[RESOLVED] Hitting the "Esc" key to close program

[Giraffe Frenzy]

Hi Everyone,

What is the code that when you hit the "Esc" key, the program will end?



Thanks in advance.

[Static]

Simple way

in the form properties.. set KeyPreview = True

Private Sub Form_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer)
    If KeyAscii = 27 Then Unload Me
End Sub

[Hack]

Another way is to drop a standard command button on the form and enter 'Close' as its Caption property and have Unload Me in its click event. Then set the control's Cancel property to True. When you do, VB executes this button's Click() event whenever you press the [Esc] key (as well as when you click it).

[DubweiserTM]

Or...

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
        If KeyCode = vbKeyEscape Then
                Unload Me
        End If
End Sub

I use this thread, to ask another question:

Is there a difference between KeyDown and KeyPress ?

[Giraffe Frenzy]

Thanks guys. That worked. Much appreciated.

[Hack]

I use this thread, to ask another question:

Is there a difference between KeyDown and KeyPress ?

Yes, but they can refer to the same key.

For example, the KeyCode for "A" is vbKeyA and this would be used in the KeyDown event.

The KeyAscii code for "A" is 65, so using KeyAscii Chr(65) in the Keypress event would be the same as using vbKeyA in the KeyCode of event of Keydown. It is confusing, I know.

Start up a standard exe project with a single textbox and do some tests.

Private Sub Text1_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
  Debug.Print "KeyDown value: " & KeyCode
End Sub
 
Private Sub Text1_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer)
  Debug.Print """Ascii " & KeyAscii & " = " & Chr(KeyAscii)
End Sub

Play with pressing the various keys on the keyboard and the numeric keypad and the function keys. You'll see that KeyDown always gives you results. KeyPress only gives you results when there is a valid ASCII character being generated. In addition, the KeyAscii and KeyCode values don't always match, but some, if not most, are similar enough to be confusing.

[Giraffe Frenzy]

Thanks Hack for explaining that to me. Very interesting.

[DubweiserTM]

Yes, but they can refer to the same key.

For example, the KeyCode for "A" is vbKeyA and this would be used in the KeyDown event.

The KeyAscii code for "A" is 65, so using KeyAscii Chr(65) in the Keypress event would be the same as using vbKeyA in the KeyCode of event of Keydown. It is confusing, I know.

Start up a standard exe project with a single textbox and do some tests.

Private Sub Text1_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
  Debug.Print "KeyDown value: " & KeyCode
End Sub
 
Private Sub Text1_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer)
  Debug.Print """Ascii " & KeyAscii & " = " & Chr(KeyAscii)
End Sub

Play with pressing the various keys on the keyboard and the numeric keypad and the function keys. You'll see that KeyDown always gives you results. KeyPress only gives you results when there is a valid ASCII character being generated. In addition, the KeyAscii and KeyCode values don't always match, but some, if not most, are similar enough to be confusing.

Thanks for this lesson !

[Hack]

Another "gotcha" with ascii codes is there are different codes for capital and small letters.

Example: A = Chr(65)
a = Chr(97)

vbKeyA doesn't care whether you chose a capital or a small, so when dealing with single letters (like making a hot key combination), I always use the KeyCode.