[RESOLVED] Handling all KeyDowns?

[Half]

Hi all,
is there a way to listen for keydown events on all controls at the same time? I am capturing a barcode scanner's input and the scanner is hooked to a pc. On barcode lock, it simply pastes the number. This means that whatever control currently has the focus, gets also the number.

Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles MyBase.KeyDown
 
        'MessageBox.Show(e.KeyValue.ToString) helped me to get the keycode
        txtBarcode.Focus()
 
    End Sub

This works but only if the form itself has the focus. Do I have to check the keydown event of every control or is there an event that fires each time, regardless of where the focus is.

I guess I could use ZaNi's idea but would it be at all sane with 50+ controls?

[BillBoeBaggins]

Create a general Key_Down Event and attach it to all your controls upon creations? Do you manually associate events in VB.Net like in C#?
Use API and track all window messages, catch the keys your looking for, figure out the handle of the window that triggered the event.

[jmcilhinney]

If you've set the form's KeyPreview property to True then it will receive keyboard events first regardless of which control has focus.

[BillBoeBaggins]

I like the above post, much simpler

[Half]

Jup, jmcilhinney is great. Still, I will have to investigate your suggestion as well, since the Compact Framework does not offer the KeyPreview property and I have to take care of that on mobile devices too.