How to: Reference the Parent Object of a Control

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Outlook Developer Reference

The following example uses the Microsoft Forms 2.0 Parent property to refer to the control, form, or other object that contains a specific control or object.

To use this example, copy this sample code to the Script Editor of a form. To run the code you need to open the form so the Open event will activate. Make sure that the form contains:

  • Two Label controls named Label1 and Label2.
  • A CommandButton named CommandButton1.
  • One or more additional controls of your choice.
  Dim MyControl
Dim MyParent 
Dim ControlsIndex

Sub Item_Open()
Set CommandButton1 = Item.GetInspector.ModifiedFormPages("P.2").CommandButton1
ControlsIndex = 0
CommandButton1.Caption = "Get Control and Parent"
CommandButton1.AutoSize = True
CommandButton1.WordWrap = True
End Sub


Sub CommandButton1_Click()
Set Label1 = Item.GetInspector.ModifiedFormPages("P.2").Label1
Set Label2 = Item.GetInspector.ModifiedFormPages("P.2").Label2


'Process Controls collection for UserForm
Set MyControl = Item.GetInspector.ModifiedFormPages("P.2").Controls.Item(ControlsIndex)
Set MyParent = MyControl.Parent
Label1.Caption = MyControl.Name
Label2.Caption = MyParent.Name


'Prepare index for next control on Userform
ControlsIndex = ControlsIndex + 1
If ControlsIndex >= Item.GetInspector.ModifiedFormPages("P.2").Controls.Count Then
ControlsIndex = 0
End If
End Sub