How To Create a Vertical Caption in Label Control

Last reviewed: April 30, 1996
Article ID: Q128973

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0

SUMMARY

The label control is a graphical control that displays text. The label presents a horizontal caption by default. This article provides a sample program that creates a vertical label and displays it on the form.

MORE INFORMATION

The text displayed in a label is presented horizontally by default, and the label control does not expose a vertical property that would allow you to vertically align a label. However, typing a CHR(13) in the caption of a label inserts a carriage return and the string is displayed vertically. For example, the following property assignment displays the word 'Test' vertically.

   label.Caption="T"+chr(13)+"e"+chr(13)+"s"+chr(13)+"t"

The following sample program displays a modal form that prompts the user to enter a caption. The text entered is then used in another form to display a vertical label. The same technique could be used to create a visual class that would implement a VERTICAL property. To run this example, copy and paste the code to a program (.PRG) file.

Sample Code

*:************************************************************************* *: Code to instantiate the forms *:************************************************************************* *: VERTICAL

   cText=""
   oTxtLabel=CREATEOBJECT('formlabel')
   oTxtLabel.Show
   oMyform=CREATE('myform')
   oMyform.Show
   READ EVENTS

*:************************************************************************* *: Class: FORMLABEL BaseClass: FORM *: Modal form to input the label caption *:*************************************************************************

   DEFINE Class FORMLABEL AS Form
     WindowType=1
     Width=125
     AutoCenter=.T.
     ADD OBJECT lblCaption AS Label WITH ;
       Caption="Enter your caption", AutoSize=.T., BackStyle=0
     ADD OBJECT CMDQUIT AS CommandButton WITH Caption="Quit", Top =80
     ADD OBJECT txtLabelCaption AS TextBox WITH ;
       ControlSource='cText',Top=34,Left=3
     PROCEDURE CMDQUIT.Click
       RELEASE Thisform
     ENDPROC
   ENDDEFINE

*:************************************************************************* *: Class: MYFORM *: Form that displays the label. It contains the vertical label and a QUIT *: command button. *:*************************************************************************

   DEFINE Class MYFORM AS Form
     ADD OBJECT lblvertical AS VERTLABEL WITH Left=Thisform.Width/2
     Top=5
     Left=5
     Caption="See your Label"
     ADD OBJECT CMDQUIT AS CommandButton WITH Caption="Quit", Top =10, ;
        Height=20
     PROCEDURE CMDQUIT.Click
       RELEASE Thisform
       CLEAR EVENTS
     ENDPROC
   ENDDEFINE

*:************************************************************************* *: Class: VERTLABEL BaseClass: LABEL *: Creates the vertical caption. Takes the caption as a parameter, and *: processes the string to add a CHR(13) between each character. *: Also adjusts the height of the label. The code in the Rotate method can *: be modified to use in a visual class definition. *:*************************************************************************

   DEFINE Class VERTLABEL AS Label
     BackStyle=0
     Alignment=2
     Width=FONTMETRIC(7)  &&Adjusts the Width of the Label to 1 character
     BackColor=rgb(255,0,0)
     PROCEDURE Init
       This.Caption=This.Rotate(CTEXT) &&Text entered in the previous form

     PROCEDURE Rotate
        PARAMETERS tCaption
        nNewheight=0    && Holds the new height
        cNewcaption=""  && Holds the new caption
        DO CASE
          CASE TYPE('tCaption')= "C"
            FOR I=1 TO LEN(tCaption)
              nNewheight=nNewheight+FONTMETRIC(1)
              cNewCaption=cNewCaption+SUBSTR(tCaption,I,1)+CHR(13)
            ENDFOR
               This.Height=nNewheight
               RETURN cNewcaption
            OTHERWISE
               =MESSAGEBOX('Caption of the label must be a character')
         ENDCASE
   ENDPROC

ENDDEFINE

Additional reference words: 3.00 VFoxWin tabs
KBCategory: kbprg kbcode
KBSubcategory: FxprgGeneral

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: April 30, 1996
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.