A DataGrid Control as a Disconnected Data Entry Tool

Author: Lothar Haensler

DataGrid Control as a Data-Entry Tool (VB6 – Maybe VB5)

This sample was added after a superb response from the CodeGuru VB discussion forum. The original requirement was for a way of entering and modifying a list of data in a tabular format. Lothar suggested the use of a disconnected ADOR recordset and the DataGrid control that comes with VB6 – a simple solution that works perfectly for the job.

Firstly, you need to set a reference to Microsoft Active Data Objects Recordset 2.1 library (msador15.dll). Then add the DataGrid component into your VB6 toolbar and paste in the following code into the Form_Load event after adding a Grid (DataGrid1) to your form:

private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim r as ADOR.Recordset
    Dim lCount as Long

'
' Create a new disconnected recordset object
'
    set r = new ADOR.Recordset
'
' Setup the fields - you can use any valid type of
' ado field type for these. I've used VarChar just
' for testing / demonstration purposes.
'
    r.Fields.Append "Name", adVarChar, 10
    r.Fields.Append "Notes", adVarChar, 50
    r.CursorType = adOpenDynamic
    r.Open
    r.AddNew

    r.Fields(0).Value = "Chris"
    r.Fields(1).Value = "almost over the hill"
    r.AddNew
    r.Fields(0).Value = "Chris"
    r.Fields(1).Value = "but enjoying every minute"

    for lCount = 1 to 25
        r.AddNew
        r.Fields(0).Value = "Name " & lCount + 2
        r.Fields(1).Value = "some kind of description"
    next
'
' Populate the datagrid
'
    set DataGrid1.DataSource = r

End Sub
'
'

The attached sample shows how to add new lines to the control ‘on-the-fly’ and also how to query the values in the grid using another ADOR Recordset object.

Download Zipped Project file (3k)