How to save dynamically added button for next run in vb.net

Question

I have written code to add a button based on the number of buttons the user needs to add to the form. I am having a very difficult time figuring out how to save the buttons that have been added during runtime and have them persist to the next run. I tried using My.Settings, but have had no luck. Any help would be appreciated! Below is the code I am using to add button(s).

Private Sub UploadNew_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles UploadNew.Click

    Num = InputBox("How many lines to add?")

    Dim pt As Point

    pt.X = 9
    pt.Y = 67

    For x = 1 To Num
        DocName = InputBox("What is the name of the document?")
        Buttons(x) = New Button
        Buttons(x).Location = pt
        Buttons(x).Height = 35
        Buttons(x).Width = 434
        Buttons(x).Text = DocName 'assigned earlier in code
        SplitContainer1.Panel1.Controls.Add(Buttons(x))
        pt.Y = pt.Y + 43

    Next

End Sub

Answer 1

I use the binary serialization. It probably could be done with XML serialization also. The trick is to mark the class as <Serializable>You might think we could just serialize the button but that is not marked as serializable in the framework.

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary

Public Class SaveDynamicButtons
    Private Buttons As New List(Of MyButtonSettings)

    Private Sub SaveDynamicButtons_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        If Not File.Exists("ButtonList.dat") Then
            Exit Sub
        End If
        Dim myList As List(Of MyButtonSettings)
        ' 1. Create an instance of Binary Formatter
        Dim bf As New BinaryFormatter()
        ' 2. Get an instance of a FileStream for the OpenRead method of File passing in (the fileName)
        Using fs As Stream = File.OpenRead("ButtonList.dat")
            '3. cast back to original object, the Deserialize method of the Binary Formatter passing in the File Stream
            myList = (CType(bf.Deserialize(fs), List(Of MyButtonSettings)))
        End Using
        For Each item In myList
            Dim btn As New Button
            btn.Location = item.Location
            btn.Height = 35
            btn.Width = 434
            btn.Text = item.Text
            Me.Controls.Add(btn)
        Next
    End Sub

    Private Sub AddButtons()
        Dim Num As Integer
        If Not Integer.TryParse(InputBox("How many lines to add?"), Num) Then
            MessageBox.Show("Please enter a valid number")
            Exit Sub
        End If
        Dim pt As Point
        pt.X = 9
        pt.Y = 67
        For x = 1 To Num
            Dim DocName As String = InputBox("What is the name of the document?")
            Dim btn As New Button
            Dim myBtn As New MyButtonSettings
            btn.Location = pt
            myBtn.Location = pt
            btn.Height = 35
            btn.Width = 434
            btn.Text = DocName
            myBtn.Text = DocName
            Me.Controls.Add(btn)
            Buttons.Add(myBtn)
            pt.Y = pt.Y + 43
        Next
    End Sub

    Private Sub SaveButtons()
        Dim bf As BinaryFormatter = New BinaryFormatter()
        'FileStream(FileName, Mode, Access, Share) intellisense overload #9 out of 15
        Using fs As Stream = New FileStream("ButtonList.dat", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write, FileShare.None)
            bf.Serialize(fs, Buttons)
        End Using
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnAdd_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnAdd.Click
        AddButtons()
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnSave_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnSave.Click
        SaveButtons()
    End Sub
End Class

<Serializable>
Public Class MyButtonSettings
    Public Property Location As Point
    Public Property Text As String
End Class