[RESOLVED] Simple Combobox Question

[profray]

I want to be able to enter (type in) data into a combobox as well as picking from the list. In earlier VB there was AfterUpdate event so that I could enter in the data I wanted. Now I have tried Keypress, Enter, and others and they all want just one character or number. If I try to enter a two-digit number it doesn't wait.
Thanks in advance.

[pkarvou]

What about LostFocus event???

I often use that to validate text entered in one combobox.

[ikdekker]

you mean like this>

   
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        ComboBox1.Items.Add(ComboBox1.Text)
    End Sub

[pkarvou]

I mean

    
Private Sub ComboBox1_LostFocus(sender As Object, e As  System.EventArgs) Handles ComboBox1.LostFocus
        ComboBox1.Items.Add(ComboBox1.Text)
End Sub

You should check if sth has to be added of course.

[ikdekker]

and you have to clear like this

Combobox1.text = ""

otherwise it keeps adding after clicking on it and clicking on something else.

[pkarvou]

and you have to clear like this

Combobox1.text = ""

otherwise it keeps adding after clicking on it and clicking on something else.

Well it depends on what you want to achieve.

You may check if the text has changed with the TextChanged event or even check if the text enterred already exists in list of the combobox.

What exactly do you want to do?

[profray]

Thank-you both for your suggestions! I will explain further. I simply want to do what the combo box was invented for: allow the user to type in a non-listed option or answer.
The lost-focus option does work, but I don't like the idea that I have to click somewhere else to get my input sent into my program. That makes it sort of a negative action to get something done.
I find it ironic that MS lists over 230 methods with this object, but none that explicitly does what the object was originally intended for.
If you have any other thoughts I would be glad to try them
Thanks again
Rich

[pkarvou]

How can your app know when did the user finish typing?

[profray]

when the user presses the Enter key

[pkarvou]

So you can check if enter was pressed with ComboBox KeyPress event and then remove focus from combo.

[profray]

You are correct. I think that means I must check what has been entered with every keypress. So if I want to enter the number 20, my routine would use the keypress event to first see the "2" and not lose focus, then see the "0" and not lose focus, then see the "Enter" , verify the input, then lose focus and go do what it needs to do.
Is this what you suggest? Or is there a more direct method?
I had hoped there would be a more direct implementation than this, given the 20 years of software development history.

[pkarvou]

You should just check if Enter was pressed with combo active.Then with LostFocus you can do whatever you want.

You can check if Enter was pressed in Combo with this code too

    
Protected Overrides Function ProcessCmdKey(ByRef msg As Message, keyData As Keys) As Boolean
    If (Me.ActiveControl Is ComboBox1) AndAlso (keyData = Keys.[Return]) Then
        MsgBox("Combo Enter")
        Return True
    Else
        Return MyBase.ProcessCmdKey(msg, keyData)
    End If
End Function

[profray]

ευχαριστήριο !
I will give it a try

[pkarvou]

ευχαριστήριο !
I will give it a try

I hope it works

[ikdekker]

You don't need the lose focus at all just use this code:

Private Sub ComboBox1_KeyPress(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs) Handles ComboBox1.KeyPress
        If e.KeyChar = Microsoft.VisualBasic.ChrW(Keys.Return) Then
            ComboBox1.Items.Add(ComboBox1.Text)
        End If
    End Sub

[pkarvou]

You don't need the lose focus at all just use this code:

Private Sub ComboBox1_KeyPress(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs) Handles ComboBox1.KeyPress
        If e.KeyChar = Microsoft.VisualBasic.ChrW(Keys.Return) Then
            ComboBox1.Items.Add(ComboBox1.Text)
        End If
    End Sub

Yeap, that's true...it's just like lose focus though

[profray]

Thanks to you both...lets call this resolved
Rich