Hi,
I have one form with multiple controls (e.g. Button,Textbox, RadioButton, ComboBox, etc.). I want to set the focus dynamically on a control using key F4 to highlight that control.
Scenario:
1.Suppose the user clicks on any control
2.Press Key F4 to highlight that control so that the user will know which control was clicked before.
Appreciate your suggestions.
Thank you.
Clicking on a control already sets focus to that control. If you want to do it dynamically you can do something like
TextBox1.Focus()
If you want to attach it to a hotkey then you can set the forms KeyPreview property to True and add
Private Sub Form1_KeyUp(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyUp
If e.KeyCode = Keys.F4 Then
TextBox1.Focus()
End If
End Sub
If you want to highlight the focused control somehow then you'll have to specify how you want it highlighted. If you want to change the background colour of a textbox (for example) then you could add
Private Sub TextBox1_Enter(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles TextBox1.Enter
TextBox1.Tag = TextBox1.BackColor
TextBox1.BackColor = Color.LightBlue
End Sub
Private Sub TextBox1_Leave(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles TextBox1.Leave
TextBox1.BackColor = TextBox1.Tag
End Sub
@Reverend Jim,
Your answer is nice...
But, I have a doubt...
Press Key F4 to highlight that control so that the user will know which control was clicked before.
nikki05 asked about how to highlight the previously focused field.
But as per your code,
Private Sub TextBox1_Enter(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles TextBox1.Enter
You are highlighting the current control.
Am I right in my question?
Please correct me if i am wrong?
I thought the question was phrased awkwardly and I interpreted it in a different way than you did. But if the OP can clarify what types of controls are involved and how the highlighting is to be indicated then I'd be happy to offer a suggestion. For example, if it's only textbox controls then all that has to be done is changing the BG colour. Other controls might require other methods. Better information gets a better answer.
Hi,
Thank for reply.
I want to make my system to be dynamic so that it works well with all the controls. Now I am getting problem to change the color of specific control, e.g. when I click on textbox1 and then press F4, the color of textbox1 changes to LightCyan (Highlight), which is good. Now, when I click on textbox2 and then press F4, the color of textbox2 changes to LightCyan, which is good too. However, I want the the color of textbox1 should not remain LightCyan, it should clear the highlight of textbox1. I would like to change the colour of recently clicked textbox or control only. That is, only one control should be highlighted at one time.
Thank you.
Public Class Form1
Private Property selectedControl As New Control
Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
If e.KeyCode = Keys.F4 Then
'Button1.Focus
If (selectedControl.Focus) Then
Me.selectedControl.BackColor = Color.LightCyan
Else
'Nothing
End If
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
addTextBoxClickHandlers()
End Sub
Private Sub addTextBoxClickHandlers()
Dim ctl As Control
For i As Integer = 1 To Controls.Count
ctl = DirectCast(Me.Controls.Item(Me.Controls.IndexOfKey("TextBox" & i.ToString)), TextBox)
AddHandler ctl.Click, AddressOf ctl_Click
AddHandler ctl.GotFocus, AddressOf ctl_GotFocus
ctl = DirectCast(Me.Controls.Item(Me.Controls.IndexOfKey("Button" & i.ToString)), Button)
AddHandler ctl.Click, AddressOf ctl_Click
AddHandler ctl.GotFocus, AddressOf ctl_GotFocus
Next
End Sub
Private Sub ctl_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
MsgBox(CType(sender, Control).Text)
End Sub
Private Sub ctl_GotFocus(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Me.selectedControl = CType(sender, Control)
End Sub
End Class
That's what I did in my example above. When the control gets focus (Enter), the current BG colour is saved in the Tag property and the BG colour is set to a highlight colour. When the control loses focus (Leave) the original BG colour is restored.
when I click on textbox1 and then press F4
I don't understand the purpose of pressing F4. If you click on the textbox it gets focus. Why do you need to press F4? Your original post was confusing. What do you want to happen when F4 is pressed?
By pressing F4, I wanted to highlight that control for further manupulation for my own purpose. I am up to there. Now I just want to remove the highlight of the previously clicked control. I want to use LostFocus event handeler for multiple controls dynamically. Appreciate if someone can help me for this.
You can use AddHandler for that. For an example please see Create controls at runtime with events. Even though you aren't creating the controls at runtime it still shows how to use addhandler. And if you want to add all of the textboxes you can do
Public Class Form1
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
For Each tbx As TextBox In Me.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
AddHandler tbx.GotFocus, AddressOf TextBox_GotFocus
AddHandler tbx.LostFocus, AddressOf TextBox_LostFocus
Next
End Sub
Private Sub TextBox_GotFocus(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs)
Dim tbx As TextBox = sender
tbx.Tag = tbx.BackColor
tbx.BackColor = Color.LightBlue
End Sub
Private Sub TextBox_LostFocus(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs)
Dim tbx As TextBox = sender
tbx.BackColor = tbx.Tag
End Sub
End Class
And I'm still missing something. If the control already has focus then it is already highlighted in which case you don't need to press F4. You did originally say
when I click on textbox1 and then press F4
Hi
Thank you very much for resolving my problem. Now I am very close to my aim. However, I still have one problem.My actual aim is store the texts of controls (e.g. Label, Button, TextBox, ComboBox, etc.) into a dictionary for further use. Now I am able to store the texts, highlight with F4.
I am able to search the texts of controls using selectedControl_Click event handlers. However, I am getting problem with selectedControl_TextChanged handler.Combobox and ListBox are not working properly with selectedControl_Click event handler so I thought to useselectedControl_TextChanged handler.
