Form Focus / Tab Key Issue

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   In our application we use an MDI frame with MDI Children to present data entry screen to the user.  On these screens are lookups for various different things, including table lookups (i.e. to bring back a Customer Code when placing an Order) and date lookups (that just present a simple calendar control to the user to help them select a date).

However, once RibbonBar.EnableFrameTheme is called (in CommandBars v10.4.1) all of these lookups cause application focus issues along the following lines:

position the cursor on a lookup field placed directly on the form
press F2 to activate the lookup
select a date (or press cancel)
the next time the Tab key is pressed the application seems to lose focus forcing the user to use the mouse to re-activate it
If RibbonBar.EnableFrameTheme is not called then there are no problems.  The following VB6 eample demonstrates this issue:

uploads/20070201_202232_XtremeTabKeyPro.zip

As you might expect, this is a major issue for data entry applications, especially ones designed to be keyboard driven for speed.

The only workaround we have found to date is to totally unload the lookup form after it has been displayed.  This is fine for a simple date lookup (as per the example) but when opening data-based lookups that can take significantly longer to open, reloading them each time the user wants to active them is not really an option.

Can this please be looked at by Codejock with some priority?

The same sample also highlights another issue to do with the Tab key getting consumed under the same lookup scenario as above but when the field is in a UserControl.  Steps to reproduce:

position the cursor on the lookup field placed in a User Control on a form
press F2 to activate the lookup
select a date (or press cancel)
the next time the Tab key is pressed the application seems to lose focus forcing the user to use the mouse to re-activate it
all subsequent tab key presses do not change the focus at all and just cause a "Beep"
Our original application design used this method for displaying the data entry screens but after this major problem we spent a few days re-writing the user control into a generic form so at least when the application gained focus again the Tab key would work.

This is obviously even worse than the first example, but since we have now worked aroud the issue it is not urgent for us and I only mention it so that others are aware of the problem and you can get it fixed.

Can I please stress again the importance and urgency of the first point as we are trying to get a major release out the door this week and it has already been delayed 3 months due to issues in the SkinFramework (which is still not stable enough to use).

Oh, and I would also really appreciate replies to my two other recent posts in this forum - the TabControlPage control not causing the Form_Terminate event to be fired is also extremely problematic.

Thanks

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GarethThom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 07 November 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 19	Post Options Post Reply Quote GarethThom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Form Focus / Tab Key Issue Posted: 01 February 2007 at 8:42pm
	In our application we use an MDI frame with MDI Children to present data entry screen to the user. On these screens are lookups for various different things, including table lookups (i.e. to bring back a Customer Code when placing an Order) and date lookups (that just present a simple calendar control to the user to help them select a date). However, once RibbonBar.EnableFrameTheme is called (in CommandBars v10.4.1) all of these lookups cause application focus issues along the following lines: position the cursor on a lookup field placed directly on the form press F2 to activate the lookup select a date (or press cancel) the next time the Tab key is pressed the application seems to lose focus forcing the user to use the mouse to re-activate it If RibbonBar.EnableFrameTheme is not called then there are no problems. The following VB6 eample demonstrates this issue: uploads/20070201_202232_XtremeTabKeyPro.zip As you might expect, this is a major issue for data entry applications, especially ones designed to be keyboard driven for speed. The only workaround we have found to date is to totally unload the lookup form after it has been displayed. This is fine for a simple date lookup (as per the example) but when opening data-based lookups that can take significantly longer to open, reloading them each time the user wants to active them is not really an option. Can this please be looked at by Codejock with some priority? The same sample also highlights another issue to do with the Tab key getting consumed under the same lookup scenario as above but when the field is in a UserControl. Steps to reproduce: position the cursor on the lookup field placed in a User Control on a form press F2 to activate the lookup select a date (or press cancel) the next time the Tab key is pressed the application seems to lose focus forcing the user to use the mouse to re-activate it all subsequent tab key presses do not change the focus at all and just cause a "Beep" Our original application design used this method for displaying the data entry screens but after this major problem we spent a few days re-writing the user control into a generic form so at least when the application gained focus again the Tab key would work. This is obviously even worse than the first example, but since we have now worked aroud the issue it is not urgent for us and I only mention it so that others are aware of the problem and you can get it fixed. Can I please stress again the importance and urgency of the first point as we are trying to get a major release out the door this week and it has already been delayed 3 months due to issues in the SkinFramework (which is still not stable enough to use). Oh, and I would also really appreciate replies to my two other recent posts in this forum - the TabControlPage control not causing the Form_Terminate event to be fired is also extremely problematic. Thanks

TShriver Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 27 July 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote TShriver Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 April 2019 at 9:20am
	I am facing a similar issue in a data entry pane. The tab key does not change focus to the next tabstop and just Beeps. I am using version 18.6 0 and it would be a huge pain for the use to have to mouse click to traverse to each data entry field (FlatEdit). Has a solution to this been found??? Thank you, Tim