Basic Text Editor in VB.NET

Basic Text Editor in VB.NET

This tutorial will guide you to a step by step tutorial on how to create a basic text editor in VB.Net

Problem

Create a Windows Form Application program in Visual Basic.Net that will allow users to make a basic text editor.

Description

This tutorial will allow the user to use different controls such as RichTextBox, ToolStrip, MenuStrip, StatusStrip, Timer, SaveFileDialog, OpenFileDialog to make a basic text editor in VB.NET.

Before the tutorial the following are required to start:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 – Above

The tutorial starts here:

1. Open Microsoft Visual Studio 2012
2. Select a New Project on the File menu.
3. Select Visual Basic, Windows Form Application then click OK.
4. We need these following controls on our form.

• RichTextBox
• ToolStrip
• MenuStrip
• StatusStrip
• Timer
• SaveFileDialog
• OpenFileDialog
• Context Menu strip

5. Add the items on the Menu bar, Tool Bar and Context Menu Strip first then we will name our form controls in this way:

• Document is the name for the Rich text box.
• Timer is the name for the timer.
• lblZoom is the name of a status strip label for zoom.
• lblCharCount is the name of another status strip for Character count.
• tbNew is the name of the tool bar item for New document.
• tbopen is the name of the tool bar item for Open document.
• tbsave is the name of the tool bar item for Save document.
• tbcut is the name of the tool bar item for Cut Text.
• tbcopy is the name of the tool bar item for Copy Text.
• tbpaste is the name of the tool bar item for Paste text.
• tbbold is the name of the tool bar item for Bold text.
• tbitalic is the name of the tool bar item for Italic text.
• tbunderline is the name of the tool bar item for Underline text.
• tbstrike is the name of the tool bar item for Strike text.
• tbalignleft is the name of the tool bar item for Align Left text.
• tbaligncentre is the name of the tool bar item for Align Center text.
• tbalignright is the name of the tool bar item for Align Right text.
• tbupper is the name of the tool bar item for Uppercase text.
• tblower is the name of the tool bar item for Lowercase text.
• tbzoom is the name of the tool bar item for Zoom In text.
• tbzoomout is the name of the tool bar item for Zoom out text.
• tbselectfont is the name of the tool bar item for text Font.
• tbselectsize is the name of the tool bar item for text size.
• mMNew is the name of the Main Menu item for New document.
• mMOpen is the name of the Main Menu item for Open document.
• mMSave is the name of the Main Menu item for Save document.
• mMExit is the name of the Main Menu item for Exit document.
• mMUndo is the name of the Main Menu item for Undo Text.
• mMRedo is the name of the Main Menu item for Redo Text.
• mMCut is the name of the Main Menu item for Cut Text.
• mMCopy is the name of the Main Menu item for Copy Text.
• mMPaste is the name of the Main Menu item for Paste Text.
• mMSelectAll is the name of the Main Menu item for Select All Text.
• mMCustomize is the name of the Main Menu item for Customize Text.
• UndoToolStripMenuItem is the name of the Context Menu item for Undo Text.
• RedoToolStripMenuItem is the name of the Context Menu item for Redo Text.
• CutToolStripMenuItem is the name of the Context Menu item for Cut Text.
• CopyToolStripMenuItem is the name of the Context Menu item for Copy Text.
• PasteToolStripMenuItem is the name of the Context Menu item for Paste Text.

6. This is how we design the form. (Feel free to layout your own)

Figure 1. Design of the Form

7. Paste the following code at the top of the text editor to import a service

Code here

Imports System.Drawing.Text

End Code

Code Explanation:

This will enable the editor to have access to different hotkeys related to text and to different functions and fonts installed in the device.

8. Double click the window form and paste the following code:

Code here

For fntSize = 10 To 75
    tbSelectSize.Items.Add(fntSize)
        Next
        Dim fonts As New InstalledFontCollection()
        For fntFamily As Integer = 0 To fonts.Families.Length - 1
            tbSelectFont.Items.Add(fonts.Families(fntFamily).Name)
Next

End Code

Code Explanation:

This code will load the font size and all the installed font and their font families to the text editor. This will also load the fonts in the Tbselectfont at the tool bar

9. Double click the timer and paste the following code:

Code here

lblCharCount.Text = "Characters in the current document: " & Document.TextLength.ToString()
lblZoom.Text = Document.ZoomFactor.ToString()

End Code

Code Explanation:

This code will count the number of characters and the zoom level in the text editor then displays it to lblCharCount label and lblZoom label.

