Public Class blank_form
    Dim myLabels() As Label
    Dim myBoxes() As TextBox
    'Dim myControls() As CheckBox

    Private Sub blank_form_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        ' Set up the form
        With Me
            .Size = New System.Drawing.Size(300, 400)
            .Text = Start.formTitle
            .Location = New Point(300, 10)
        End With

        ' used to establish form control properties
        Dim xLeft As Integer = 10
        Dim yTop As Integer = 10
        Dim height As Integer = 20
        Dim labelWidth As Integer = 100
        Dim boxWidth As Integer = 150

        Dim count As Integer = 0
        Dim aLine As String


        Dim myReader As IO.StreamReader
        myReader = IO.File.OpenText(Start.fileName)
        aLine = myReader.ReadLine()     'first line has descriptive data

        Do Until myReader.EndOfStream
            count += 1
            aLine = myReader.ReadLine

            ReDim Preserve myLabels(count)
            myLabels(count) = New Label
            myLabels(count).Location = New Point(xLeft, (count - 1) * height)
            myLabels(count).Text = aLine
            myLabels(count).Width = labelWidth

            ReDim Preserve myBoxes(count)
            myBoxes(count) = New TextBox
            myBoxes(count).Location = New Point(xLeft + labelWidth + 5, (count - 1) * height - 2)
            myBoxes(count).Width = labelWidth
            '    ReDim Preserve myControls(count)
            '    myControls(count) = New CheckBox
            '    myControls(count).Name = "chkBox" & count.ToString
            '    myControls(count).Left = xLeft
            '    myControls(count).Top = (count - 1) * height
            '    myControls(count).Text = aLine


            Me.Controls.Add(myLabels(count))
            Me.Controls.Add(myBoxes(count))
            '    Me.Controls.Add(myControls(count))
        Loop

        'Dim myButton As New Button
        'myButton.Name = "btnShowChecked"
        'myButton.Text = "Show checked boxes"
        ''myButton.Left = xLeft * 2
        ''myButton.Top = (count + 1) * height
        'myButton.Location = New Point(xLeft * 2, (count + 1) * height)

        'AddHandler myButton.Click, AddressOf Me.Button_Click
        'Me.Controls.Add(myButton)

    End Sub

End Class

Public Class BuildExample
    Public controlCount As Integer
    Dim hand() As PictureBox

    Private Sub btnExit_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnExit.Click

        start.lblMessage.Text = "Pretend I did it."

        Me.Close()
    End Sub

    Private Sub BuildExample_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

        MessageBox.Show("need to build " & controlCount.ToString & " controls")
        ReDim hand(controlCount)

        Dim xStart, yStart As Integer
        xStart = 10
        yStart = 50

        For i As Integer = 1 To controlCount
            hand(i) = New PictureBox
            '.......... set size & position of picture box
            hand(i).Width = 36
            hand(i).Height = 45
            hand(i).Location = New Point(xStart + 40 * (i - 1), yStart)
            hand(i).SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.AutoSize
            '.......... add the picture to the form/window
            Me.Controls.Add(hand(i))
            '.......... put a card in the picture box
            hand(i).Image = My.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject("card" & i.ToString)
        Next
        hand(controlCount / 2).Image = My.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject("card" & Fix(Rnd() * 52 + 1).ToString)
    End Sub

End Class


Public Class start
    Private Sub btnToSample_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnToSample.Click
        Dim newForm As New mySampleForm
        newForm.ShowDialog()

        'mySampleForm.ShowDialog()

    End Sub

    Private Sub btnToBlank_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnToBlank.Click
        Dim count = InputBox("How many cards shall I display?")
        Dim formRef As New BuildExample
        formRef.controlCount = count
        formRef.ShowDialog()
    End Sub

End Class



in Start form
	On load
		*	Read data from file to label buttons for various classes
		*	Label each button

	On button click
		*	use button text to get file name
		*	store the file name in the new form
		*	open the new form

in the opened form
	on load
		*	open the file (report problem if one exists and quit)
		*	read the file creating name label (names()) and three check boxes (present(), tardy(), left())