Adjust control size to dynamically changing text; wordwrapped text

Question

Hello. First of all I am using C# Compact Framework 2.X. Now I have a label control and its text is set dynamically so I don't know what size to set it. If only I could measure how much space was needed for the text I could manually move all of the controls around it and manually set the label's size. Now I know about the Graphics.measureString() method. This only measures a string horizontally not vertically (i.e. word wraps make the text go to the next lines; I need to know how many vertical lines of text there are). Also I tried measuring the entire string width as if it were on one line and dividing that by the width of the label to see how many lines of text there are. This doesn't work when you have odd strings such as strings with really long words or newlines. So is there a way to measure how many lines are needed when you word wrap to a specific width? Thanks!

Jan Montano · Answer

Haha! this is another story =) Honestly I haven't used the .net compact framework yet and haven't yet done any mobile applications. I advise you to create another thread with a different title. if there's a .net compact framework section. post it there. In my opinion you'll get fewer response now because this thread already has replies (In my case i normally just browse those without replies =D). So an unanswered thread will definitly attract more readers than an answered one.

m q · Answer

I see the discrepancy now. I am using Visual Studio 2005 but regardless of that I'm using the Compact Framework 2 in Windows Mobile 6.1. There is no AutoSize property of a label. I tried looking into the source code of the label as well. Basically a label is nothing more than a wrapper for the class Control which has its own Text property. public virtual void set_Text(string value) { if (this.Text != value) { PAL_ERROR ar = WL.SetText(this.m_hwn value (value == null) ? 0 : value.Length); } } So this WL reference is Microsoft.AGL.Forms.WL. [DllImport(AGL EntryPoint=@39)] public static extern PAL_ERROR SetText(IntPtr hwnThis string rgwch int cch); The wrapping code is done in a native library. Bummer! This is a really bad problem. What happens when I receive dynamic text such as from a web call? Or what about trying to adjust for several different languages? How does one ensure the proper size of a label in Compact Framework 2? Thanks for any help!

Jan Montano · Answer

Hmmm... Strange. From what I am seeing right now in my Visual Studio Team System 2008 whenever i change the label's text during run-time it adjusts it's size automatically so I am able to see the whole text even if it's long. By default in my IDE the label's AutoSize property is set to true. Perhaps your label's AutoSize property is set to false. Just change it to TRUE then.

m q · Answer

A label does not automatically adjust its bounds when you set its text. The text inside automatically wraps within the bounds but I have no programmatic way to tell if the text is cut off i.e. if the bottom of the text is not showing because the label isn't big enough.

Jan Montano · Answer

//Label control Why do you need to change the label's size when it's size is automatically changing depending on it's text value.