ListView Control Tutorial-02

Introduction.

Continued from last week's ActiveX ListView Control Tutorial-01.

In this session, we will learn how to search for specific rows and column values in the ListView control and display the results on a Label control within the form. This feature is useful when working with large volumes of data. We will also explore the use of certain ListView property settings.

To begin, we will look at how easily columns can be rearranged in the ListView control—similar to how we do it in Access Datasheet View. For this purpose, additional controls such as Textboxes, Comboboxes, Command Buttons, and Labels have been added to the form, making the selection of search parameters and the display of search results more convenient.

For demonstration, I have slightly modified last week’s sample data. The first column values are now sourced from the Employees table of the Northwind sample database. A query was created to join the LastName and FirstName fields under the alias Student, while the EmployeeID field is used as the Key (e.g., X01, X02, and so on).

Before moving on to search operations, let us first explore how to rearrange columns in the ListView control using the drag-and-drop method.

Note: If you have not visited the earlier tutorial page and would like to continue directly with this session, then download the Demo database from the ListView Control Tutorial-01 page. Unzip the file, open the database, and you will find the demo form ready in Normal View.

Open your database with the previous session’s demo form (or the one you created) and switch it to Normal View.

Now, let us try dragging and moving a column from the middle of the list—for example, the Weight column—and dropping it in place of the Age column. The expected result is that the Age column should shift to the right, making room for the incoming column.

Move the mouse pointer over the Weight column header and click while holding down the left mouse button. You will notice that the column header moves slightly downward when the button is pressed. Now, drag the column to the left and drop it onto the Age column header.

At this point, you will see that nothing happens. This is because we have not yet enabled this feature in the property settings. In fact, this is the only change required to make the feature work.

To enable it:

1. Switch the form to Design View.

2. Right-click on the ListView control, highlight the ListViewCtrl Object option, and select Properties.



3. On the Properties window, you will find the option AllowColumnReorder on the right side. Place a check mark to enable it, then click Apply, and click the OK button to close the Properties window.

4. Now, repeat the drag-and-drop steps explained earlier and observe the result. This simple setting is all that’s required to enable column reordering in the ListView control.

5. You may be asking: What about rearranging rows?
   Unlike columns, row reordering requires additional programming using event procedures—similar to the drag-and-drop techniques we implemented earlier in the TreeView control. We will cover that part later in this tutorial series.

6. For now, feel free to experiment by moving any column, even the first column, to any position you like.

Note: Before dropping the source column, ensure that the target column is fully covered by the highlighted frame of the incoming column. If not, the column may shift to the next position on the right instead of replacing the intended target.

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Next: Searching for Information in the ListView

Now, let’s move on to learning how to quickly search for information within the ListView—especially useful when working with large volumes of data.

For this purpose, we have added a subroutine to the Tutorial-01 module. This subroutine loads the column header names into a ComboBox on the form, which is displayed with a red background for visibility. The selected column name will be used to search and retrieve specific values (such as Age, Height, Weight, or Class) for a student.

New VBA Code Added to the Form’s Class Module

A new VBA procedure has been added to the Class Module of last week’s Tutorial Form.

This procedure populates the txtColCombo ComboBox with a list of column header labels (field names). These labels correspond to the data fields in the ListView, such as Age, Height, Weight, or Class.

During the search-and-find operation, one of these column values can be selected to retrieve the corresponding detail for a student, along with the student’s name.

Private Sub txtColCombo()
'Column Header List Combo
Dim lvwColHead As MSComctlLib.ColumnHeader
Dim cboName As ComboBox

Set cboName = Me.txtCol
cboName.RowSourceType = "Value List"

For Each lvwColHead In lvwList.ColumnHeaders
    If lvwColHead.Index = 1 Then
        'Nothing
    Else
        cboName.AddItem lvwColHead.Text
    End If
Next
'cboName.DefaultValue = "=txtCol.Column(0, 0)"

Set lvwColHead = Nothing
Set cboName = Nothing
End Sub

The ComboBox will not have a default value for the column header name. If a column is selected, the corresponding value for the student will be displayed in the large Label below the student’s name. If left blank, the search operation will return only the student’s name.

