The ReDim statement let’s you change the size of an array at run time. The keyword Preserve prevents the current values from being erased when you change the size of the array. We are going to create an array of colors adding each one to the array when the user selects the color from the color dialog. We will display all of the colors in the array by drawing a circle in each color.
- Start a new Windows application called MoreColors.
- Add a button named btnAdd.
- Add a ColorDialog
control (appears in the panel under the form.) - Create global variables for an integer ColorCount and an array called Colors with no dimension:
Public Class Form1
Dim ColorCount As Integer = 0
Dim MyColors() As Color
Private Sub DisplayColors()
Dim MyBrush As New SolidBrush(Color.Red) 'any color
Dim X, Y, N As Integer
X = 0
Y = Me.BtnAdd.Location.Y + Me.BtnAdd.Height 'below the button
For N = 0 To ColorCount
MyBrush.Color = MyColors(N)
Me.CreateGraphics.FillEllipse(MyBrush, X, Y, 15, 15)
X = X + 15
If X > Me.Width - 15 Then 'move to next row
X = 0 'back to beginning of row
Y = Y + 15
End If
Next N
End Sub 'DisplayColors
Private Sub BtnAdd_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e _
As System.EventArgs) Handles BtnAdd.Click
Me.ColorDialog1.ShowDialog()
ColorCount = ColorCount + 1
ReDim Preserve MyColors(ColorCount)
MyColors(ColorCount) = Me.ColorDialog1.Color
DisplayColors()
End Sub 'BtnAdd_Click
End Class
Run the program. Each time you select a color, the list of colors is displayed as a series of dots.
Experiment: Use For Each instead of For in the loop.
INDEX, Scalar Variables vs. Arrays, Example 1: Initialize, Out of Bounds Exception, Arrays of Objects, A lookup example, Julian Date, ReDim: Change the Size of the Array, No Duplicates, Collections
Next lesson: Strings in Visual Basic