Public Class Form1
Private _dic As New SortedDictionary(Of String, String)
Private Property selectedControl As New Control
Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
If e.KeyCode = Keys.F4 Then
selectedControl.Tag = selectedControl.BackColor
selectedControl.BackColor = Color.LightBlue
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Try
Dim myLabel As Label
Dim myButton As Button
Dim mytext As TextBox
Dim myRadio As RadioButton
Dim myList As ListBox
Dim myCombo As ComboBox
_dic.Clear()
For Each ctl As Control In Me.Controls
If TypeOf ctl Is Label Then
myLabel = CType(ctl, Label)
_dic.Add(ctl.Name, myLabel.Text)
ElseIf TypeOf ctl Is Button Then
myButton = CType(ctl, Button)
_dic.Add(ctl.Name, myButton.Text)
ElseIf TypeOf ctl Is TextBox Then
mytext = CType(ctl, TextBox)
_dic.Add(ctl.Name, mytext.Text)
ElseIf TypeOf ctl Is RadioButton Then
myRadio = CType(ctl, RadioButton)
_dic.Add(ctl.Name, myRadio.Text)
ElseIf TypeOf ctl Is ListBox Then
myList = CType(ctl, ListBox)
For i As Integer = 0 To myList.Items.Count - 1
_dic.Add(ctl.Name & i.ToString, myList.Items(i).ToString)
Next
ElseIf TypeOf ctl Is ComboBox Then
myCombo = CType(ctl, ComboBox)
For j As Integer = 0 To myCombo.Items.Count - 1
_dic.Add(ctl.Name & j.ToString, myCombo.Items(j).ToString)
Next
End If
Next
For Each Item As KeyValuePair(Of String, String) In _dic
Dim key As String = Item.Key
Dim value As String = Item.Value
Debug.Print(key & " " & value)
Next
Catch ex As Exception
Debug.Print(ex.ToString)
End Try
addSelectedClickHandlers()
End Sub
Private Sub addSelectedClickHandlers()
Try
For Each selectedControl As Control In Me.Controls
If TypeOf selectedControl Is ComboBox Then
AddHandler selectedControl.TextChanged, AddressOf selectedControl_TextChanged
AddHandler selectedControl.GotFocus, AddressOf selectedControl_GotFocus
AddHandler selectedControl.LostFocus, AddressOf selectedControl_LostFocus
Else
AddHandler selectedControl.Click, AddressOf selectedControl_Click
AddHandler selectedControl.GotFocus, AddressOf selectedControl_GotFocus
AddHandler selectedControl.LostFocus, AddressOf selectedControl_LostFocus
End If
Next
Catch ex As Exception
Debug.Print(ex.ToString)
End Try
End Sub
Private Sub selectedControl_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
If TypeOf sender Is Control Then
Me.selectedControl = DirectCast(sender, Control)
If _dic.ContainsKey(selectedControl.Name) Then
Dim text As String = _dic(selectedControl.Name)
Debug.Print("I found the text """ & text & """")
Else
'some sort of error, key was not found
End If
Else
'some sort of error, sender is not a control
End If
End Sub
Private Sub selectedControl_TextChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
If TypeOf sender Is Control Then
Me.selectedControl = DirectCast(sender, Control)
If _dic.ContainsKey(selectedControl.Name) Then
Dim text As String = _dic(selectedControl.Name)
Debug.Print("I found the text """ & text & """")
Else
'some sort of error, key was not found
End If
Else
'some sort of error, sender is not a control
End If
End Sub
Private Sub selectedControl_GotFocus(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Me.selectedControl = CType(sender, Control)
End Sub
Private Sub selectedControl_LostFocus(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Me.selectedControl = CType(sender, Control)
selectedControl.BackColor = selectedControl.Tag
End Sub
End Class
Hi
I am storing texts of controls into a dictionary. I have to highlight and find the texts of controls pressing F4 for my further use. I am able to do with textBox, Buttons,RadioButtons. I getting problem with ComboBox and ListBox. Appreciate if you have an idea.
Thank you.
Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
Try
If e.KeyCode = Keys.F4 Then
If selectedControl Is Nothing Then
If _dic.ContainsKey(Me.Name) Then
Debug.Print("I found the text: """ & _dic(Me.Name) & """")
End If
Else
If _dic.ContainsKey(selectedControl.Name) Then
selectedControl.Tag = selectedControl.BackColor
selectedControl.BackColor = Color.Red
Debug.Print("I found the text """ & _dic(selectedControl.Name) & """")
ElseIf _dic.ContainsKey(Me.Name) Then
Debug.Print("I found the text """ & _dic(Me.Name) & """")
End If
End If
End If
Catch ex As Exception
Debug.Print(ex.ToString)
End Try
End Sub
I have to highlight and find the texts of controls pressing F4 for my further use.
Apparently I have no idea what you are trying to do and you don't seem to want to answer my question. I suspect we are having a language problem.
You do not need to understand why I want to use F4 Key and I don't think it is neccessary to reveal the purpose of F4 here. What I want to do is already mentioned in my previous posts. If someone can help me to select the items of ComboBox that are stored into dictionary.
e.g. With the following code, I can find the texts of Label, Button, RadioButton, etc.
If _dic.ContainsKey(Me.Name) Then
Debug.Print("I found the text: """ & _dic(Me.Name) & """")
End If
Thank you Jim for your quick replies.
I wasn't trying to be nosy. I was just trying to save you from doing something that wasn't necessary. After all, your thread title was Set Focus to Control Using Shortcut Key
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