Test String Padding Functions

private static void TestPadding()
{
int ix = 0;
string result = string.Empty;
result = ix.ToString("X");
result = result.PadLeft(8, '0');
System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(result.Length == 8);
ix = 1;
result = ix.ToString("X");
result = result.PadLeft(8, '0');
System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(result.Length == 8);
ix = 9999;
result = ix.ToString("X");
result = result.PadLeft(8, '0');
System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(result.Length == 8);
ix = 99999999;
result = ix.ToString("X");
result = result.PadLeft(8, '0');
System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(result.Length == 8);
ix = int.MaxValue;
result = ix.ToString("X");
result = result.PadLeft(8, '0');
System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(result.Length == 8);
ix = int.MinValue;
result = ix.ToString("X");
result = result.PadLeft(8, '0');
System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(result.Length == 8);
}

Using The IComparer and IComparable Interfaces

Sorting and the IComparer and IComparable Interfaces

private class XXXComparer : IComparer
{
    public XXXComparer()
    {
    }

    #region IComparer Members

    public int Compare(IXXX x, IXXX y)
    {
        return x.SomeProperty.CompareTo(y.SomeProperty);
    }

    #endregion
}

Say you have a list of IXXX, you can sort it with this
m_XXX_List.Sort(new XXXComparer());

private class SomeObjectComparer : IComparer
{
 #region IComparer Members

 public int Compare(object x, object y)
 {
  IXXX xi = x as IXXX;
  IXXX yi = y as IXXX;

         return xi.SomeProperty.CompareTo(yi.SomeProperty);
 }

 #endregion
}


private class XXX : IComparable
{
    #region IComparable Members

    public int CompareTo(XXX other)
    {
        return this.SomeProperty.CompareTo(other.SomeProperty);
    }

    #endregion
}

Say you have a list of XXX, you can sort it with this
m_XXX_List.Sort();

// Simplest Enumerator. Can enumerate the objects without 
// exposing the underlying list
public IEnumerable Processes()
{
    foreach (IProcess process in m_Processes)
    {
       yield return process;
    }
}

Enable/Disable Form Close

This disables the system menu file close

        private const int SC_CLOSE = 0xF060;
        private const int MF_ENABLED = 0x0;
        private const int MF_DISABLED = 0x1;

        [DllImport("user32.dll")]
        private static extern IntPtr GetSystemMenu(IntPtr hWnd, bool bRevert);

        [DllImport("user32.dll")]
        private static extern int EnableMenuItem(IntPtr hMenu, int wIDEnableItem, int wEnable);

        private void DisableFormClose()
        {
            EnableMenuItem(GetSystemMenu(this.Handle, false), SC_CLOSE, MF_DISABLED);
        }

        private void EnableFormClose()
        {
            EnableMenuItem(GetSystemMenu(this.Handle, false), SC_CLOSE, MF_ENABLED);
        }

Need to add something that disables the File Close menu

Iterating Over Dictionary Entries

Dictionary<string, XXX> m_MyDictionary = new Dictionary<string, XXX>()
foreach (KeyValuePair kvp in m_MyDictionary)
{
 DoSomething(kvp.Key);
 DoSomethingElse(kvp.Value);
}

How To: Hash Data with Salt

Sample is here

Using PInvoke

Check out the PInvoke website. Greate Site for finding PInvoke syntax for c# Calls to the WIN 32 API.

A Winforms CheckList

• Check the StartPosition property is CenterParent
• Check the Text property (the Title) is set to something sensible
• IF it is a child window set the 'ShowInTaskbar' property to 'False'
• Check FormBorderStyle property is set to 'FixedDialog' on the Form if it is non-resizable.
• Check MaximiseBox property is set to 'True' on the Form if you want it
• Check MinimiseBox property is set to 'True' on the Form if you want it
• Check AcceptButton property is set on the Form to the 'default' accept/OK button
• Check CancelButton property is set on the Form to the 'default' cancel changes button
• IF you want the OK and cancel buttons to work automatically then set the DialogResult property of the button to Accept or Cancel etc.
• Check the TAB order is set.

OR put these in the xxxForm.designer.cs file, in InitializeComponent() just before ResumeLayout(false);

    this.AcceptButton = this.NAME_OF_ACCEPT_OK_BUTTON;
    this.CancelButton = this.NAME_OF_CANCEL_BUTTON;
    this.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog;
    this.MaximizeBox = false;
    this.MinimizeBox = false;
    this.ShowIcon = false;
    this.ShowInTaskbar = false;
    this.StartPosition = System.Windows.Forms.FormStartPosition.CenterParent;
    this.Text = "FORM TITLE";

C# Lists And Arrays

C# Arrays Comprehensive
C# Lists

Modal/Modeless Dialogs

Modal Dialog

    SomeForm sf = new SomeForm();
    DialogResult res = sf.ShowDialog(this);

To close a form

... // within the form class itself
    DialogResult = DialogResult.OK;
    Close();
...

Set the AcceptButton and CancelButton to the correct buttons if required Modeless Dialog

    // Declare the modeless dialog
    private MagnifyingGlassForm m_MagFrm = null;


    // Creating and showing the modeless dialog
    if (m_MagFrm == null)
    {
      m_MagFrm = new MagnifyingGlassForm();
      m_MagFrm.Owner = this; // IMPORTANT Set the owner of the modeless dialog 
      m_MagFrm.Show(); // Show the modeless dialog
    }

    ...

    // To just hide the modeless dialog use Hide() method
    m_MagFrm.Hide()

    ...

    // Terminating the Modeless Dialog
    if (m_MagFrm != null)
    {
      m_MagFrm.Close();
      m_MagFrm.Dispose();
      m_MagFrm = null;
    }