Figures

frmMain Move Controls

Private Sub cmdMove_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
  ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdMove.Click
        Dim Label2NewIndex As Integer
        Try
            Label2NewIndex = numIndex.Value
            Me.Controls.SetChildIndex(Me.Label2, Label2NewIndex)
            ShowIndex()
        Catch ex As Exception
            Throw New Exception(ex.Message)
        End Try
End Sub

Sub ShowIndex()
        txtLabel1Index.Text = Me.Controls.GetChildIndex(Me.Label1).ToString
        txtLabel2Index.Text = Me.Controls.GetChildIndex(Me.Label2).ToString
End Sub

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frmControlsToArrayMaster

Private Sub cmdCopy_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
  ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdCopy.Click
        ReDim MyArrayOfControls(Me.Controls.Count)
        Me.Controls.CopyTo(MyArrayOfControls, 0)
End Sub

Private Sub cmdNew_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
  ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdNew.Click
        Dim frm As New frmArrayClient
        Dim ct As Control

        frm.ShowDialog()

        Me.Controls.AddRange(MyArrayOfControls)
        For Each ct In Me.Controls
            If ct.GetType.ToString = "System.Windows.Forms.Button" Then
                ct.Visible = True
            End If
        Next
End Sub

Private Sub cmdNewForm2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
  ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdNewForm2.Click
        Dim frm As New frmArrayClient
        frm.ShowDialog()
End Sub

---

modControls Module

Module modControls
    Friend Function CloneControl(ByVal c As Control) As Control
        ' instantiate another instance of the given control and
        ' clone the common properties
        Dim newControl As Control = CType(NewAs(c), Control)
        CloneProperties(newControl, c, "Visible", "Size", "Font", _
            "Text", "Location", "BackColor", "ForeColor", "Enabled", _
            "BackgroundImage")

        ' clone properties unique to specific controls
        If TypeOf newControl Is ButtonBase Then
            CloneProperties(newControl, c, "DialogResult", _
                "BackgroundImage", "FlatStyle", "TextAlign", "Image", _
                "ImageAlign", "ImageIndex", "ImageList")
        ElseIf TypeOf newControl Is LinkLabel Then
            CloneProperties(newControl, c, "VisitedLinkColor", _
                "LinkVisited", "LinkColor", "LinkBehavior", "LinkArea", _
                "FlatStyle", "BorderStyle", "DisabledLinkColor", _
                "ActiveLinkColor", "Image", "ImageAlign", "ImageIndex", _
                "ImageList")
        End If
        Return newControl
    End Function
End Module

Public Module ObjectFactory
    Public Function NewAs(ByVal t As Type) As Object
        Return t.Assembly.CreateInstance(t.FullName)
    End Function

    Public Function NewAs(ByVal x As Object) As Object
        Return ObjectFactory.NewAs(x.GetType())
    End Function

    Public Sub CloneProperties( ByVal target As Object, ByVal source As _
        Object, ByVal ParamArray propertyNames() As String)

        Dim sourceProperties As New PropertyAccessor(source)
        Dim targetProperties As New PropertyAccessor(target)
        Dim p As String
        For Each p In propertyNames
            targetProperties(p) = sourceProperties(p)
        Next
    End Sub
End Module

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PropertyAccessor Class

Imports System.Reflection
Public Class PropertyAccessor
    Public Sub New(ByVal target As Object)
        Me.target_ = target
    End Sub
    Public ReadOnly Property Target() As Object
        Get
            Return Me.target_
        End Get
    End Property

    Default Public Property Item(ByVal propertyName As String) As Object
        Get
            Dim prop As PropertyInfo = _     
                Me.Target.GetType().GetProperty(propertyName)
            Return prop.GetValue(Me.Target, Nothing)
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Object)
            Dim prop As PropertyInfo = _
                Me.Target.GetType().GetProperty(propertyName)
            prop.SetValue(Me.Target, value, Nothing)
        End Set
    End Property

#Region " Private State "
    Private target_ As Object
#End Region
End Class

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