[RESOLVED] Assigning Hardware buttons

[pmd13]

This is related my earlier post about disabling buttons. I have an HTC Touch. After my form loaded i was able to disable the camera button on the side. For some reason i can't disable the 2 app launch buttons and the rocker. I looked at the registry and only Button 1 is assigned (193 - camera). Are these special buttons that can't be disabled? Or is there a way to assign them to registry? Thanks!

The code below is what shows up when I click on the rocker and the app launch buttons from design in VS2008.

Private Sub msgapi_KeyDown(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles MyBase.KeyDown
        If (e.KeyCode = System.Windows.Forms.Keys.Up) Then
            'Up
        End If
        If (e.KeyCode = System.Windows.Forms.Keys.Down) Then
            'Down
        End If
        If (e.KeyCode = System.Windows.Forms.Keys.Left) Then
            'Left
        End If
        If (e.KeyCode = System.Windows.Forms.Keys.Right) Then
            'Right
        End If
        If (e.KeyCode = System.Windows.Forms.Keys.Enter) Then
            'Enter
        End If
    End Sub

[petevick]

try
e.handled = true
after the 'Up
that should ignore it

[pmd13]

nope, sorry didn't work. I was looking around and I'm seeing people use the UnregisterHotkey and VK_T VOLUME UP then reregister and define what it does.
I think http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/For...-aa75ce614350/
might be what im looking for..just trying to figure it all out..

[petevick]

You need to set keypreview to true on your form, and handle the events in the form keydown event

Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As KeyEventArgs)


'...
e.Handled = True

'...

End Sub

[pmd13]

I made it true for each of the directions and Enter.
If I did the below correctly it didn't seem to have any affect on the rocker and app buttons. I was looking at the definitions and its for the arrow keys. Is the rocker considered an up or down arrow? If not i can't seem to find any ref for it in System.Windows.Forms.Keys

THanks for your help

 Private Sub msgapi_KeyDown(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles MyBase.KeyDown
        If (e.KeyCode = System.Windows.Forms.Keys.Up) Then
            'Up
            e.Handled = True
        End If
...
end sub

[petevick]

hi,
Take a look at this video from Jim Wilson and see if it helps

[pmd13]

Hahaha i probably watched that video 50 times. It only worked for the camera button so I looked into the registry and sure enough it was the only one registered. I did figure out a work around.

First I made a quick form to display what the keycode is for any button i pressed.

Imports Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms

Private Sub DetectionCode_KeyDown(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles MyBase.KeyDown, MyBase.KeyUp

        StatusBar2.Text = e.KeyCode

end sub

I used the keycode and looked into the definition list for what they are. Surprisingly it was F3,F4,etc
For some reason even with the e.Handled = True pressing a button would still jump into the calendar and contacts. So i put in a .25 second timer that is triggered every time one of the assigned function keys are pressed to bring the form back on top. Technically i didn't re-assign the hardware keys but it does exactly what i want and thats to keep people in the program kiosk style. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

Below detects both the hardware button keycode and if its assigned in the registry.

Private Sub frmMain_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        ConfigHWButton()
    End Sub
    Private Sub ConfigHWButton()
        'Set KeyPreview to true so that the form 
        'will receive key events before they 
        'are passed to the control that has focus. 

        Me.KeyPreview = True

        Dim hwb1 As New HardwareButton()
        Dim hwb2 As New HardwareButton()
        Dim hwb3 As New HardwareButton()
        Dim hwb4 As New HardwareButton()
        Dim hwb5 As New HardwareButton()
        Dim hwb6 As New HardwareButton()

        'Set the AssociatedControl property
        'to the current form and configure the
        'first and fourth buttons to activate the form.
        Try
            hwb1.AssociatedControl = Me
            hwb2.AssociatedControl = Me
            hwb3.AssociatedControl = Me
            hwb4.AssociatedControl = Me
            hwb5.AssociatedControl = Me
            hwb6.AssociatedControl = Me
            hwb1.HardwareKey = HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey1
            hwb2.HardwareKey = HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey2
            hwb3.HardwareKey = HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey3
            hwb4.HardwareKey = HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey4
            hwb5.HardwareKey = HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey5
            hwb6.HardwareKey = HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey6
        Catch exc As Exception
            MsgBox(exc.Message + " Check if the hardware button is physically available on this device.")
        End Try
    End Sub
Private Sub ButtonDetection_KeyDown(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles MyBase.KeyDown, MyBase.KeyUp

        StatusBar2.Text = e.KeyCode

        
        If (e.KeyCode = System.Windows.Forms.Keys.F3) Then
            'Enter
            KeepOutTimer.Enabled = True
            e.Handled = True

        End If
        

        ' When a hardware button is pressed and released,
        ' this form receives the KeyUp event. The OnKeyUp
        ' method is used to determine which hardware
        ' button was pressed, because the event data
        ' specifies a member of the HardwareKeys enumeration.
        Select Case CType(e.KeyCode, HardwareKeys)
            Case HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey1
                StatusBar1.Text = "Button 1 pressed."

            Case HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey2
                StatusBar1.Text = "Button 2 pressed."

            Case HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey3
                StatusBar1.Text = "Button 3 pressed."

            Case HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey4
                StatusBar1.Text = "Button 4 pressed."

            Case HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey5
                StatusBar1.Text = "Button 5 pressed."

            Case HardwareKeys.ApplicationKey6
                StatusBar1.Text = "Button 6 pressed."

            Case Else

        End Select

    End Sub

    Private Sub KeepOutTimer_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles KeepOutTimer.Tick
        Me.Show()
    End Sub