There are various buttons in my C# winform and for each button press an action is associated with it. I currently have code where when the button is clicked I record the date the button was clicked, then update the button’s Text to show the number of days ago the button was clicked (along with whatever function the button performs).

As days go on, each button will show how many days have elapsed since the button was clicked. My code includes writing to a file, loading the file when the program starts and so on… but I find I have to do a dummy click to get the buttons initialize properly and at the end of the day it is a bit cumbersome to add new buttons with the same ‘days elapsed’ feature…. especially if I haven’t done so in months.

So to cut to my question: ** Is there a simpler, cleaner way of doing this? Maybe even a way to avoid writing to a file??**

I have working code but it’s my usual bad form, uses global variables and I KNOW there must be a simpler cleaner way. Here is an example for “Button 54”

        private void button54_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
// Global Vars
// gbuttonlogpath  path where logfiles are stored for each button
// for each new button do THIS:
// 1) create
// public int gbutton## = 0;
//     Need this to differentiate between clicking the button to initialize it (at program start)
//     and clicking it afterwards  to actually update its days-elapsed value
// 2) copy the common 'button code' to the button's click event
// 3) update the button name in the main if/else code at button.
// 4) call the button's perform click at program start in  Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
// button initializers
//gbutton37 = 0;
//button37.PerformClick();

     // string _s = (sender as Button).Text;    // the Text on the button face
    string _s = (string)(sender as Button).Tag; // the Text/funtionTitle on the button face
            string _btnID = (sender as Button).Name;  // the name of the button, eg.  button17
             //  string _btnText = _s (tag value set in form load initialization).

            string _myfile = gbuttonlogpath + _btnID + ".txt";

            if (gbutton54 > 0) //## EDIT ##############################
            {
                gbutton54++; //## EDIT ################################
        
               // do whatever you want the button to actually do.

                   some_magical_actions();



                //#### code common to each button ######################
                tbs.AppendText("rnButton " + _btnID + " TASK.");
                string mydaterecorded = DateTime.Now.ToString("dd MMM yyyy"); // eg 29 Jul 2015
                // if no record file for this button, create it.
                if (!System.IO.File.Exists(_myfile))
                {
                    System.IO.File.WriteAllText(_myfile, mydaterecorded);
                }
                // read record file for this button and calc days ago it was pressed.
                string readText = System.IO.File.ReadAllText(_myfile);

                DateTime d1 = DateTime.Parse(readText);
                DateTime d2;
                //d1 = Convert.ToDateTime(dataGridView1.Rows[i].Cells[2].Value);
                d2 = DateTime.Now;
                TimeSpan ts = d2 - d1;
                System.IO.File.WriteAllText(_myfile, mydaterecorded);


                int jj = _s.IndexOf('*');
                if (jj < 0) jj = _s.Length - 1;
                string _temp = _s.Substring(0, jj);
                // update the days elapsed in the button text.
                (sender as Button).Text = _temp + "* 0";


            }
            else
            {
                TimeSpan ts;
                // DateTime _oldDate = new DateTime(2022, 11, 11);
                string mydaterecorded = DateTime.Now.ToString("dd MMM yyyy"); // eg 29 Jul 2015                                                               // read record file for this button and calc days ago it was pressed.
                if (!System.IO.File.Exists(_myfile))
                {
                    // make the days elapsed some arbitrary large number
                    ts = new TimeSpan(99, 0, 0, 0, 0);
                }
                else
                {
                    string readText = System.IO.File.ReadAllText(_myfile);
                    DateTime d1 = DateTime.Parse(readText);
                    DateTime d2;
                    d2 = DateTime.Now;
                    ts = d2 - d1;
                }
                // set the button text and 'days since'.  
                 //Button Tag will hold string for button's function
                if (_s.Contains("*"))    // the Text on the button face
                {
                    int jj = _s.IndexOf('*');
                    string _temp = _s.Substring(0, jj);
                    // update the days elapsed in the button text.
                    (sender as Button).Text = _temp + "* " + ts.Days.ToString();
                }
                else
                {
                    //generating button text with * followed by days elapsed
                    (sender as Button).Text = _s + "* " + ts.Days.ToString();
                }

                // initialize button
                gbutton54++;  
            } // last line before button's ending bracket.
        }