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Visual Basic Concepts

Creating the MyOSPObject Class

In the previous topic, we added an ActiveX DLL project to the AXData sample. In this step, we'll create a class that implements the OLE DB Simple Provider (OSP) interfaces to access data stored in a text file.

Note   This topic is part of a series that walks you through creating sample data source components. It begins with the topic Creating Data Sources.

To create the MyOSPObject class

  1. In the Project Explorer, select Class1 from the MyDataComponent project. In the Properties window, set the properties for Class1 as follows:
Property Setting
(Name) MyOSPObject
You may have noticed that the DataSourceBehavior is set to none. If this component is to act as a data source, shouldn't the DataSourceBehavior be set to another value? Don't worry — we'll add another class in a later step that provides the data source capability for the component.
  1. Double-click MyOSPObject in the Project Explorer to open its code window.

  2. In the Object box, select (General). In the Procedure box, select (Declarations) to position yourself at the top of the code module. Add the following code:

    Option Explicit
    Implements OLEDBSimpleProvider
    Dim MyOSPArray()
    Dim RowCount As Integer
    Dim ColCount As Integer
    Dim colListeners As New Collection
    Dim ospl As OLEDBSimpleProviderListener
    Public FilePath As String
    

    Note the use of the Implements keyword for OLEDBSimpleProvider. Remember, Implements is like a contract — it means that you'll need to implement all of the interfaces of the OLEDBSimpleProvider class.

  3. Add the following procedures to read and write data from a file:

    Public Sub LoadData()
       ' This procedure loads data from a semi-colon
       ' delimited file into an array.
       Dim GetLine As Variant
       Dim Spot As Integer, Position As Integer
       Dim Row As Integer, Col As Integer
    
       On Error GoTo ErrorTrap
       Open FilePath For Input Lock Read Write As #1
       Position = 1
       Row = 0
       Line Input #1, GetLine
       Spot = InStr(1, GetLine, ";")
       RowCount = val(Left$(GetLine, Spot))
       ColCount = val(Right$(GetLine, Len(GetLine) - Spot))
       ReDim MyOSPArray(RowCount + 1, ColCount + 1)
       While Not EOF(1)
          Line Input #1, GetLine
          Col = 1
          Spot = InStr(1, GetLine, ";")
          While Spot <> 0
             MyOSPArray(Row, Col) = Left$(GetLine, Spot - 1)
             Col = Col + 1
             GetLine = Right$(GetLine, Len(GetLine) - Spot)
             Spot = InStr(1, GetLine, ";")
          Wend
          If Len(GetLine) <> 0 Then
             MyOSPArray(Row, Col) = GetLine
          End If
          Row = Row + 1
       Wend
       Close #1
       Exit Sub
    
    ErrorTrap:
       Err.Raise (E_FAIL)
    End Sub
    
    Public Sub SaveData()
       ' This procedure writes data from an array to a semi-colon
       ' delimited file
       Dim PutLine As Variant
       Dim iRow As Integer, iCol As Integer
    
       On Error GoTo ErrorTrap
       Open FilePath For Output Lock Read Write As #1
       Print #1, RowCount & ";" & ColCount
    
       For iRow = 0 To RowCount
          For iCol = 1 To ColCount
             PutLine = PutLine & MyOSPArray(iRow, iCol) & ";"
          Next iCol
          Print #1, PutLine
          PutLine = ""
       Next iRow
       Close #1
       Exit Sub
    
    ErrorTrap:
       Err.Raise (E_FAIL)
    End Sub
    
  4. In the Object box, select Class. In the Procedure box, select the Terminate event. Add the following code to the Class_Terminate event procedure to save the data when the class is terminated:

    Private Sub Class_Terminate()
       On Error Resume Next
       ' Call the SaveData method
       SaveData
    End Sub
    

To implement OLEDBSimpleProvider

Since the MyOSPObject class implements the OLEDBSimpleProvider class, we have to implement all of its interfaces, even if we aren't going to use them:

  1. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the addOLEDBSimpleProviderListener function. Add the following code to the function procedure to add listeners that will notify the class when data changes:

    Private Sub OLEDBSimpleProvider_addOLEDBSimpleProviderListener _
       (ByVal pospIListener As OLEDBSimpleProviderListener)
       ' Add a listener to the Listeners collection.
       If Not (pospIListener Is Nothing) Then
          Set ospl = pospIListener
          colListeners.Add ospl
       End If
    End Sub
    
  2. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the deleteRows function. Add the following code to the procedure to delete a row of data from a file:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_deleteRows _
       (ByVal iRow As Long, ByVal cRows As Long) As Long
       Dim TempArray()
       Dim listener As OLEDBSimpleProviderListener
       Dim v As Variant
    
       ' Make sure iRow is in the correct range:
       If iRow < 1 Or iRow > RowCount Then
          Err.Raise (E_FAIL)
       End If
    
