ToolStripComboBox behavior different than ComboBox

[jazFunk]

I have a bound ToolStripComboBox. When a user types a value and hits 'Enter', assuming the entered value is an item in the ComboBox, this Sub should fire:

Private Sub tsbCmbMHSJob_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles tsbCmbMHSJob.SelectedIndexChanged
 
     FilterMHSJobDV()
 
End Sub

The problem I'm encountering is that with the ToolStripComboBox when the user enters a valid value and hits 'Enter' nothing happens. If I enter the value, then tab to the next control and hit enter, it fires.


When I use the "SelectedIndexChanged" Event in a standard ComboBox, entering the value and hitting enter triggers this event.


How can I get the ToolStripComboBox to behave like the standard ComboBox?

[formlesstree4]

Perhaps on keydown, see if Enter was pressed and cause the control to lose focus?

[jazFunk]

That seems like a work-around to something that could be handled differently... I could be wrong.

I'm searching now for the difference between the two types of ComboBoxes.

Thanks for your input, that may be the only way to make it work. Hope not.

[jmcilhinney]

A ToolStripComboBox is not a ComboBox. It's a ToolStripControlHost that customised to host a ComboBox. The ToolStripComboBox class has a ComboBox property, which return a reference to the hosted ComboBox control.

[jazFunk]

Are you saying that there is not an event I can handle, etc., to make the ToolStripComboBox behave as I've described?

Some of my Users do not use a mouse to select an item in the ComboBox drop down, they enter it in the visible TextBox, hit enter and expect that trigger the method.

[jazFunk]

Also, I tried to address the ComboBox property of the ToolStripComboBox, but it does not exist in my properties window, or intellisense.

[jmcilhinney]

As I said:

The ToolStripComboBox class has a ComboBox property, which return a reference to the hosted ComboBox control.

Anything you can't do through the ToolStripComboBox itself you can do through that ComboBox.

[jmcilhinney]

Also, I tried to address the ComboBox property of the ToolStripComboBox, but it does not exist in my properties window, or intellisense.

It's not visible in the Properties window because the property has its Browsable attribute set to False, which specifically hides it from designers.

As for Intellisense, it IS visible. If you can't see it then you're just looking in the wrong place. Are you actually trying to access it via a ToolStripComboBox reference? I'll wager not. I'll bet that you're using a ToolStripItem reference. The ToolStripItem has no such member so Intellisense won't display it for that type.

[jazFunk]

In the first screen shot IntelliSense shows that my control is indeed a ToolStripComboBox


The 2nd screen shot shows the ComboBox property available inside the SelectedIndexChanged Event of the ToolStripComboBox ("tsbCmbMHSJob")



One other thing I must mention, and just rediscovered, is that I'm handling the MouseUp Event in different Method which does my DataBinding.

I made this part of the Form some time ago and I believe I did it this way so that when the Form loaded it wouldn't populate Data until a Job# was selected. I've since learned to how to remove the Handler and add it back to accomplish but haven't rewritten. Could this be causing a conflict?

Here's the code:

Private Sub BindMHSJobs(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
                Handles tsbCmbMHSJob.MouseUp
 
        If Me.tsbCmbMHSJob.ComboBox.Items.Count < 1 Then
 
            ' Populate tsbCmbMHSJob combo box
            With Me.tsbCmbMHSJob
                .ComboBox.DataSource = mhsJobDT
                .ComboBox.DisplayMember = "mhsJob"
            End With
 
            ' Clear DataBinding
            Me.lblCustJob.DataBindings.Clear()
            Me.lblCust.DataBindings.Clear()
            Me.lblJobDesc.DataBindings.Clear()
            Me.lblProjNum.DataBindings.Clear()
            Me.lblStateNum.DataBindings.Clear()
            Me.lblCompDate.DataBindings.Clear()
            Me.ckbActive.DataBindings.Clear()
            Me.ckbMMM.DataBindings.Clear()
 
            ' Add DataBinding
            Me.lblCustJob.DataBindings.Add("Text", mhsJobDT, "custJob")
            Me.lblCust.DataBindings.Add("Text", mhsJobDT, "cust")
            Me.lblJobDesc.DataBindings.Add("Text", mhsJobDT, "jobDesc")
            Me.lblProjNum.DataBindings.Add("Text", mhsJobDT, "projNum")
            Me.lblStateNum.DataBindings.Add("Text", mhsJobDT, "stateNum")
 
            ' Format Date
            Me.lblCompDate.DataBindings.Add("Text", mhsJobDT, "compDate", True).FormatString = "MM/dd/yyyy"
            Me.ckbActive.DataBindings.Add("Checked", mhsJobDT, "Active")
            Me.ckbMMM.DataBindings.Add("Checked", mhsJobDT, "MMMDisc")
 
            ' Testing
            Me.tsbCmbMHSJob.DroppedDown = True
 
 
        End If
 
End Sub