KeyEventArgs.Handled Property

Definition

Namespace:

System.Windows.Forms

Assembly:

System.Windows.Forms.dll

Gets or sets a value indicating whether the event was handled.

public:
 property bool Handled { bool get(); void set(bool value); };

public bool Handled { get; set; }

member this.Handled : bool with get, set

Public Property Handled As Boolean

Property Value

Boolean

true to bypass the control's default handling; otherwise, false to also pass the event along to the default control handler.

Examples

The following example determines whether the user pressed a non-numeric key, and if so, cancels the KeyPress event by using the Handled property.

   // Boolean flag used to determine when a character other than a number is entered.
private:
   bool nonNumberEntered;

   // Handle the KeyDown event to determine the type of character entered into the control.
   void textBox1_KeyDown( Object^ /*sender*/, System::Windows::Forms::KeyEventArgs^ e )
   {
      // Initialize the flag to false.
      nonNumberEntered = false;

      // Determine whether the keystroke is a number from the top of the keyboard.
      if ( e->KeyCode < Keys::D0 || e->KeyCode > Keys::D9 )
      {
         // Determine whether the keystroke is a number from the keypad.
         if ( e->KeyCode < Keys::NumPad0 || e->KeyCode > Keys::NumPad9 )
         {
            // Determine whether the keystroke is a backspace.
            if ( e->KeyCode != Keys::Back )
            {
               // A non-numerical keystroke was pressed.
               // Set the flag to true and evaluate in KeyPress event.
               nonNumberEntered = true;
            }
         }
      }
      //If shift key was pressed, it's not a number.
      if (Control::ModifierKeys == Keys::Shift) {
         nonNumberEntered = true;
      }
   }

   // This event occurs after the KeyDown event and can be used to prevent
   // characters from entering the control.
   void textBox1_KeyPress( Object^ /*sender*/, System::Windows::Forms::KeyPressEventArgs^ e )
   {
      // Check for the flag being set in the KeyDown event.
      if ( nonNumberEntered == true )
      {         // Stop the character from being entered into the control since it is non-numerical.
         e->Handled = true;
      }
   }

// Boolean flag used to determine when a character other than a number is entered.
private bool nonNumberEntered = false;

// Handle the KeyDown event to determine the type of character entered into the control.
private void textBox1_KeyDown(object sender, System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs e)
{
    // Initialize the flag to false.
    nonNumberEntered = false;

    // Determine whether the keystroke is a number from the top of the keyboard.
    if (e.KeyCode < Keys.D0 || e.KeyCode > Keys.D9)
    {
        // Determine whether the keystroke is a number from the keypad.
        if (e.KeyCode < Keys.NumPad0 || e.KeyCode > Keys.NumPad9)
        {
            // Determine whether the keystroke is a backspace.
            if(e.KeyCode != Keys.Back)
            {
                // A non-numerical keystroke was pressed.
                // Set the flag to true and evaluate in KeyPress event.
                nonNumberEntered = true;
            }
        }
    }
    //If shift key was pressed, it's not a number.
    if (Control.ModifierKeys == Keys.Shift) {
        nonNumberEntered = true;
    }
}

// This event occurs after the KeyDown event and can be used to prevent
// characters from entering the control.
private void textBox1_KeyPress(object sender, System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs e)
{
    // Check for the flag being set in the KeyDown event.
    if (nonNumberEntered == true)
    {
        // Stop the character from being entered into the control since it is non-numerical.
        e.Handled = true;
    }
}

 ' Boolean flag used to determine when a character other than a number is entered.
 Private nonNumberEntered As Boolean = False


 ' Handle the KeyDown event to determine the type of character entered into the control.
 Private Sub textBox1_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) _
      Handles textBox1.KeyDown
     ' Initialize the flag to false.
     nonNumberEntered = False
   
     ' Determine whether the keystroke is a number from the top of the keyboard.
     If e.KeyCode < Keys.D0 OrElse e.KeyCode > Keys.D9 Then
         ' Determine whether the keystroke is a number from the keypad.
         If e.KeyCode < Keys.NumPad0 OrElse e.KeyCode > Keys.NumPad9 Then
             ' Determine whether the keystroke is a backspace.
             If e.KeyCode <> Keys.Back Then
                 ' A non-numerical keystroke was pressed. 
                 ' Set the flag to true and evaluate in KeyPress event.
                 nonNumberEntered = True
             End If
         End If
     End If
     'If shift key was pressed, it's not a number.
     If Control.ModifierKeys = Keys.Shift Then
         nonNumberEntered = true
     End If
 End Sub


 ' This event occurs after the KeyDown event and can be used 
 ' to prevent characters from entering the control.
 Private Sub textBox1_KeyPress(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs) _
     Handles textBox1.KeyPress
     ' Check for the flag being set in the KeyDown event.
     If nonNumberEntered = True Then
         ' Stop the character from being entered into the control since it is non-numerical.
         e.Handled = True
     End If
 End Sub

Remarks

Handled is implemented differently by different controls within Windows Forms. For controls like TextBox which subclass native Win32 controls, it is interpreted to mean that the key message should not be passed to the underlying native control. If you set Handled to true on a TextBox, that control will not pass the key press events to the underlying Win32 text box control, but it will still display the characters that the user typed.

If you want to prevent the current control from receiving a key press, use the SuppressKeyPress property.

See also

• SuppressKeyPress