Schedule button.perform click datetimepicker?

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I have a few datetimepicker controls on my form that I wish to set to trigger a button click when the date of the datetimepicker = the date of your computer.

Basically I what im looking to do is schedule a scanning date and time.....
Is there any good examples on the net or will someone inform me of how to go about this?

I am aware of the need for a timer , a datetimepicker with labels that show the value of the current date and the value of the datetimepicker once the user has made a new selection.

thank you all for your help and sorry once again for what seems like a simple question.

Posted 1-May-11 6:49am

Dale 2012

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Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-01T09:24:00

Solution 1

What sample do you need? It's too easy so hardly anyone would write an article on the problem.

In the handler of your timer get value = System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker.Value; the value is of the type System.DateTime. This is how to find out if it is a time to trigger: System.DateTime.Now >= value. If and when it's true, trigger your button's Click event.

Now, how to trigger it? Even though it is possible (see next paragraph) — don't do it. You can use Button.Click event by adding a handler to this event as a separate handler method. Just call this method.

The problem with click invocation based just on the Button instance is this. First, always tag your question!. I should have specify if you're using System.Windows.Forms, WPF or anything else — the answer will be different. You need to call System.Windows.Forms.Button.InvokeOnClick (Forms) or System.Windows.Controls.ButtonOnClick (WPF), but those methods are protected, so you would have to create your own derived Button class inheriting Button — just for the purpose of calling one method. It would not be practical.

—SA

Posted 1-May-11 9:24am

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov

Updated 1-May-11 22:12pm

v2

Comments

Dale 2012 2-May-11 3:09am

This is what I have worked on since your response.

objects on my form:

Datetimepicker1
Button Name "SetScan"
Button Name "cmdstartscan"
Label1 Name "lbldate"
Label2 Name "Datepickvalue"
Timer

Private Sub DateTimePicker1_ValueChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles DateTimePicker1.ValueChanged
Label18.Text = DateTimePicker1.Value.Date
Refresh()
End Sub

Private Sub Timer3_Tick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Timer3.Tick
lbldate.Text = Now.ToShortDateString
lbltime.Text = TimeOfDay
End Sub

Private Sub SetVS_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles SetVS.Click
If System.DateTime.Now = DateTimePicker1.Value.Date Then
cmdStartScanning.PerformClick()
End If
End Sub

Will this work? can you give some guidance please?

thank you once again...

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 2-May-11 4:14am

You don't need Refresh. From the first glance -- should work. How come you did not test it?
--SA

Dale 2012 2-May-11 15:14pm

I have tested it but with no luck.

For better insight into what Im trying to do I will first off explain that the button is in a controlpannel. the schedule scan datetimepicker is on my main menu Controlpannel1. when I select a future date I have a label that displays the date the user wishes to set and if the system time is = to the label from the datetimepiker to do the button.performclick.

I have worked more on my code but still nothing happens:

Private Sub Timer3_Tick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Timer3.Tick
lbldate.Text = Now.ToShortDateString
lbltime.Text = TimeOfDay
End Sub

Private Sub DateTimePicker1_ValueChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles DateTimePicker1.ValueChanged
Datepickvalue.Text = DateTimePicker1.Value.Date
End Sub

Private Sub SetVS_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles SetVS.Click
If Datepickvalue.Text = System.DateTime.Now Then
Timer2.Start()
End If
End Sub

Private Sub Timer2_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Timer2.Tick
cmdStartScanning.PerformClick()
End Sub

I am running VB.Net 2010 and as far as I know my application is a windows application form.

I am having a feeling that I have to invoke a button? idk :(

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 2-May-11 15:23pm

There is no such thing as "Invoke a button". What is it? Why all that trial-and-error? Do you use the Debugger? Put a break point to the timer handler. How do you know it it is fired? And so one, one step at a time? When you see it it is fired, go step by step, see if you call the method. And so on, until you get to the end...
--SA

Dale 2012 4-May-11 4:26am

Im sorry but will or can you provide a working example.... I seem to be having no luck with anything and by adding break points to my project is still not definitively telling me where im going wrong.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 4-May-11 15:35pm

