SetMask and AddInplaceButton issues

Hi all,

I use the code included at the end of this (small portion), to load a PropertyGrid.
Specifically this part of the code loads a phone number, and in the next item the phone extension.

I need help with my implementation of the property grid and masks, because the UI end result of this is not what I would have expected. I would have hoped that using masks would give a better result.

Here's some snapshots and comments of my property grid:

1) Notice after loading the phone number hasn't taken on the mask defined in the Item.SetMask code.
I would have assumed the display value/caption would have taken on the mask format.

Our software allows the user to define a setting for the telephone format for "local" phone numbers as well as international telephone numbers, by country. So this phone mask is not always the same for each account phone number. As well as our software is sold around the world, so each country defines their own local telephone format.
What do I need to do to fix that?

2) The button margins are non-existent. I've added a space either side of the Caption text.


After clicking into all 4 phone/fax number and extension items:
1) Value becomes bold. I didn't change the value. I'm assuming the mask was applied and therefore CJ sees it as a change.
(.HighlightChangedItems = True)
2) Buttons are bold as well. Why? The value should be enough to know there was a change.
3) Button text is now cramped, hard to read. Adding space either side of Caption fixes this for now, but needs a Margin property. Is there one?


1) Extension item shows underscore "_", which I feel is not a pleasing UI look. What can I do to better this?
2) Clicking into the extension "field" when it has no value, puts the cursor at the END of the "field". Before being able to put a value in the "field", I have to click at the beginning of it. I would expect the cursor to go to the beginning, ready for me to start typing, without extra interaction needed.
3) I don't see what the SetMask Prompt part does. I have set it to "     ". Not sure what this does.


Final thoughts:
I just really feel there could be a better implementation of masks. I could list some, but I'm sure you all have this handled by now. What have you discovered for masks that better implements the UI?


VB6 partial code:
    Dim Category As PropertyGridItem
    Dim Item As PropertyGridItem
    Dim Button As PropertyGridInplaceButton
    
    'load phone number
    Set Item = Category.AddChildItem(PropertyItemString, "Phone Number", rs.Fields(FID_PhoneNumber).Value)
    Item.SetMask "(000) 000-0000", "(___) ___-____"
    Set Button = Item.AddInplaceButton(1)
    Button.Caption = " Dial "
    Button.ToolTip = "Click to dial the number"
    Button.Enabled = Len(Item.Value) > 0

    'load extension
    Set Item = Category.AddChildItem(PropertyItemString, "   extension", rs.Fields(FID_PhoneExtension).Value)
    Item.SetMask "00000", "_____", "     "