10. Double click the Rich Text box and paste the following code:

Code here

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(e.LinkText)

End Code

Code Explanation:

This code starts a diagnostic process.

11. For the code of Main Menu bar items, paste the following:

Code here

Private Sub mMNew_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMNew.Click
        NewDocument()
End Sub

Private Sub mMOpen_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMOpen.Click
        Open()
End Sub

Private Sub mMSave_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMSave.Click
        Save()
End Sub

Private Sub mMExit_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMExit.Click
        ExitApplication()
End Sub
    '----------------------------
Private Sub mMUndo_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMUndo.Click
        Undo()
End Sub

Private Sub mMRedo_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMRedo.Click
        Redo()
End Sub

Private Sub mMCut_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMCut.Click
        Cut()
End Sub

Private Sub mMCopy_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMCopy.Click
        Copy()
End Sub

Private Sub mMPaste_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMPaste.Click
        Paste()
End Sub

Private Sub mMSelectAll_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMSelectAll.Click
        SelectAll()
End Sub
 '-----------------------
Private Sub mMCustomize_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles mMCustomize.Click
        Customize()
End Sub

End Code

Code Explanation:

These codes will give a function for each item in the Menu bar/strip.

12. For the toolbar items, paste the following code:

Code here

Private Sub tbNew_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbNew.Click
        NewDocument()
End Sub

Private Sub tbOpen_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbOpen.Click
        Open()
End Sub

Private Sub tbSave_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbSave.Click
        Save()
End Sub

Private Sub tbCut_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbCut.Click
        Cut()
End Sub

Private Sub tbCopy_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbCopy.Click
        Copy()
End Sub

Private Sub tbPaste_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbPaste.Click
        Paste()
End Sub
'---------------------------------
Private Sub tbBold_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbBold.Click
        Dim bfont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Bold)
        Dim rfont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Regular)
        If Document.SelectedText.Length = 0 Then Exit Sub
        If Document.SelectionFont.Bold Then
            Document.SelectionFont = rfont
        Else
            Document.SelectionFont = bfont
        End If
End Sub

Private Sub tbItalic_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbItalic.Click
        Dim Ifont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Italic)
        Dim rfont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Regular)
        If Document.SelectedText.Length = 0 Then Exit Sub
        If Document.SelectionFont.Italic Then
            Document.SelectionFont = rfont
        Else
            Document.SelectionFont = Ifont
        End If
End Sub

Private Sub tbUnderline_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbUnderline.Click
        Dim Ufont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Underline)
        Dim rfont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Regular)
        If Document.SelectedText.Length = 0 Then Exit Sub
        If Document.SelectionFont.Underline Then
            Document.SelectionFont = rfont
        Else
            Document.SelectionFont = Ufont
        End If
End Sub

Private Sub tbStrike_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbStrike.Click
        Dim Sfont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Strikeout)
        Dim rfont As New Font(Document.Font, FontStyle.Regular)
        If Document.SelectedText.Length = 0 Then Exit Sub
        If Document.SelectionFont.Strikeout Then
            Document.SelectionFont = rfont
        Else
            Document.SelectionFont = Sfont
        End If
End Sub
' -------------------------------
Private Sub tbAlignLeft_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbAlignLeft.Click
        Document.SelectionAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left
End Sub

Private Sub tbAlignCentre_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbAlignCentre.Click
        Document.SelectionAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center
End Sub

Private Sub tbAlignRight_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbAlignRight.Click
        Document.SelectionAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Right
End Sub
'----------------------------------------------
Private Sub tbUpper_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbUpper.Click
        Document.SelectedText = Document.SelectedText.ToUpper()
End Sub

