Character Counter

        Dim YourString As String = TextBox1.Text '
        ' strip out the spaces
        YourString = System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex.Replace(YourString, " ", "")
        While YourString.Length() > 0 ' loop round untill we run out of characters
            Dim pattern As String = "\" + YourString.Substring(0, 1) ' take the first character of YourString
            Dim ex As New System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex(pattern)
            Dim m As System.Text.RegularExpressions.MatchCollection
            m = ex.Matches(YourString) ' get the number of matches
            Message = Message + String.Format("{0}*{1}'s ", m.Count.ToString(), YourString.Substring(0, 1)) ' format the message
            YourString = System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex.Replace(YourString, pattern, "") ' remove the character
        End While
        TextBox2.Text = Message