C# 'FindControl' does not exist in the current context

Question

using System;  
using System.Collections.Generic;  
using System.ComponentModel;  
using System.Data;  
using System.Drawing;  
using System.Linq;  
using System.Text;  
using System.Threading.Tasks;  
using System.Windows.Forms;  
using System.Configuration;  
using System.Data.SqlClient;  
using System.Web.UI;  

public TextBoxes(string query)  
    {  
        String[] Vars = query.Split('@');  
        for (int x = 1;x < Vars.Length;x++)  
        {  
            TextBox tb = (TextBox)FindControl(Vars[x] + "TextBox") as TextBox;  
        }  
    }

I receive the error "The name 'FindControl' does not exist in the current context. I am trying to fill an array of textboxes depending on the name provided by the string.

e.g; TextBoxes[2] = Vars[x] + "TextBox";

Is there some NameSpace I am missing? As when I look up FindControl it simply tells me the NameSpace is "System.Web.UI" and I have added "System.web" to my references.

Well is this a web project or WinForms? I'm guessing that you just need `Controls.Find(...);` - See [Find control by name from Windows Forms controls](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3898588/find-control-by-name-from-windows-forms-controls) — Equalsk, Oct 10 '17 at 10:02
why cast and "as" in the same sentence?`(TextBox)FindControl(Vars[x] + "TextBox") as TextBox` — Ferus7, Oct 10 '17 at 10:03
Here `FindControl()` looks to be a custom method and not the control class method — Rahul, Oct 10 '17 at 10:05
This isn't actual code, it's not inside a class. Where have you put this code? — DavidG, Oct 10 '17 at 10:07
It is inside a class however I did not want to copy and paste entire code. It is a windows form. — Mcsorley78, Oct 10 '17 at 10:32
@Ferus7 Since it wasn't working I was testing different ways, that way does not work for me either — Mcsorley78, Oct 10 '17 at 10:34

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 10 '17 at 19:49

As @Equalsk had said all I needed to use Controls.Find(...); I was simply using the wrong thing. Figured I should post this as an answer to ensure it stands out, as while it may have been a very simple thing to do, I (like others may be) was completely unaware of this feature.

` static TextBox[] Values;

    public static TextBox[] TextBoxes(string query, Form Current)
    {
        String[] Vars = query.Split('@');

        String[] NewVars = new String[Vars.Length - 1];
        Values = new TextBox[Vars.Length - 1];

        for (int x = 0; x < Vars.Length - 1; x++)
        {
            NewVars[x] = Vars[x + 1].Remove((Vars[x + 1].Length - 1));
            Values[x] = Current.Controls.Find(NewVars[x] + "TextBox", true).FirstOrDefault() as TextBox;
        }

        return Values;
    }

`

This is the updated code. The "Form Current" is simply to allow me to use this for any of my forms as I have it situated in a global class.

C# 'FindControl' does not exist in the current context

1 Answers1