The search operation is flexible and fast, supporting two main methods:

1. Search by providing text – The search text can come from any column, either as a full match or as a partial string from the left. Since each row in the ListView control has two types of object members—ListItem (first column) and ListSubItems (remaining columns)—the search operation treats these separately.

2. Search options via an option group – Next to the search-text input TextBox, an option group with two checkboxes allows you to choose where to search:

   • First option (default): Searches the first column (ListItem) for the given text.

   • Second option: Searches within the ListSubItem columns.

Note: Rearranging columns affects only their visual position, not the object type. Dragging a ListSubItem into the first column does not convert it into a ListItem.

To retrieve a value from a specific column, select the column name from the ComboBox located below the search-text TextBox. For example, if you want to find a student’s Height, select Height from the ComboBox.

After setting the search criteria, click the Find Item Command Button. If the search is successful, the result will appear in the large Label control below the button.

The [Find Item] Command Button Click.

Calls the SearchAndFind() Procedure.

Private Sub SearchAndFind()
'Find by Student Name
Dim lstItem As MSComctlLib.ListItem
Dim strFind As String
Dim strColName As String
Dim strColVal As String
Dim j As Integer
Dim intOpt As Integer
Dim msgText As String

Me.Refresh
intOpt = Me.Opts


strFind = Nz(Me![txtFind], "")
strColName = Nz(Me![txtCol], "")

Select Case intOpt
    Case 1
        Set lstItem = lvwList.FindItem(strFind, , , lvwPartial)
    
        If Not lstItem Is Nothing Then
            j = lstItem.Index
            'format the display text
            msgText = lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Item(1).Text
            msgText = msgText & " : " & lstItem.Text & vbCr & vbCrLf
        Else
            MsgBox "Text '" & strFind & "' Not Found!", vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "cmdFind_Click()"
            Exit Sub
        End If
    Case 2
        Set lstItem = lvwList.FindItem(strFind, lvwSubItem, , lvwPartial)
        If Not lstItem Is Nothing Then
       'format the display text
            j = lstItem.Index
            msgText = lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Item(1).Text
            msgText = msgText & ": " & lstItem.Text & vbCr & vbCrLf
        Else
            MsgBox strFind & " Not Found!", vbOK + vbCritical, "cmdFind_Click()"
            Exit Sub
        End If
End Select

        If Len(strColName) = 0 Then 'If column name is not selected
            GoTo nextStep
        Else
            'Get the column value
            strColVal = GetColVal(lstItem, strColName)
            msgText = msgText & String(8 - (Len(strColName)), " ") & _
            strColName & ": " & Nz(strColVal, "")
        End If
nextStep:

If Len(msgText) > 0 Then 'assign to form label
    lvwList.ListItems.Item(j).Selected = True
    lblMsg.caption = msgText
End If

End Sub

At the beginning of the program, the Student Name and the optional Column Name are copied from their respective TextBoxes into the variables strFind and strColName, following validation checks.

Note: The Column Name ComboBox has its Not-in-List property set to Yes. This means you may either select a valid value from the list, type it in, or leave it blank. However, if you type in a value that does not exist in the list, it will not be accepted.

Depending on the selected search option (1 – ListItem or 2 – ListSubItem), the scan process is directed to the appropriate object(s).

Using either method, the program locates the ListItem object (row) that contains the search text. The Index value of the ListItem is then saved in the variable J for later use in the program.

Note: The ListView control automatically assigns index numbers when items are first populated.

Once found, the ListItem.Text value is retrieved. This value is combined with the first column header’s text (for example, Student: Robert King) and stored in the MsgText string, which is then displayed in the Label control on the form.

If a column header name is selected in the ComboBox, the program calls the GetColVal() function, passing the ListItem object and the selected column header text as parameters. This feature is especially useful for retrieving additional details about a student, such as their Height, directly from the record.

