Customize menu based on database ( convert from VB )

Question

Hello all I want to make some program that have administrator class to control user restriction like enable or disable some menu in menustrip.. So hard to find the example article but at last I've found this one article.. The sample is good and exactly like what I wanted.. I understand the logic but just got problem with c# language.. The code is written in VB.net and seems the author is not active right now.. the link is here : http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/12019/Dynamic-Menu-Based-on-Database Can anyone help me to convert this code to c# or at least give me example similar to this one is c# code. I'm still new in c#.. Thanks. Andy.

Vulpes · Answer

When you have a lot of code to translate the best thing to do IMO is to use one of the free translators such as this one to do the 'heavy lifting': http://www.developerfusion.com/tools/convert/vb-to-csharp/ and then go through it line by line to correct the stuff which such translators inevitably miss. Anyway here's my attempt which shouldn't be far way. I've only translated the 'clever' stuff you'll need to add your controls to the form in the usual way: // in Form class private DataSet dsUser = new DataSet(); private string conn = @Data Source=MENU.MDB;Provider= + @Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; private Hashtable HashMenu = new Hashtable(); private Hashtable HashFunctions = new Hashtable(); // add this method via designer private void cmdGo_Click(object sende EventArgs e) { if (!LoadUserPerms()) MessageBox.Show(Username or Password are incorrect); else LoadMenuItems(); } public bool LoadUserPerms() { System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter adap = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter( conn); DataSet dsExist = new DataSet(); //verify if user exists adap.SelectCommand.CommandText = SELECT * FROM USERS WHERE EMAIL = ' + txtEmail.Text.Replace(' '') + ' AND PASSW = ' + txtPassw.Text.Replace(' '') + '; adap.Fill(dsExist); if (dsExist.Tables[0].Rows.Count == 0) { return false; //user does not exist or password is incorrect } else { //load all user permissions to dataset string code = null; //var to store the user code code = dsExist.Tables[0].Rows[0][USER_ID].ToString(); adap.SelectCommand.CommandText = SELECT * FROM ITEMS INNER JOIN PERMS ON PERMS.ID_ITEM = ITEMS.ID_ITEM WHERE ID_USER = + code; adap.Fill(dsUser); return true; } } private void LoadMenuItems() { //Load all menu items and sub-items to menu DataSet dsItems = new DataSet(); int i = 0; //create a dataset with all items possible System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter adap = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter( conn); adap.SelectCommand.CommandText = SELECT * FROM ITEMS; adap.Fill(dsItems); //set the hierarchy as primary key to find the menu item parents dsItems.Tables[0].PrimaryKey = new DataColumn[] { dsItems.Tables[0].Columns[HIERAR] }; //go one by one all user items for (i = 0; i { string id_hierar = null; //hierarchy for the item (parents // and parents parents and so on) string parent = null; //temp var to store parent index id_hierar = dsUser.Tables[0].Rows[i][HIERAR].ToString(); DinamicMenu menu_it = new DinamicMenu(); menu_it.Text = dsUser.Tables[0].Rows[i][TEXT].ToString(); menu_it.Func = dsUser.Tables[0].Rows[i][FUNC].ToString(); menu_it.MenuItemobj = new MenuItem(); menu_it.MenuItemobj.Text = dsUser.Tables[0].Rows[i][TEXT].ToString(); menu_it.MenuItemobj.Click += CallForMenuItem; if (!HashMenu.ContainsKey(dsUser.Tables[0].Rows[i][HIERAR].ToString())) { HashMenu.Add(dsUser.Tables[0].Rows[i][HIERAR].ToString() menu_it); } while (id_hierar.IndexOf(.) > 0) { parent = id_hierar.Substring(0 id_hierar.LastIndexOf(.)); id_hierar = parent; DataRow dRow = null; //dataRow to store the item row from db dRow = dsItems.Tables[0].Rows.Find(parent); if ((dRow != null)) { if (!HashMenu.ContainsKey(parent)) { DinamicMenu it_dinamic = new DinamicMenu(); it_dinamic.Text = dRow[TEXT].ToString(); it_dinamic.Func = dRow[FUNC].ToString(); it_dinamic.MenuItemobj = new MenuItem(); it_dinamic.MenuItemobj.Text = dRow[TEXT].ToString(); it_dinamic.MenuItemobj.Click += CallForMenuItem; HashMenu.Add(parent it_dinamic); } } } } MenuItem parentMenu = new MenuItem(); MenuItem sonMenu = new MenuItem(); DinamicMenu parentItem = new DinamicMenu(); DinamicMenu sonItem = new DinamicMenu(); string sel_key = null; string sel_KeyParent = null; foreach (DictionaryEntry d in HashMenu) { sonItem = (DinamicMenu)d.Value; sel_key = (string)d.Key; sonMenu = sonItem.MenuItemobj; if (sel_key.LastIndexOf(.) >= 0) { sel_KeyParent = sel_key.Substring(0 sel_key.LastIndexOf(.)); parentItem = (DinamicMenu)HashMenu[sel_KeyParent]; parentMenu = parentItem.MenuItemobj; parentMenu.MenuItems.Add(sonMenu); } else { this.MainMenu.MenuItems.Add(sonMenu); } } CreateHashFunctions(); } private void CallForMenuItem(object obj EventArgs ea) { //this function is executed every time a menuItem is clicked MenuItem i = new MenuItem(); MenuItem pai = new MenuItem(); string position = null; //Verify the position (which is the hierarchy) of the menu Item called i = (MenuItem)obj; pai = (MenuItem)i.Parent; position = i.Index.ToString(); while ((pai.Parent.GetType().ToString() != System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu)) { position = pai.Index.ToString() + . + position; pai = (MenuItem)pai.Parent; } //Store on var position the absolute position of //the menuItem in the menu (n.n.n) to use it as key for the //HashTable HashFunctions position = pai.Index.ToString() + . + position; string funcToCall = null; funcToCall = (string)HashFunctions[position]; MessageBox.Show(funcToCall); //here you should place a SELECT CASE (funcToCall) //or call a function to do that //to execute the right function for each call } private void CreateHashFunctions() { //Create a HashTable with information about the functions to call //from each position at the menu string position = null; MenuItem pai = new MenuItem(); MenuItem item = new MenuItem(); string func = null; foreach (DictionaryEntry d in HashMenu) { item = ((DinamicMenu)d.Value).MenuItemobj; position = item.Index.ToString(); if (item.Parent.GetType().ToString() == System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu) { position = item.Index.ToString(); } else { pai = (MenuItem)item.Parent; while (pai.Parent.GetType().ToString() != System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu) { position = pai.Index.ToString() + . + position; pai = (MenuItem)pai.Parent; } position = pai.Index.ToString() + . + position; func = ((DinamicMenu)d.Value).Func; } //Create an entry with relation between menuitem position and function to call HashFunctions.Add(position func); } } // add this as separate class //Dinamic menu Item public class DinamicMenu { public string Func; // the function this menuItem is going to call public string Text; // the text displayed public MenuItem MenuItemobj; // the menuItem itself }

Andy Wij · Answer

I see.. Thanks Vulpes for u help.. Regards Andy.

Vulpes · Answer

MenuStrip has more functionality than the old MainMenu class and has therefore replaced it in the latest versions of VS. Similarly ToolStripMenuItem has replaced MenuItem. However the old classes are still supported if you want to use them. Remember that it's an old article (2005) that you've dug out here.

Andy Wij · Answer

Hmm.. What is the different between MenuItem class and MenuStrip class? Is each have their own advantage and disadvantage?