Using IndexOf, Split etc - how to import the namespace/library?

So my goal is that I want a pick list that when I select values from it, it adds the newly selected value comma separated from the previous values - essentially allowing the user to select multiple options from the pick list.

I googled and I have working code which does just this, the only problem is that nothing stops the user from selecting the same item over and over, and the items end up out of order. I want to split the string into an array of strings using Split(), and sorting it alphabetically, and if the newly chosen item already exists, then it isn't appended onto the list.

The problem I am having is that I can't figure out how to import the libraries / namespaces that the functions Split(), IndexOf(), Array.Sort(), etc. are involved in.

Here is a link to the code I have so far - the IndexOf line isn't recognized, and "Imports System" at the top results in an "Invalid Outside Procedure" error.

http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=yBw4NKXw

Any help or guidance would be really appreciated - thanks!

Originally Posted by Leith Ross

Hello opsayo,

Welcome to the Forum!

I am not sure you will get an answer to your question in this forum. Your question is about VB.Net programming. This forum is for VBA programming.

Thanks Leith. Before I post this in another forum, what is the exact difference between VB.net and VBA programming? All I knew was that I was trying to code a macro in visual basic for an Excel spreadsheet.

Thanks!

In this demo I take a comma seperated list that is out of order and contains duplicates ... the resulting comma seperated list is in order and contains no duplicates...Is that what you looking for ?

Option Compare Text

Public Sub DemoHere()
    Def = "F,d,a,rod,k,BCA,d,ABC,a,d,I,b,nim,c,K"
    
    
    TestList = Application.InputBox("Please Enter Scrambled List", "Demo", Def)
    If TestList = False Then Exit Sub
    
    ResultList = SortToUniqueList(TestList)
    
  ln1 = "Orginal List : " & TestList & vbNewLine
  ln2 = "Result List: " & ResultList
  pt = MsgBox(ln1 & ln2, vbInformation, "Resulting List")
End Sub

Private Function SortToUniqueList(TestList) As String
    Dim listCollection As New Collection
    Dim CollectionMember
   
    'MAKE UNIQUE COLLECTION
    On Error Resume Next
    For Each ValStr In Split(TestList, ",")
       listCollection.Add ValStr, CStr(ValStr)
    Next ValStr
    'turn off error handling
   On Error GoTo 0
   
    ' SORT COLLECTION
    For Sort1 = 1 To listCollection.Count - 1
        For Sort2 = Sort1 + 1 To listCollection.Count
           If listCollection(Sort1) > listCollection(Sort2) Then
              Tmp1 = listCollection(Sort1)
              Tmp2 = listCollection(Sort2)
               'Swap the items over
                listCollection.Add Tmp1, , Sort2
                listCollection.Add Tmp2, , Sort1
                'Delete the original items
                listCollection.Remove Sort1 + 1
                listCollection.Remove Sort2 + 1
           End If
        Next
    Next
    
    'make comma sep string list
    For Each CollectionMember In listCollection
       If Len(Trim(CollectionMember)) > 0 Then
          If FinalList = "" Then
             FinalList = CollectionMember
          Else
             FinalList = FinalList & "," & CollectionMember
          End If
       End If
    Next
    
    SortToUniqueList = FinalList
 
End Function