The GetColVal() Function VBA Code.

Private Function GetColVal(lvwItem As MSComctlLib.ListItem, ByVal colName As String) As String
Dim i As Integer
Dim strVal As String
    'first column is student name
    'check for column value from 2nd column onwards
    For i = 2 To lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Count
        If lvwList.ColumnHeaders(i).Text = colName Then 'if col name matches
            strVal = lvwItem.ListSubItems.Item(i - 1).Text 'get column value
            Exit For 'No further scanning required
        End If
    Next
GetColVal = strVal 'return the retrieved the value
End Function

The GetColVal() function requires two parameters:

1. The ListItem object, which contains the student’s name.

2. The Column Name to be retrieved.

The student’s details—such as Age, Height, Weight, and Class—are stored in the ListItem.ListSubItems collection. The function scans through the lvwList.ColumnHeader values to locate the matching column name.

Once a match is found, the corresponding column index is used to retrieve the value from the ListSubItems object, which is then returned to the calling procedure.

The [Find By Key] Command Button Click Event Procedure.

We have introduced another method to find a Student’s Name (or related information) by using the Unique Key Value assigned to a list item at the time of creating the list.

Although assigning a Key is optional, it is always recommended to add a Unique Key String Value (note: the key must begin with an alphabet character). This approach makes searching more efficient.

For example, when dealing with personal identification records, the following can serve as the Key:

• Social Security Number

• National Identity Card Number

• Passport Number

• Driving License Number

Using such identifiers as the ListItem Key makes it much faster and easier to locate a record compared to the conventional search-by-text method.

The cmdKey_Click() Event Procedure.

Calls FindByKey() Subroutine.

Private Sub FindByKey()
Dim colHeader As MSComctlLib.ColumnHeader
Dim lvItem As MSComctlLib.ListItem
Dim lvKeyVal As String
Dim lvColName As String
Dim txt As String
Dim msgText As String
Dim varcolVal As Variant

lvKeyVal = UCase(Nz(Me!txtKey, ""))
lvColName = Nz(Me!txtCol, "")

If len(lvKeyVal) > 0 then
On Error Resume Next 
Set lvItem = lvwList.ListItems.Item(lvKeyVal) 'get the item by Key
If Err > 0 Then
    Err.Clear
    MsgBox "Key Value: '" & lvKeyVal & "' Not Found!", vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "cmdKey_Click()"
    On Error GoTo 0
    Exit Sub
End If
Else
	MsgBox "Please Provide a Valid Key-Value!",vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "cmdKey_Click()"
    Exit Sub
End If

txt = lvItem.Text 'get the student name
'format message text
msgText = lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Item(1).Text & " : "
msgText = msgText & txt & vbCr & vbCrLf

If Len(lvColName) > 0 Then 'if column name is given
    varcolVal = GetColVal(lvItem, lvColName) 'get column val of student
    msgText = msgText & String(8 - Len(lvColName), " ") & lvColName & ": " & varcolVal ' add it to display
End If

lvItem.Selected = True 'highlight the item on form
Me.lblMsg.caption = msgText 'assign details to form Label
End Sub

As shown in the subroutine, we can directly locate the ListItem containing the Student’s name by using the Key value in a single statement:

Set lvItem = lvwList.ListItems.Item(xKeyVal)

The next line retrieves the ListItem.Text (the Student’s name) into the variable txt. The following two lines then build the message string by inserting the Student’s name into the variable msgText.

Next, an If…Then statement checks whether a Column Name has been entered in the ComboBox control. If a valid column is found, the program calls the GetColVal() function with the appropriate parameters to retrieve the value from that column. The returned value is stored in the variable varColVal and passed back to the calling procedure.

Finally, the Column Name and the retrieved value are appended to the msgText string, which is then displayed in the Label control on the Form.

The next statement highlights the Student’s record row as a visual cue that the searched item has been found. At the same time, the value stored in msgText is displayed in the Label control by setting its Caption property on the Form.

The Full VBA Code on the Form Module.

