Detect arrow keys at form level

[Anish G]

Hi,

I have a visual basic application which needs to detect keyboard events. I want to it to detect all the arrow keys (Left, Right, Up, Down) and these should be detected at form level.

I have enabled Key Preview at form level. But not able to figure out how do I detect these keys once the form is loaded?

Thanks!

[sukeshchand]

Set the forms Keypreview property true
and try this code

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
Select Case KeyCode
    Case vbKeyUp
        Form1.Print "Up Arrow Pressed"
    Case vbKeyDown
        Form1.Print "Down Arrow Pressed"
    Case vbKeyLeft
        Form1.Print "Left Arrow Pressed"
    Case vbKeyRight
        Form1.Print "Right Arrow Pressed"
End Select
End Sub

[Anish G]

Set the forms Keypreview property true
and try this code

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
Select Case KeyCode
    Case vbKeyUp
        Form1.Print "Up Arrow Pressed"
    Case vbKeyDown
        Form1.Print "Down Arrow Pressed"
    Case vbKeyLeft
        Form1.Print "Left Arrow Pressed"
    Case vbKeyRight
        Form1.Print "Right Arrow Pressed"
End Select
End Sub

================================================
Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

However, I am still having some issues with this Key Down event.

My project has a Main form, in that there is are 3 frames, a tab control, few textboxes, buttons, a picture box and a third party image control (Pegasus Image Control).

Now, the issue is key down event is fired only if I click (using mouse) on the main form or on any of the textboxes present inside the frame control. I mean after that no Key Down events gets fired. I need to click again on the main form or on any of the text box (using mouse) to fire the Key Down Event again.

I spent whole day in finding a fix for this issue, but no success. Please guide me. Do I need to change any other control present inside the form?

Thanks!

[sukeshchand]

How many forms you are using the project?

[Killer42]

The various events such as KeyDown, KeyUp etc. will normally only apply to the window that currently has the focus. I believe there has been some discussion here recently of a way to get around this problem in VB.Net - unfortunately I don't recall what conclusions were reached.

[Anish G]

How many forms you are using the project?

Hi,

There are 26 forms in the whole project. I want to enable keyboard events only for one form.

Let me know, if you need any further information.

Thanks!

[Killer42]

What version of VB are you using?

I think VB.Net may be able to do what you want, but VB6 may not - unless you can intercept Windows messages.


I'd suggest you try some searches, on TheScripts and maybe the wider web, for likely combinations of terms such as VB, key and capture.

[Anish G]

What version of VB are you using?

I think VB.Net may be able to do what you want, but VB6 may not - unless you can intercept Windows messages.


I'd suggest you try some searches, on TheScripts and maybe the wider web, for likely combinations of terms such as VB, key and capture.

Hi,

I am using vb6.0

[Killer42]

I am using vb6.0

Ok.

And do you need your main form to capture keyboard input at all times, or only while your application has the focus? I imagine that will probably make a difference.

[Anish G]

Ok.

And do you need your main form to capture keyboard input at all times, or only while your application has the focus? I imagine that will probably make a difference.

Thanks!

I need the form to capture keyboard events all the time.