How do I dynamically create check boxes from an array using the form?

Question

I would like to use the code to dynamically create check boxes based on an array or object I pass to the function. Can you revise this function to take an array? I have a script that finds possible PC names based on the username and lists the matches. It would be nice to have this form to allow me to pick one of the results in the list as the correct PC to move into the right container and install the software.

function GenerateForm {

[reflection.assembly]::loadwithpartialname("System.Windows.Forms") | Out-Null
[reflection.assembly]::loadwithpartialname("System.Drawing") | Out-Null

$form1 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form
$button1 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button
$listBox1 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ListBox
$checkBox3 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox
$checkBox2 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox
$checkBox1 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox
$InitialFormWindowState = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.FormWindowState

$b1= $false
$b2= $false
$b3= $false

#----------------------------------------------
#Generated Event Script Blocks
#----------------------------------------------

$handler_button1_Click= 
{
    $listBox1.Items.Clear();    

    if ($checkBox1.Checked)     {  $listBox1.Items.Add( "Checkbox 1 is checked"  ) }

    if ($checkBox2.Checked)    {  $listBox1.Items.Add( "Checkbox 2 is checked"  ) }

    if ($checkBox3.Checked)    {  $listBox1.Items.Add( "Checkbox 3 is checked"  ) }

    if ( !$checkBox1.Checked -and !$checkBox2.Checked -and !$checkBox3.Checked ) {   $listBox1.Items.Add("No CheckBox selected....")} 
}

$OnLoadForm_StateCorrection=
{#Correct the initial state of the form to prevent the .Net maximized form issue
    $form1.WindowState = $InitialFormWindowState
}

#----------------------------------------------
#region Generated Form Code
$form1.Text = "Primal Form"
$form1.Name = "form1"
$form1.DataBindings.DefaultDataSourceUpdateMode = 0
$System_Drawing_Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size
$System_Drawing_Size.Width = 450
$System_Drawing_Size.Height = 236
$form1.ClientSize = $System_Drawing_Size

$button1.TabIndex = 4
$button1.Name = "button1"
$System_Drawing_Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size
$System_Drawing_Size.Width = 75
$System_Drawing_Size.Height = 23
$button1.Size = $System_Drawing_Size
$button1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = $True

$button1.Text = "Run Script"

$System_Drawing_Point = New-Object System.Drawing.Point
$System_Drawing_Point.X = 27
$System_Drawing_Point.Y = 156
$button1.Location = $System_Drawing_Point
$button1.DataBindings.DefaultDataSourceUpdateMode = 0
$button1.add_Click($handler_button1_Click)

$form1.Controls.Add($button1)

$listBox1.FormattingEnabled = $True
$System_Drawing_Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size
$System_Drawing_Size.Width = 301
$System_Drawing_Size.Height = 212
$listBox1.Size = $System_Drawing_Size
$listBox1.DataBindings.DefaultDataSourceUpdateMode = 0
$listBox1.Name = "listBox1"
$System_Drawing_Point = New-Object System.Drawing.Point
$System_Drawing_Point.X = 137
$System_Drawing_Point.Y = 13
$listBox1.Location = $System_Drawing_Point
$listBox1.TabIndex = 3

$form1.Controls.Add($listBox1)


$checkBox3.UseVisualStyleBackColor = $True
$System_Drawing_Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size
$System_Drawing_Size.Width = 104
$System_Drawing_Size.Height = 24
$checkBox3.Size = $System_Drawing_Size
$checkBox3.TabIndex = 2
$checkBox3.Text = "CheckBox 3"
$System_Drawing_Point = New-Object System.Drawing.Point
$System_Drawing_Point.X = 27
$System_Drawing_Point.Y = 75
$checkBox3.Location = $System_Drawing_Point
$checkBox3.DataBindings.DefaultDataSourceUpdateMode = 0
$checkBox3.Name = "checkBox3"

$form1.Controls.Add($checkBox3)


$checkBox2.UseVisualStyleBackColor = $True
$System_Drawing_Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size
$System_Drawing_Size.Width = 104
$System_Drawing_Size.Height = 24
$checkBox2.Size = $System_Drawing_Size
$checkBox2.TabIndex = 1
$checkBox2.Text = "CheckBox 2"
$System_Drawing_Point = New-Object System.Drawing.Point
$System_Drawing_Point.X = 27
$System_Drawing_Point.Y = 44
$checkBox2.Location = $System_Drawing_Point
$checkBox2.DataBindings.DefaultDataSourceUpdateMode = 0
$checkBox2.Name = "checkBox2"