       ' Set cRows to the actual number which can be deleted
       If iRow + cRows > RowCount + 1 Then
          cRows = RowCount - iRow + 1
       End If
    
       ' Establish a Temporary Array
       cNewRows = RowCount - cRows
       ReDim TempArray(cNewRows + 1, ColCount + 1)
    
       ' Notify each listener:
       For Each v In colListeners
          Set listener = v
          listener.aboutToDeleteRows iRow, cRows
       Next
    
       ' Copy over the first rows which are not being deleted
       For Row = 0 To iRow - 1
          For Col = 0 To ColCount
             TempArray(Row, Col) = MyOSPArray(Row, Col)
          Next Col
       Next Row
    
       ' Copy the last rows which are not being deleted
       For Row = iRow + cRows To RowCount
          For Col = 0 To ColCount
             TempArray(Row - cRows, Col) = MyOSPArray(Row, Col)
          Next Col
       Next Row
    
       ' Re-allocate the array to copy into it
       ReDim MyOSPArray(cNewRows + 1, ColCount + 1)
    
       ' Set the real row count back in
       RowCount = cNewRows
    
       ' Copy over the rows
       For Row = 0 To cNewRows
          For Col = 0 To ColCount
             MyOSPArray(Row, Col) = TempArray(Row, Col)
          Next Col
       Next Row
    
       ' Clear the temporary array
       ReDim TempArray(0)
    
       ' Notify each listener
       For Each v In colListeners
          Set listener = v
          listener.deletedRows iRow, cRows
       Next
    
       ' Return number of deleted rows
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_deleteRows = cRows
    End Function
    
  3. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the find function. Add the following code to the procedure to find data within a file:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_find(ByVal iRowStart As Long, _
       ByVal iColumn As Long, ByVal val As Variant, _
       ByVal findFlags As OSPFIND, ByVal compType As OSPCOMP) As Long
    
       Dim RowStart As Integer, RowStop As Integer
       If (findFlags And (OSPFIND_UP Or OSPFIND_UPCASESENSITIVE)) _
          <> 0 Then
          RowStart = RowCount + 1
          RowStop = 0
          StepValue = -1
       Else
          RowStart = 0
          RowStop = RowCount + 1
          StepValue = 1
       End If
    
       If (findFlags And (OSPFIND_CASESENSITIVE Or _
          OSPFIND_UPCASESENSITIVE)) <> 0 Then
          CaseSens = 1   'Use a Text Compare not Case Sensitive
       Else
          CaseSens = 0   'Not Case Sensitive use Binary Compare
       End If
    
       If VarType(val) = vbString Then
          StringComp = True
       Else
          StringComp = False
       End If
    
       iAnswerRow = -1
       For iRow = RowStart To RowStop Step StepValue
          If StringComp Then
             CompResult = StrComp(MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn), _
                val, CaseSens)
             Select Case (compType)
                Case OSPCOMP_DEFAULT, OSPCOMP_EQ:
                   If CompResult = 0 Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_GE
                   If CompResult >= 0 Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_GT
                   If CompResult > 0 Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_LE
                   If CompResult <= 0 Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_LT
                   If CompResult < 0 Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_NE
                   If CompResult <> 0 Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
             End Select
          Else
             Select Case (compType)
                Case OSPCOMP_DEFAULT, OSPCOMP_EQ:
                   If MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn) = val Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_GE
                   If MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn) >= val Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_GT
                   If MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn) > val Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_LE
                   If MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn) <= val Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_LT
                   If MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn) < val Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
                Case OSPCOMP_NE
                   If MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn) <> val Then
                      iAnswerRow = iRow
                      Exit For
                   End If
             End Select
          End If
       Next iRow
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_find = iAnswerRow
    End Function
    
  4. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the getColumnCount function. Add the following code to the procedure to return the number of fields within a file:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_getColumnCount() As Long
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_getColumnCount = ColCount
    End Function
    
  5. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the getEstimatedRows function. Add the following code to the procedure to return the estimated number of rows of data within a file:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_getEstimatedRows() As Long
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_getEstimatedRows = RowCount
    End Function
    
  6. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the getLocale function. Add the following code to the procedure:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_getLocale() As String
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_getLocale = ""
    End Function
    

    Note that in this case the function simply returns a null value. Even though it doesn't do anything, the function has to be added — since this class implements OLEDBSimpleProvider, all of its interfaces have to be included.

  7. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the getRowCount function. Add the following code to the procedure to return the number of rows of data within a file:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_getRowCount() As Long
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_getRowCount = RowCount
    End Function
    
  8. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the getRWStatus function. Add the following code to the procedure to set the Read/Write status by column — in this case, the first column will be read-only while the remaining columns will be read-write:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_getRWStatus _
       (ByVal iRow As Long, ByVal iColumn As Long) As OSPRW
       If iColumn = 1 Then
          ' Make the first column read-only
          OLEDBSimpleProvider_getRWStatus = OSPRW_READONLY
       Else
          ' Make the column read-write
          OLEDBSimpleProvider_getRWStatus = OSPRW_READWRITE
       End If
    End Function
    
  9. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the getVariant function. Add the following code to the procedure to return data stored in a specific row and column:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_getVariant _
       (ByVal iRow As Long, ByVal iColumn As Long, _
       ByVal format As OSPFORMAT) As Variant
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_getVariant = MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn)
    End Function
    

    The getVariant function also accepts a format argument which can be used to determine the formatting of the data returned.

