Control.KeyDown Event

Reference

Definition

Namespace:: System.Windows.Forms

Assembly:: System.Windows.Forms.dll

Important

Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.

Occurs when a key is pressed while the control has focus.

public:
 event System::Windows::Forms::KeyEventHandler ^ KeyDown;

public event System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventHandler KeyDown;

public event System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventHandler? KeyDown;

member this.KeyDown : System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventHandler

Public Custom Event KeyDown As KeyEventHandler

Event Type

KeyEventHandler

Examples

The following code example uses the KeyDown event to determine the type of character entered into the control.

   // 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

The following code example demonstrates the order of raising the KeyDown, KeyUp, KeyPress events, and how to register event handlers on them.

public partial class Form2 : Form
{
    public Form2()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        textBox2.Multiline = true;
        textBox2.ScrollBars = ScrollBars.Both;

        //Setup events that listens on keypress
        textBox1.KeyDown += TextBox1_KeyDown;
        textBox1.KeyPress += TextBox1_KeyPress;
        textBox1.KeyUp += TextBox1_KeyUp;
    }

    // Handle the KeyUp event to print the type of character entered into the control.
    private void TextBox1_KeyUp(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
    {
        textBox2.AppendText( $"KeyUp code: {e.KeyCode}, value: {e.KeyValue}, modifiers: {e.Modifiers}" + "\r\n");
    }

    // Handle the KeyPress event to print the type of character entered into the control.
    private void TextBox1_KeyPress(object sender, KeyPressEventArgs e)
    {
        textBox2.AppendText( $"KeyPress keychar: {e.KeyChar}" + "\r\n");
    }

    // Handle the KeyDown event to print the type of character entered into the control.
    private void TextBox1_KeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
    {
        textBox2.AppendText( $"KeyDown code: {e.KeyCode}, value: {e.KeyValue}, modifiers: {e.Modifiers}" + "\r\n");
    }
}

Public Class Form2

    ' Handle the KeyDown event to print the type of character entered into the control.
    Private Sub TextBox1_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As KeyEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.KeyDown
        TextBox2.AppendText($"KeyDown code: {e.KeyCode}, value: {e.KeyValue}, modifiers: {e.Modifiers}" + vbCrLf)
    End Sub

    ' Handle the KeyPress event to print the type of character entered into the control.
    Private Sub TextBox1_KeyPress(sender As Object, e As KeyPressEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.KeyPress
        TextBox2.AppendText($"KeyPress keychar: {e.KeyChar}" + vbCrLf)
    End Sub

    ' Handle the KeyUp event to print the type of character entered into the control.
    Private Sub TextBox1_KeyUp(sender As Object, e As KeyEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.KeyUp
        TextBox2.AppendText($"KeyUp code: {e.KeyCode}, value: {e.KeyValue}, modifiers: {e.Modifiers}" + vbCrLf)
    End Sub

End Class

Remarks

Key events occur in the following order:

To handle keyboard events only at the form level and not enable other controls to receive keyboard events, set the KeyPressEventArgs.Handled property in your form's KeyPress event-handling method to true. Certain keys, such as the TAB, RETURN, ESC, and arrow keys are handled by controls automatically. To have these keys raise the KeyDown event, you must override the IsInputKey method in each control on your form. The code for the override of the IsInputKey would need to determine if one of the special keys is pressed and return a value of true. Instead of overriding the IsInputKey method, you can handle the PreviewKeyDown event and set the IsInputKey property to true. For a code example, see the PreviewKeyDown event.

For more information about handling events, see Handling and Raising Events.

Applies to

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