OpenOffice.org BASIC Guide - OpenOffice.org wiki

Working With Forms
The GetByIndex method returns the form with the index number 0.
When working with spreadsheets, an intermediate stage is needed for the Sheets list because the drawing levels are
not located directly in the document but in the individual sheets:
Dim Doc As Object
Dim Sheet As Object
Dim DrawPage As Object
Dim Form As Object
Doc = ThisComponent
Sheet = Doc.Sheets.GetByIndex(0)
DrawPage = Sheet.DrawPage
Form = DrawPage.Forms.GetByIndex(0)
As is already suggested by the GetByIndex method name, a document may contain several forms. This is useful,
for example, if the contents of different databases are displayed within one document, or if a 1:n database
relationship is displayed within a form. The option of creating sub-forms is also provided for this purpose.
The Three Aspects of a Control Element Form
A control element of a form has three aspects:
The Model of the control element is the key object for the OpenOffice.org Basic-programmer when working
with control element forms.
The counterpart to this is the View of the control element, which administers the display information.
Since control element forms within the documents are administered like a special drawing element, there is
also a Shape object which reflects the drawing element-specific properties of the control element (in
particular its position and size).
Accessing the Model of Control Element Forms
The models of the control elements of a form are available through the GetByName method of the Object form:
Dim Doc As Object
Dim Form As Object
Dim Ctl As Object
Doc = ThisComponent
Form = Doc.DrawPage.Forms.GetByIndex(0)
Ctl = Form.getByName("MyListBox")
The example determines the model of the MyListBox control element, which is located in the first form of the
text document currently open.
If you are not sure of the form of a control element, you can use the option for searching through all forms for
the control element required:
Dim Doc As Object
Dim Forms As Object
Dim Form As Object
Dim Ctl As Object
Dim I as Integer
Doc = ThisComponent
Forms = Doc.Drawpage.Forms
For I = 0 To Forms.Count - 1
Form = Forms.GetbyIndex(I)
If Form.HasByName("MyListBox") Then
Ctl = Form.GetbyName("MyListBox")
Exit Function
End If
Next I
The example uses the HasByName method to check all forms of a text document to determine whether they
contain a control element model called MyListBox. If a corresponding model is found, then a reference to this is
saved in the Ctl variable and the search is terminated.
168 OpenOffice.org 3.2 BASIC Guide · March 2010