Oh, I see at least one bug here:
"If System.DateTime.Now = DateTimePicker1.Value.Date Then". The problem is "=". I explicitly advised to do ">=". Strict "=" will not work, because in one event time can be "not yet" and at the next time it can be "too late", so you never get to "exact same" time, or probability of exactly equal time could be extremely low. Isn't that logical?
So fix it and see. Now, if you put a break point at that event, but not inside if you would find this bug by yourself. You need to narrow down the source of the problem step by step. I cannot check it all because I don't have VB.NET installed.
--SA

Dale 2012 4-May-11 18:14pm

Ok I will give that a spin and let you know what conclusion I come to. I must say thank you very much to have taken the time to write such detailed responses to my questions as not many will. It helps me to understand and learn the different types of objects and classes to use and how they work. Your a god save cheers!!

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 4-May-11 21:30pm

You're welcome.
If it helps you, please consider formally accepting this answer.
Thank you.
--SA

Dale 2012 4-May-11 18:34pm

Ok I made the small correction but now I am faced with maybe a logical problem?
am I calling the correct statements in the correct places?

Private Sub Timer3_Tick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Timer3.Tick
lbldate.Text = Now.ToShortDateString
lbltime.Text = TimeOfDay
End Sub
Private Sub DateTimePicker1_ValueChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles DateTimePicker1.ValueChanged
Datepickvalue.Text = DateTimePicker1.Value.Date
End Sub
Private Sub SetVS_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles SetVS.Click
Timer2.Start()
End Sub
Private Sub Timer2_Tick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Timer2.Tick
If Datepickvalue.Text >= DateTime.Now Then
cmdStartScanning.PerformClick()
Else
Timer2.Stop()
End If
End Sub

please let me know if you spot any error as I am stuck and need to move onto the next project in my program.... (Sorry I don't mean that to sound pushy or impatient) your response is greatly appreciated.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 4-May-11 21:36pm

It's OK.
If you say "logical problem", how come you cannot see it?
Look at the Tick handler -- it stops the timer immediately in a first call. Can you see it? Remove
"else" to Stop() right after PerformClick(). That should fix it.
--SA

Dale 2012 4-May-11 18:35pm

please ignore timer3 I do not believe it has anything to do with my problem......

Dale 2012 5-May-11 0:03am

Once again sorry but I removed the else timer2.stop() as you said but still nothing happens.

Could any one of these be the cause?

I have noticed that the system date format is "Wednesday, May 04,2011", does the date time picker need to also follow that format?

also my cmdstartscanning button is located in control panel 2...... Do I need to give more instruction in the code to find the button?

I am just about out of ideas.... Moan :(

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 5-May-11 11:20am

What a minute?
How can this even compile?

What are you doing?!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look by yourself:
"Datepickvalue.Text >= DateTime.Now"
Why Text?

Compare time with time!!! must be
DateTime.Now >= Datepickvalue

Did you check the time value used to trigger a button. Are you sure it is not tomorrow?

Did you set timer interval? After all, find a working sample where a timer does something periodically, without any logic. Put something like System.Console.Beep(400, 50) to hear each tick and start from there. You again don't say what happens...

--SA

Dale 2012 5-May-11 0:11am

ok got it to work now thank you so much for your help I will now rate your answers to close this topic..... :) :) :)

SAKryukov your the man!!

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 5-May-11 11:27am

OK, working now? Thanks goodness.

Please formally accept this answer.
Thank you.

Good luck,
--SA

Dale 2012 5-May-11 0:14am

I do have just one last question for you...........

I notice when the scheduler activates and the cmdstartbutton is clicked it does not stop clicking?????

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 5-May-11 11:30am

Maybe you did not really stop timer. Again, go with debugger and see why it's missing. You say, it's working. Now, ***before*** PerformClick stop the timer.
--SA

Dale 2012 5-May-11 20:15pm

Nothing is missing but once the Cmdstartscanning.click has been called it does not stop clicking the the button and if I call timer2.stop it makes the scheduler not work at all.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 5-May-11 22:55pm

You stop it too earlier. Put a break point on this stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--SA

Dale 2012 6-May-11 4:16am

Thank you!!!......... I have made the corrections and all is good!!

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 6-May-11 11:17am

Ah finally!
Good luck,
--SA