Accessing ->Text property problem

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I have namespace TestC and class Form1 in Form11.h - it also has a button_Click function made private:

I want to reference the textBox1->Text in Form11.cpp

But I cannot use this->

I tried TestC::Form1::textBox1 and that worked fine with intellisence but then -> does not work (intellisence throws an error) and . does not work either.

I get an error stating class must be a union/struct on the left of ->

So, how do I go about referincing Text properties in VC++ 2008?

<br />
#pragma once<br />
#include <cstring><br />
#include <iostream><br />
#include <string><br />
<br />
<br />
using namespace System;<br />
using namespace System::ComponentModel;<br />
using namespace System::Collections;<br />
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;<br />
using namespace System::Data;<br />
using namespace System::Drawing;<br />
using namespace std;<br />
<br />
namespace TestC {<br />
<br />
	/// <summary><br />
	/// Summary for Form1<br />
	///<br />
	/// WARNING: If you change the name of this class, you will need to change the<br />
	///          'Resource File Name' property for the managed resource compiler tool<br />
	///          associated with all .resx files this class depends on.  Otherwise,<br />
	///          the designers will not be able to interact properly with localized<br />
	///          resources associated with this form.<br />
	/// </summary><br />
	public ref class Form1 : public System::Windows::Forms::Form<br />
	{<br />
	public:<br />
		Form1(void)<br />
		{<br />
			InitializeComponent();<br />
			//<br />
			//TODO: Add the constructor code here<br />
			//<br />
		}<br />
<br />
	protected:<br />
		/// <summary><br />
		/// Clean up any resources being used.<br />
		/// </summary><br />
		~Form1()<br />
		{<br />
			if (components)<br />
			{<br />
				delete components;<br />
			}<br />
		}<br />
	private: System::Windows::Forms::TextBox^  textBox1;<br />
	private: System::Windows::Forms::Button^  button1;<br />
	private: System::Windows::Forms::TextBox^  textBox2;<br />
	protected: <br />
<br />
	private:<br />
		/// <summary><br />
		/// Required designer variable.<br />
		/// </summary><br />
		System::ComponentModel::Container ^components;<br />
<br />
#pragma region Windows Form Designer generated code<br />
		/// <summary><br />
		/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify<br />
		/// the contents of this method with the code editor.<br />
		/// </summary><br />
		void InitializeComponent(void)<br />
		{<br />
			this->textBox1 = (gcnew System::Windows::Forms::TextBox());<br />
			this->button1 = (gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Button());<br />
			this->textBox2 = (gcnew System::Windows::Forms::TextBox());<br />
			this->SuspendLayout();<br />
			// <br />
			// textBox1<br />
			// <br />
			this->textBox1->Location = System::Drawing::Point(12, 12);<br />
			this->textBox1->Name = L"textBox1";<br />
			this->textBox1->Size = System::Drawing::Size(235, 20);<br />
			this->textBox1->TabIndex = 0;<br />
			// <br />
			// button1<br />
			// <br />
			this->button1->Location = System::Drawing::Point(185, 50);<br />
			this->button1->Name = L"button1";<br />
			this->button1->Size = System::Drawing::Size(61, 28);<br />
			this->button1->TabIndex = 1;<br />
			this->button1->Text = L"button1";<br />
			this->button1->UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;<br />
			this->button1->Click += gcnew System::EventHandler(this, &Form1::button1_Click);<br />
			// <br />
			// textBox2<br />
			// <br />
			this->textBox2->Location = System::Drawing::Point(17, 54);<br />
			this->textBox2->Multiline = true;<br />
			this->textBox2->Name = L"textBox2";<br />
			this->textBox2->Size = System::Drawing::Size(159, 178);<br />
			this->textBox2->TabIndex = 2;<br />
			// <br />
			// Form1<br />
			// <br />
			this->AutoScaleDimensions = System::Drawing::SizeF(6, 13);<br />
			this->AutoScaleMode = System::Windows::Forms::AutoScaleMode::Font;<br />
			this->ClientSize = System::Drawing::Size(284, 262);<br />
			this->Controls->Add(this->textBox2);<br />
			this->Controls->Add(this->button1);<br />
			this->Controls->Add(this->textBox1);<br />
			this->Name = L"Form1";<br />
			this->Text = L"Form1";<br />
			this->ResumeLayout(false);<br />
			this->PerformLayout();<br />
<br />
		}<br />
#pragma endregion <br />
		// Function to convert from System::String to std::string<br />
	private: System::Void  MarshalString ( String ^ s, string& os ) {<br />
   }<br />
<br />
	private: System::Void button1_Click(System::Object^  sender, System::EventArgs^  e) {<br />
			<br />
<br />
			 }<br />
<br />
	};<br />
}<br />
<br />

Posted 17-Dec-09 2:44am

peyoteuk

Updated 17-Dec-09 6:10am

Rajesh R Subramanian

v3

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7 solutions

Solution 1

I suspect you are not accessing an instance of Form1. However, I can't tell for sure unless you post your code. Could you please post the code for Form11.h?

Posted 17-Dec-09 3:16am

Rick Shaub

Solution 2

It will not let me post the entire Form11.h

The above is as much as it will take I'm afraid.

How ever, It's nothing special - just a bog standard VC++ generated file.

Posted 17-Dec-09 3:22am

peyoteuk

Solution 3

OK. Try typing

TextBox1->Text = "Hello!";

int the method you want to access the textbox. Then, build the project. If you don't get any warnings, you're good.

Sometimes intellesense can work against you in managed C++.

Posted 17-Dec-09 3:32am

Rick Shaub

Solution 4

Form12.cpp
.\Form12.cpp(9) : error C2065: 'textBox1' : undeclared identifier
.\Form12.cpp(9) : error C2227: left of '->Text' must point to class/struct/union/generic type
type is ''unknown-type''

(I have another basic Form in VC++ 2005 too just for testing purposes).

Basically, I tried TextBox1->Text (which was not how it is declared but thought, why not, eh?) and also tried the declared version and neither work!

<br />
// Form12.cpp : main project file.<br />
<br />
#include "stdafx.h"<br />
#include "Form1.h"<br />
<br />
using namespace Form12;<br />
System::Void button1_Click(System::Object^  sender, System::EventArgs^  e) {<br />
<br />
	textBox1->Text = "hello";<br />
<br />
}<br />

If I reference the textBox1->Text using;
this->textBox1->Text = "hleoo!";

in the Form12.h header file method it works. But, writing code in header files is stupid. I want it write in Main.cpp

Posted 17-Dec-09 3:41am

peyoteuk

Updated 17-Dec-09 3:54am

v3

Solution 6

Are you sure I should put the code in the header file? Is that 'done' nowadays? Because, I find that weird! I'm an old C programmer who thinks all the code should go in the cpp files and header files just hold declarations.

Seriously, you sure that is acceptable?

Posted 17-Dec-09 4:02am

peyoteuk

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Rick Shaub · Accepted Answer · 2009-12-17T03:55:00

Solution 5

You should put your code in the button click handler in Form1.h . The method body you posted is not the the same method as Form1::button1_Click.

Posted 17-Dec-09 3:55am

Rick Shaub

Rick Shaub · Accepted Answer · 2009-12-17T04:15:00

It's the default behavior, and it's fine. I agree with you that it is better form to put it in a cpp file. However, i would never put class methods in Main.cpp. If you want, just create a file called Form1.cpp and put the definition of the method there (along with the correct #includes and using directives). Make sure you prepend "Form1::" to the method definition. You will want to retain a declaration of the method in the header file.