$form1.Controls.Add($checkBox2)



    $checkBox1.UseVisualStyleBackColor = $True
    $System_Drawing_Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size
    $System_Drawing_Size.Width = 104
    $System_Drawing_Size.Height = 24
    $checkBox1.Size = $System_Drawing_Size
    $checkBox1.TabIndex = 0
    $checkBox1.Text = "CheckBox 1"
    $System_Drawing_Point = New-Object System.Drawing.Point
    $System_Drawing_Point.X = 27
    $System_Drawing_Point.Y = 13
    $checkBox1.Location = $System_Drawing_Point
    $checkBox1.DataBindings.DefaultDataSourceUpdateMode = 0
    $checkBox1.Name = "checkBox1"

$form1.Controls.Add($checkBox1)


#Save the initial state of the form
$InitialFormWindowState = $form1.WindowState
#Init the OnLoad event to correct the initial state of the form
$form1.add_Load($OnLoadForm_StateCorrection)
#Show the Form
$form1.ShowDialog()| Out-Null

} #End Function

#Call the Function
GenerateForm

Mathias R. Jessen · Accepted Answer · 2015-08-29 13:58:09Z

3

To do this, first we need to add a param block to the function to accept the input:

function GenerateForm {
    param(
        [string[]]$CheckBoxLabels
    )
   # Rest of code goes here ...
}

Then, remove all existing references to $checkBox1 through 3, and let's start building those based on the parameter instead:

# Keep track of number of checkboxes
$CheckBoxCounter = 1

# When we create a new textbox, we add it to an array for easy reference later
$CheckBoxes = foreach($Label in $CheckBoxLabels) {
    $CheckBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox        
    $CheckBox.UseVisualStyleBackColor = $True
    $System_Drawing_Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size
    $System_Drawing_Size.Width = 104
    $System_Drawing_Size.Height = 24
    $CheckBox.Size = $System_Drawing_Size
    $CheckBox.TabIndex = 2

    # Assign text based on the input
    $CheckBox.Text = $Label

    $System_Drawing_Point = New-Object System.Drawing.Point
    $System_Drawing_Point.X = 27
    # Make sure to vertically space them dynamically, counter comes in handy
    $System_Drawing_Point.Y = 13 + (($CheckBoxCounter - 1) * 31)
    $CheckBox.Location = $System_Drawing_Point
    $CheckBox.DataBindings.DefaultDataSourceUpdateMode = 0

    # Give it a unique name based on our counter
    $CheckBox.Name = "CheckBox$CheckBoxCounter"

    # Add it to the form
    $form1.Controls.Add($CheckBox)
    # return object ref to array
    $CheckBox
    # increment our counter
    $CheckBoxCounter++
}

Now, all we need to do is change the Click event handler to loop over the array instead of referencing individual checkboxes:

$handler_button1_Click= 
{
    $listBox1.Items.Clear();

    # Keep track of whether something has been added to the list
    $ContentPresent = $false
    # Iterate over the checkboxes, one by one
    foreach($CheckBox in $CheckBoxes){
        if($CheckBox.Checked){
            $listBox1.Items.Add("{0} (with value ""{1}"") has been checked" -f ($CheckBox.Name,$CheckBox.Text))
            $ContentPresent = $True
        }
    }

    # If something was already added to the list, no need to show default message
    if (-not $ContentPresent) { $listBox1.Items.Add("No CheckBox selected....") } 
}

With Computer names:

With Animal names:

You could sand the edges further by setting the location and size of other controls based on the number of checkboxes you have

answered Aug 29, 2015 at 13:58

Mathias R. Jessen

178k13 gold badges175 silver badges234 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

Bradley Smith Over a year ago

Just saw this, going to test now. This looks great!

Bradley Smith Over a year ago

How do I return the value of what was selected?

Bradley Smith Over a year ago

How do I resume running the script when I select "Run Script" the box stays open?

Ifedi Okonkwo Over a year ago

Anybody please, how do I return the selected value(s) to the calling PS script?

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How do I dynamically create check boxes from an array using the form?

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related