Question : VB.net how to create a hashtable with a list of all parent and child controls and values

I have an asp.net page wich contains nested Listview controls and each of those have dynamically added tables which contain dynamically added radio buttons and text boxes. i am simply trying to store the radio button and text box ID's and Values (if checked) or Text if text box in a hashtable. I cant seem to wrap my mind around the recursive function that would be required to do this. I have tryied the following

Private Function RecurseControls(ByVal controls As ControlCollection) As Hashtable
Dim htResults As New Hashtable
Dim i As Integer = 0

For Each ctrl As Control In controls
'do something with control
i = i + 1
If TypeOf ctrl Is TextBox Then
Dim txtBox As TextBox = ctrl
htResults.Add(txtBox.ID.ToString, txtBox.Text)
ElseIf TypeOf ctrl Is RadioButton Then
Dim rButton As RadioButton = ctrl
If rButton.Checked = True Then
htResults.Add(rButton.ID.ToString, rButton.Attributes("Value").ToString)
End If
End If
'recurse
If ctrl.HasControls() Then
RecurseControls(ctrl.Controls)
End If
Next
htResults.Add("Count", i)
RecurseControls = htResults
End Function

but I dont get anything excpet a count of 1 in my hashtable.

Answer : VB.net how to create a hashtable with a list of all parent and child controls and values

A recursive function will declare new instances of its local variables with each iteration. You will want to pass your hashtable as a ref parameter:

                       
         
           
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             Private Sub SomeCallingFunction
    Dim ht As New Hashtable
    
    RecurseControls(Me.Controls, ht)
End Sub

Private Function RecurseControls(ByVal controls As ControlCollection, ByRef htResults As Hashtable) As Hashtable
    Dim i As Integer = 0

    For Each ctrl As Control In controls
        'do something with control
        i = i + 1
        If TypeOf ctrl Is TextBox Then
            Dim txtBox As TextBox = ctrl
            htResults.Add(txtBox.ID.ToString, txtBox.Text)
        ElseIf TypeOf ctrl Is RadioButton Then
            Dim rButton As RadioButton = ctrl
            If rButton.Checked = True Then
                htResults.Add(rButton.ID.ToString, rButton.Attributes("Value").ToString)
            End If
        End If
        'recurse
        If ctrl.HasControls() Then
            RecurseControls(ctrl.Controls, htResults)
        End If
    Next
    htResults.Add("Count", i)
    RecurseControls = htResults
End Function

           
         