Copy locked textbox

[WorkHorse]

Is there an easy way to allow a user to copy text from a locked textbox? I need to display an ID number. The user may well want to copy the number to the clipborad though. I can add a keypress event to check for ctnl+c, but I'm not sure how to enable to Copy option in the right-click dropdown. Does anyone have code for this, or have a better control that would allow me to display text that can be copied but not changed?

[manavo11]

But in a textbox, if you have the locked property set to true, the right-click-popup-menu does have the copy option What did I misunderstand?

[WorkHorse]

But in a textbox, if you have the locked property set to true, the right-click-popup-menu does have the copy option What did I misunderstand?

It does have the Copy option, but it is disabled. I want it enabled.

[ice_531]

uhh

When i have a locked textbox you CAN still copy text from it

[ice_531]

It's not disabled. you can right-click Copy and then go to another window and ctrl + v ..ull paste the textboxes text

maybe u have the textbox enabled property set to false?

[WorkHorse]

I get it now. (I've atually benn frustrated by this for years, because it "seems" to sometimes work and sometimes not).

The the whole text is selected, it can be copied. Simple as that. So I did this:

Private Sub txtText_KeyUp(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    ' Copy text for cntl+c.
    If Shift = vbCtrlMask And KeyCode = 67 Then
        Clipboard.Clear
        Clipboard.SetText txtText.Text
    End If
End Sub
 
Private Sub txtText_MouseDown(Button As Integer, _
      Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
    ' Select text.
    txtText.SelStart = 0
    txtText.SelLength = Len(txtText.Text)
End Sub

Works like buttered green beans. Thanks!

[RhinoBull]

I think you're just made it hard for yourself, WH - it's a normal windows functionality: before you can copy anything you'll have to select it first regardless. So, let the user decide what they want to do - if they need to copy some text then they are going to have to select it and then press ctrl+c or right click and ...

[WorkHorse]

But when the text is only partially selected, cntl+c doesn't copy. Acutally, cntl+c doesn't seem to copy at all when the text box is locked. So I HAVE to have a Key event to copy from a locked textbox. Right?

[RhinoBull]

No, wrong.
LOCKED doesn't disable COPY at all unless your textbox was subclassed somehow in your program so it affected this functionality. Selecting all text or just part of it will automatically activate that (COPY) menu item.

[WorkHorse]

No, wrong.
LOCKED doesn't disable COPY at all unless your textbox was subclassed somehow in your program so it affected this functionality. Selecting all text or just part of it will automatically activate that (COPY) menu item.

Doesn't work for me. Try this. Start VB6 and make a new Standard EXE. Add a text box (it should be named Text1 and have Text property of Text1). Set Text1 Locked property to True.

Hit Start to run the app. Highlight the charcters "xt" in "Text1" of the textbox. Press Ctrl+C. Open notepad. Hit Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert or use the menu to paste). Does it put "xt" in Notepad? I don't get "xt" when I do this. Notepad puts in whatever junk I had in the clipboard before before I started the app.

[RhinoBull]

It works just like in any other windows based applications: copies selected text and paste it onto whatever ... Not sure why it isn't working for you ???

[WorkHorse]

It works just like in any other windows based applications: copies selected text and paste it onto whatever ... Not sure why it isn't working for you ???

Serious? What you said about the drop down is true. The drop down copies any or all selected text. But Ctrl+C does not copy AT ALL for me when the texbox is locked (unless I code a Key event).

[Bruce Fox]

Hey Guys,

WH, it seems to not only disable the Ctl+C function, but the drop down menu is also limited (to Copy) aswell.

Edit: It sorta makes sense tho.





Bruce.

[RobDog888]

I got Ctl+C working and the dropdown has Copy + Paste enabled,
but of course the paste doesn't work since its locked.

Edit: Running SP6 could that be why?

[WorkHorse]

Hey Guys,

WH, it seems to not only disable the Ctl+C function, but the drop down menu is also limited (to Copy) aswell.

Edit: It sorta makes sense tho.

The only other options are Cut, Paste, Delete, and Undo--which wouldn't make sense for a locked box. Anyway, to cover the Ctrl+C problem and cover some of the problems my users have been having (which appears now to be attempting to copy when no text is selected) I've decided to use this:

Private Sub txtText_KeyUp(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
 
    ' Check for Ctrl.
    If Shift = vbCtrlMask Then
 
        ' Check KeyCode.
        Select Case KeyCode
 
            Case 65 ' Ctrl+A
            
                ' Select all text.
                TextBoxSelectAll txtText
 
            Case 67 ' Ctrl+C
            
                ' Copy selected text or copy all text
                ' if no text is selected.
                If txtTextBox.SelLength = 0 Then
                    TextBoxCopyAll txtText
                Else
                    TextBoxCopySelected txtText
                End If
 
        End Select
    End If
 
End Sub
 
Private Sub txtText_MouseDown(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, _
                              X As Single, Y As Single)
 
    ' check for right button click.
    If Button = 2 And txtText.SelLength = 0 Then
    
        ' Select all text.
        TextBoxSelectAll txtText
    
    End If
 
End Sub
 
Public Sub TextBoxSelectAll(ByVal txtTextBox As TextBox)
 
    ' Select all text.
    txtTextBox.SelStart = 0
    txtTextBox.SelLength = Len(txtText.Text)
 
End Sub
 
 
Public Sub TextBoxCopyAll(ByVal txtTextBox As TextBox)
 
    ' Copy all text to clipboard.
    Clipboard.Clear
    Clipboard.SetText txtTextBox.Text
 
End Sub
 
Public Sub TextBoxCopySelected(ByVal txtTextBox As TextBox)
 
    ' Copy selected text to clipboard.
    Clipboard.Clear
    Clipboard.SetText txtTextBox.SelText
 
End Sub

[WorkHorse]

Here is a trickier question. Why does the Sub TextBoxSelectAll work when the TextBox is passed ByVal? Shouldn't it only affect the the passed TextBox if it were passed ByRef?

[HellRaider]

Hello
Don't worry i've got the exact problem. I think its because it might stop the c button when you press ctrl c so it only regesters the ctrl. I think.

[RhinoBull]

Here is a trickier question. Why does the Sub TextBoxSelectAll work when the TextBox is passed ByVal? Shouldn't it only affect the the passed TextBox if it were passed ByRef?

Objects are always passed ByRef regardless.