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit

Dim lvwList As MSComctlLib.ListView 'ListView Control
Dim lvwItem As MSComctlLib.ListItem '
Dim ObjImgList As MSComctlLib.ImageList
Const prfx As String = "K"

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Call LoadListView
    Call txtColCombo
End Sub

Private Function LoadListView()
'Populate the ListView control with Student Details
Dim db As DAO.Database
Dim rst As DAO.Recordset
Dim intCounter As Integer
Dim strKey As String

'Assign ListView Control on Form to lvwList Object
 Set lvwList = Me.ListView1.Object
 
With lvwList
    .AllowColumnReorder = True
    .Enabled = True
    .Font = "Verdana"
    .Font.Bold = True
    .Font.Size = 9
    .ForeColor = vbBlack
    .BackColor = vbWhite
 End With
 
 'Create Column Headers for ListView
 With lvwList
    .ColumnHeaders.Clear 'initialize header area
    
   'Syntax: .ColumnHeaders.Add Index, Key, Text, Width, Alignment, Icon
    .ColumnHeaders.Add , , "Student", 2500
    .ColumnHeaders.Add , , "Age", 1200
    .ColumnHeaders.Add , , "Height", 1200
    .ColumnHeaders.Add , , "weight", 1200
    .ColumnHeaders.Add , , "Class", 1200
    
 End With
 
 'Initialize ListView Control
  While lvwList.ListItems.Count > 0
        lvwList.ListItems.Remove (1)
  Wend

'Student Names and Ids are taken from Employees Table
'through the StudentQ Query.
Set db = CurrentDb
Set rst = db.OpenRecordset("StudentQ", dbOpenDynaset)

With lvwList
    Do While Not rst.EOF And Not rst.BOF
        intCounter = rst![EmployeeID]
        strKey = "X" & Format(intCounter, "00") 'Key Value sample: X01
        
    'Syntax: .ListItems.Add(Index, Key, Text, Icon, SmallIcon)
        Set lvwItem = .ListItems.Add(, strKey, rst![Student])
        
        With lvwItem
    'Syntax: .Add Index,Key,Text,Report Icon,TooltipText
            .ListSubItems.Add , strKey & CStr(intCounter), CStr(5 + intCounter)
            .ListSubItems.Add , strKey & CStr(intCounter + 1), CStr(135 + intCounter)
            .ListSubItems.Add , strKey & CStr(intCounter + 2), CStr(40 + intCounter)
            .ListSubItems.Add , strKey & CStr(intCounter + 3), ("Class:" & Format(intCounter, "00"))

       End With
        rst.MoveNext
    Loop
rst.Close
Set rst = Nothing
Set db = Nothing
Set lvwItem = Nothing
End With
lvwList.Refresh

End Function


Private Sub cmdClose_Click()
   DoCmd.Close acForm, Me.Name
End Sub

Private Sub cmdFind_Click()
Call SearchAndFind

End Sub

Private Sub cmdKey_Click()
Call FindByKey
End Sub

Private Function GetColVal(lvwItem As MSComctlLib.ListItem, ByVal colName As String) As String
Dim i As Integer
Dim strVal As String
    'first column is student name
    'check for column value from 2nd column onwards
    For i = 2 To lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Count
        If lvwList.ColumnHeaders(i).Text = colName Then 'if col name matches
            strVal = lvwItem.ListSubItems.Item(i - 1).Text 'get column value
            Exit For 'No further scanning required
        End If
    Next
GetColVal = strVal 'return the retrieved the value
End Function



Private Sub txtColCombo()
'Column Header List Combo
Dim lvwColHead As MSComctlLib.ColumnHeader
Dim cboName As ComboBox

Set cboName = Me.txtCol
cboName.RowSourceType = "Value List"

For Each lvwColHead In lvwList.ColumnHeaders
    If lvwColHead.Index = 1 Then
        'Nothing
    Else
        cboName.AddItem lvwColHead.Text
    End If
Next
'cboName.DefaultValue = "=txtCol.Column(0, 0)"

