows you how to take advantage of this feature to give you
control over the order of list items, and you may discover even further refinements,
but be warned that changing the Sorted property too often may give you sleepless nights!
Topic devised by Andy Groom.