[mak.frenz]

'I want to call a function or show a Help formwhen user presses 'F1' key. for e.g. show application Help to user after 
'pressing F1 key on main form. I dont know how to trap whether user pressed F1 key or not

Private Sub frmMain_KeyPress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyPress
		Dim KeyAscii As Long = Asc(e.KeyChar)
		If (KeyAscii = 27) Then
			'MsgBox("Key pressed")
			 objHelp.FrmShowHelp()
	   End If
End Sub

[chrixko]

Check if the KeyPreview-Property of the Form is set to True.

Also it's easier to use the KeyDownEvent:

	Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
		If e.KeyCode = Keys.F1 Then
		  MsgBox("Key pressed")
		End If
	End Sub

This post has been edited by chrixko: 28 January 2010 - 01:28 AM

[nmgod]

Alternatively you could use this, but the other ways are easier.

Public Declare Function GetAsyncKeyState Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal key As Integer) As Integer

This post has been edited by nmgod: 28 January 2010 - 05:56 AM

[Jack Eagles1]

nmgod, that's a global key hook which could be used to make a keylogger.

[T.Jackson]

Jack Eagles1, on 28 Jan, 2010 - 12:10 PM, said:

nmgod, that's a global key hook which could be used to make a keylogger.

Great API, I use it all the time for making games.

I wouldn't call it a hook though -- it's not sub-classing, just a simple API.

Private Declare Function GetAsyncKeyState Lib "user32" (ByVal vkey As Integer) As Short

do
   ' Fetch user input
   Call ScanKeyboard()
loop

	Private Sub ScanKeyboard()
		'------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
		' Purpose: Fetch keyboard strokes from user ...
		'------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

		If GetAsyncKeyState(Keys.Right) Then
			MoveRight = True
		ElseIf GetAsyncKeyState(Keys.Left) Then
			MoveLeft = True
		ElseIf GetAsyncKeyState(Keys.Up) Then
			MoveUP = True
		ElseIf GetAsyncKeyState(Keys.Down) Then
			MoveDown = True

		ElseIf GetAsyncKeyState(Keys.F2) Then
			If Not DoIntro Then
				If Not ShowGameOver Then
					NewGame = True
					GameOver = True
				End If
			End If
		End If

		AppRunning = GetAsyncKeyState(Keys.Escape)

End Sub

easy greasy,

Trent Jackson

[AdamSpeight2008]

There is a a recent vb.net Snippet that would be helpful call KeyCombos.

[T.Jackson]

AdamSpeight2008, on 28 Jan, 2010 - 12:18 PM, said:

There is a a recent vb.net Snippet that would be helpful call KeyCombos.

The problem with these keydown like events is that when the object loses focus (and you can't always predict what the user may do either or constantly force refocus) -- they cease to work.

You just can not properly make games using them.

Trent Jackson

[AdamSpeight2008]

Picture Box Moving Example

Public Class Form1
 Dim k As KeyCombos
 Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
  k = New KeyCombos

  k.AddCombo(AddressOf MovePlayLeft, Keys.Left)
  k.AddCombo(AddressOf MovePlayRight, Keys.Right)
  k.AddCombo(AddressOf MovePlayUp, Keys.Up)
  k.AddCombo(AddressOf MovePlayDown, Keys.Down)
 End Sub

 Public Sub MovePlayLeft()
  If Me.PictureBox1.Left > 0 Then Me.PictureBox1.Left -= 4
 End Sub
 Public Sub MovePlayRight()
  If Me.PictureBox1.Left < Me.Width Then Me.PictureBox1.Left += 4

 End Sub
 Public Sub MovePlayUp()
  If Me.PictureBox1.Top > 0 Then Me.PictureBox1.Top -= 4

 End Sub
 Public Sub MovePlayDown()
  If Me.PictureBox1.Top < Me.Height Then Me.PictureBox1.Top += 4

 End Sub

 Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
  k.KeyDown(e.KeyCode)
 End Sub

 Private Sub Form1_KeyUp(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyUp
  k.KeyUP(e.KeyCode)
 End Sub
End Class 

[Jack Eagles1]

I guess I'm just being pedantic, but it could theoretically be used to capture all key strokes...

[AdamSpeight2008]

Who's mine?