Set lvwColHead = Nothing
Set cboName = Nothing
End Sub


Public Sub SearchAndFind()
'Find by Student Name
Dim lstItem As MSComctlLib.ListItem
Dim strFind As String
Dim strColName As String
Dim strColVal As String
Dim j As Integer
Dim intOpt As Integer
Dim msgText As String

Me.Refresh
intOpt = Me.Opts

strFind = Nz(Me![txtFind], "")
strColName = Nz(Me![txtCol], "")

Select Case intOpt
    Case 1
        Set lstItem = lvwList.FindItem(strFind, , , lvwPartial)
        If Not lstItem Is Nothing Then
            j = lstItem.Index
            'format the display text
            msgText = lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Item(1).Text
            msgText = msgText & " : " & lstItem.Text & vbCr & vbCrLf
        Else
           MsgBox "Text '" & strFind & "' Not Found in the List!", vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "cmdFind_Click()"
        Exit Sub
        End If
    Case 2
        Set lstItem = lvwList.FindItem(strFind, lvwSubItem, , lvwPartial)
        If Not lstItem Is Nothing Then
       'format the display text
            j = lstItem.Index
            msgText = lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Item(1).Text
            msgText = msgText & ": " & lstItem.Text & vbCr & vbCrLf
        Else
            MsgBox strFind & " Not Found!", vbOK + vbCritical, "cmdFind_Click()"
            Exit Sub
        End If
End Select

        If Len(strColName) = 0 Then 'If column name is not selected
            GoTo nextStep
        Else
            'Get the column value
            strColVal = GetColVal(lstItem, strColName)
            msgText = msgText & String(8 - (Len(strColName)), " ") & _
            strColName & ": " & Nz(strColVal, "")
        End If
nextStep:

If Len(msgText) > 0 Then 'assign to form label
    lblMsg.caption = msgText
    lvwList.ListItems.Item(j).Selected = True
End If
End Sub

Public Sub FindByKey()
Dim colHeader As MSComctlLib.ColumnHeader
Dim lvItem As MSComctlLib.ListItem
Dim lvKeyVal As String
Dim lvColName As String
Dim txt As String
Dim msgText As String
Dim varcolVal As Variant


lvKeyVal = UCase(Nz(Me!txtKey, ""))
lvColName = Nz(Me!txtCol, "")

On Error Resume Next
If Len(lvKeyVal) > 0 Then
Set lvItem = lvwList.ListItems.Item(lvKeyVal) 'get the item by Key
    If Err > 0 Then
        Err.Clear
        MsgBox "Key Value: '" & lvKeyVal & "' Not Found!", vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "cmdKey_Click()"
       On Error GoTo 0
        Exit Sub
    End If
Else
    MsgBox "Please Provide a Valid Key-Value!", vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "cmdKey_Click()"
    Exit Sub
End If

txt = lvItem.Text 'get the student name
'format message text
msgText = lvwList.ColumnHeaders.Item(1).Text & " : "
msgText = msgText & txt & vbCr & vbCrLf

If Len(lvColName) > 0 Then 'if column name is given
    varcolVal = GetColVal(lvItem, lvColName) 'get column val of student
    msgText = msgText & String(8 - Len(lvColName), " ") & lvColName & ": " & varcolVal ' add it to display
End If

lvItem.Selected = True 'highlight the item on form
Me.lblMsg.caption = msgText 'assign details to form Label
End Sub

Download the Demo Database from the following Link:

LVTutorial02.zip

1. Microsoft TreeView Control Tutorial
2. Creating an Access Menu with a TreeView Control
3. Assigning Images to TreeView Nodes
4. Assigning Images to TreeView Nodes-2
5. TreeView Control Checkmark Add Delete
6. TreeView ImageCombo Drop-down Access
7. Re-arrange TreeView Nodes By Drag and Drop
8. ListView Control with MS-Access TreeView
9. ListView Control Drag Drop Events
10. TreeView Control With Sub-Forms