Keyboard.KeyDown Attached Event

Definition

Occurs when a key on the keyboard is pressed.

C#
see AddKeyDownHandler, and RemoveKeyDownHandler

Examples

The following example creates TextBox that attaches an event handler for the KeyDown event. When the Return is pressed, the event handler displays the text in the TextBox in a TextBlock.

XML
<StackPanel>
  <TextBlock Width="300" Height="20">
    Type some text into the TextBox and press the Enter key.
  </TextBlock>
  <TextBox Width="300" Height="30" Name="textBox1"
           KeyDown="OnKeyDownHandler"/>
  <TextBlock Width="300" Height="100" Name="textBlock1"/>
</StackPanel>
C#
private void OnKeyDownHandler(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Key == Key.Return)
    {
        textBlock1.Text = "You Entered: " + textBox1.Text;
    }
}

Remarks

This is an attached event. WPF implements attached events as routed events. Attached events are fundamentally a XAML language concept for referencing events that can be handled on objects that do not define that event, which WPF expands upon by also enabling the event to traverse a route. Attached events do not have a direct handling syntax in code; to attach handlers for a routed event in code, you use a designated Add*Handler method. For details, see Attached Events Overview.

Routed Event Information

Item Value
Identifier field KeyDownEvent
Routing strategy Bubbling
Delegate KeyEventHandler

Applies to

Product Versions
.NET Framework 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8, 4.8.1
Windows Desktop 3.0, 3.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

See also