Private Sub tbLower_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbLower.Click
        Document.SelectedText = Document.SelectedText.ToLower()
End Sub
 '---------------------------------------
Private Sub tbZoom_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbZoom.Click
        If Document.ZoomFactor = 63 Then
            Exit Sub
        Else
            Document.ZoomFactor = Document.ZoomFactor + 1
        End If
End Sub

Private Sub tbZoomOut_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbZoomOut.Click
        If Document.ZoomFactor = 1 Then
            Exit Sub
        Else
            Document.ZoomFactor = Document.ZoomFactor - 1
        End If
End Sub
'------------------------------------------
Private Sub tbSelectFont_SelectedIndexChanged(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbSelectFont.SelectedIndexChanged
        Dim ComboFonts As System.Drawing.Font
        Try
            ComboFonts = Document.SelectionFont
            Document.SelectionFont = New System.Drawing.Font(tbSelectFont.Text, Document.SelectionFont.Size, Document.SelectionFont.Style)
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message)
        End Try
End Sub

Private Sub tbSelectSize_SelectedIndexChanged(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles tbSelectSize.SelectedIndexChanged
       Document.SelectionFont = New Font(tbSelectSize.SelectedItem.ToString, CInt(tbSelectSize.SelectedItem.ToString), Document.SelectionFont.Style)
    End Sub

Encode

Code Explanation:

This code will give a function for each tools/item in the toolbar according what each tool must do.

13. For the functions in the text editor, paste the following

Code here

'CLEAR THE RICHTEXTBOX - MAKES NEW DOCUMENT
Private Sub NewDocument()
   Document.Clear()
End Sub

'OPEN WORK AS PLAIN TEXT FILE
Private Sub Open()
 If openWork.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
   Document.LoadFile(openWork.FileName, _
   RichTextBoxStreamType.PlainText)
End If
End Sub

'SAVE WORK AS PLAIN TEXT FILE
Private Sub Save()
If saveWork.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
 Try
   Document.SaveFile(saveWork.FileName, _
   RichTextBoxStreamType.PlainText)
 Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
 End Try
End If
End Sub

'EXIT THE PROGRAM
Private Sub ExitApplication()
   Me.Close()
End Sub

End Code

Code Explanation:

These codes are to shorten the code for each function used for the basic text editor, such as opening and saving the text file, clearing and exit the program.

14. For the function in some tools in the text editor, paste the following:

Code here

Private Sub Undo()
   Document.Undo()
End Sub

Private Sub Redo()
   Document.Redo()
End Sub

Private Sub Cut()
   Document.Cut()
End Sub

Private Sub Copy()
   Document.Copy()
End Sub

Private Sub Paste()
   Document.Paste()
End Sub

Private Sub SelectAll()
   Document.SelectAll()
End Sub

Private Sub Customize()
Dim ColorPicker As New ColorDialog()
ColorPicker.AllowFullOpen = True
ColorPicker.FullOpen = True
ColorPicker.AnyColor = True
If ColorPicker.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
   mainMenu.BackColor = ColorPicker.Color
   Tools.BackColor = ColorPicker.Color
   Status.BackColor = ColorPicker.Color
End If

End Code

Code Explanation:

These codes are used to enable the functions on some tools on the toolbar, such as undo, copy, paste, cut, select all, redo, and costumize.

15. For the tool in the toolstrip, paste the following codes:

Code here

Private Sub UndoToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles UndoToolStripMenuItem.Click
   Undo()
End Sub

Private Sub RedoToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles RedoToolStripMenuItem.Click
   Redo()
End Sub

Private Sub CutToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles CutToolStripMenuItem.Click
   Cut()
End Sub

Private Sub CopyToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles CopyToolStripMenuItem.Click
   Copy()
End Sub

Private Sub PasteToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles PasteToolStripMenuItem.Click
   Paste()
End Sub

End Code

Code Explanation:

This will assign a function for each tool in the context menu strip when right clicked.

Conclusion:

With the use of text editor, you can now format your text and your content. The project and source code is available for download and you may modify it based on your preferences and requirements.

Author:

Name: Charlie Devera
Email Address: charliedevera000@gmail.com

Free Download Source code (Basic Text Editor in VB.Net)

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