How to print a multi-lined string into a message box?

Question

I am trying to print a 'last receipt' from a customer in which i have stored into a sting variable called prevRecpt. I want to be able to press a button (btnLastReceipt) and this will display this sting in a message box. Is this possible? As I have already tried and ended up with the message box only showing the first line? ``` prevRcpt = "--------------------Butlers Cinemas--------------------" & Environment.NewLine prevRcpt = prevRcpt & tbTime.Text & Environment.NewLine prevRcpt = prevRcpt + "Operator: " + tbUser.Text & Environment.NewLine prevRcpt = prevRcpt + Environment.NewLine & Environment.NewLine + "-------------------------------------------------------" prevRcpt = prevRcpt + "Total Spent: £" + tbTotal.Text + Environment.NewLine + Environment.NewLine prevRcpt = prevRcpt + shoppingCart.Text + Environment.NewLine prevRcpt = "--------------------Butlers Cinemas--------------------" & Environment.NewLine ``` This is the code for building up the string.

Accepted Answer

Have you tried concatenating `Environment.NewLine` anywhere in your string?

Now that I can see your code, it seems that your last line should be this instead:

```
prevRcpt = prevRcpt & "--------------------Butlers Cinemas--------------------" & Environment.NewLine
```

That being said, you need to be aware than in the event of a very long string, the message box could size out of screen bounds, so you may want to use something else than `MessageBox`. If possible, make your own dialog form, make its default size convenient for most scenarios and use a scrollable text zone within it. A readonly `TextBox` with `Multiline` property set to `True` would not only be scrollable, but also allow the end user to copy the content in the clipboard. It may make the user's experience a lot better.

I should also mention that `StringBuilder` class and a few constants could help you make this code a lot cleaner:

```
Const headerOrFooter As String = "--------------------Butlers Cinemas--------------------"
Const separator As String = "-------------------------------------------------------"

Dim b As New Text.StringBuilder()

b.AppendLine(headerOrFooter)
b.AppendLine(tbTime.Text)
b.AppendFormat("Operator: {0}", tbUser.Text)
b.AppendLine()
b.AppendLine()
b.AppendLine()
b.AppendLine(separator)
b.AppendFormat("Total Spent: £{0}", tbTotal.Text)
b.AppendLine()
b.AppendLine(shoppingCart.Text)
b.AppendLine(headerOrFooter)

prevRcpt = b.ToString()
```

How to print a multi-lined string into a message box?

Solution

Problem