PRB: Read-Only SSTab Does Not Display Child Controls Properly

• Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions of Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows, 16-bit and 32-bit, version 4.0
• Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

Create a form that contains the Sheridan SSTab control, and child controls on each of the tabs. When the form is in read-only mode (common when using Visual SourceSafe to control the project) and the user selects each tab to display it, the only child controls displayed are those controls which were on the original tab.

In addition, if you specify a File, Save File menu item on the form (after moving from tab to tab) one of the following two error messages (depending on whether there is a .FRX file associated with the form or not) displays:

   Path/File access error: '<location of form file>.FRX'

   -OR-

   Path/File access error: '<location of form file>.FRM'

CAUSE

The Sheridan Tab control actually changes the Left property of the specific tab child controls to make them appear and disappear. The Left property of all the child controls on the previously shown tab are changed by -75000. The Left property of all child controls on the newly selected tab is changed by +75000. Visually, it appears that the tab control is properly displaying its children.

However, when the form is in read-only mode, the Left property cannot be modified. Therefore, the controls do not change as they should.

STATUS

This Sheridan Tab control behavior is by design.

WORKAROUND

Check out the form with the SSTab control (make the file read/write). Then the control behaves as you would expect.

Sheridan has created an update for the 32-bit control, which corrects many of these problems. The update, tabctl32.exe, can be downloaded from their Web site at www.shersoft.com.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Start Visual Basic 4.0. Form1 is created by default.

2. Place the Sheridan tab (SSTab) on Form1.

3. Add at least one control to each of the tabs on the form. Place the controls in unique locations on each tab, so when tabbing from tab to tab, it is obvious which controls are on which tabs.

4. Tab through each of the tabs and see what controls are on which tabs.

5. Save the project via the File, Save Project option and add the project to Source Code Control when asked.

6. Double-click on Form1 to display the form. Select each tab and watch the behavior on the controls. The controls are not changing as you would expect them to.

7. Try to save the form via the File, Save File option. One of the following two error messages displays:

         Path/File access error: '<location of form file>.FRX'
   

         -OR-
   

         Path/File access error: '<location of form file>.FRM'