  10. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the insertRows function. Add the following code to the procedure to insert a new row of data into a file:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_insertRows _
       (ByVal iRow As Long, ByVal cRows As Long) As Long
       Dim TempArray()
       Dim listener As OLEDBSimpleProviderListener
       Dim v As Variant
    
       ' Establish a temporary array
       cNewRows = RowCount + cRows
       ReDim TempArray(cNewRows + 1, ColCount + 1)
    
       ' If inserting past the end of the array, insert at
       ' the end of the array
       If iRow > RowCount Then
          iRow = RowCount + 1
       End If
    
       ' Notify listener
       For Each v In colListeners
          Set listener = v
          listener.aboutToInsertRows iRow, cRows
       Next
    
       ' Copy over the existing rows
       For Row = 0 To iRow
          For Col = 0 To ColCount
             TempArray(Row, Col) = MyOSPArray(Row, Col)
          Next Col
       Next Row
    
       ' Copy the last rows which follow the inserted rows
       For Row = iRow + 1 + cRows To cNewRows
          For Col = 0 To ColCount
             TempArray(Row, Col) = MyOSPArray(Row - cRows, Col)
          Next Col
       Next Row
    
       ' Re-allocate the array to copy into it
       ReDim MyOSPArray(cNewRows + 1, ColCount + 1)
    
       ' Copy over the rows
       For Row = 0 To cNewRows
          For Col = 0 To ColCount
             MyOSPArray(Row, Col) = TempArray(Row, Col)
          Next Col
       Next Row
    
       ' Clear the temporary array
       ReDim TempArray(0)
    
       ' Set the real row count back in
       RowCount = cNewRows
    
       ' Notify listeners
       For Each v In colListeners
          Set listener = v
          listener.insertedRows iRow, cRows
       Next
    
       ' Return number of inserted rows
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_insertRows = cRows
    End Function
    
  11. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the isAsynch function. Add the following code to the procedure to determine if the OSP can return data asynchronously:

    Private Function OLEDBSimpleProvider_isAsync() As Long
       OLEDBSimpleProvider_isAsync = False
    End Function
    
  12. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the removeOLEDBSimpleProviderListener function. Add the following code to the procedure to remove a listener:

    Private Sub OLEDBSimpleProvider_removeOLEDBSimpleProviderListener _
       (ByVal pospIListener As OLEDBSimpleProviderListener)
       ' Remove the listener
       For i = 1 To colListeners.Count
          If colListeners(i) Is pospIListener Then
             colListeners.Remove i
          End If
       Next
    End Sub
    
  13. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the setVariant function. Add the following code to the procedure to retrieve data from a particular row and column and to designate a listener to provide notification that data has changed:

    Private Sub OLEDBSimpleProvider_setVariant(ByVal iRow As Long, _
       ByVal iColumn As Long, ByVal format As OSPFORMAT, _
       ByVal Var As Variant)
       Dim listener As OLEDBSimpleProviderListener
       Dim v As Variant
    
       For Each v In colListeners
          Set listener = v
          listener.aboutToChangeCell iRow, iColumn   ' Pre-notification
       Next
    
       MyOSPArray(iRow, iColumn) = Var
    
       For Each v In colListeners
          Set listener = v
          listener.cellChanged iRow, iColumn         ' Post-notification
       Next
    End Sub
    
  14. In the Object box, select OLEDBSimpleProvider. In the Procedure box, select the stopTransfer function. Add the following code to the procedure:

    Private Sub OLEDBSimpleProvider_stopTransfer()
       ' Do nothing because we are already populated
    End Sub
    

    Note that there is no code in this procedure, but the procedure must be included because this class implements OLEDBSimpleProvider. You could add code here that would allow you to cancel loading during a long transfer.

  15. Choose Save Project Group from the File menu to save your changes. When prompted for a file name for the Class module, choose the default (MyOSPObject.cls). When prompted for a file name for the Project, choose the default (MyDataComponent.vbp).

Whew! If that seemed like a lot of code, there's a good reason for it — the MyOSPObject class provides much of the functionality that you might find in a database. With OSP, you can use almost any file as you might have used a database in the past.

In the next step, we'll create another class that acts as the data source to the MyOSPObject class.

Step by Step

This topic is part of a series that walks you through creating sample ActiveX data sources.

To See
Go to the next step Creating the MyDataSource Class
Start from the beginning Creating Data Sources