How to Select All Text in a Field When It Gets the Focus (153310)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 16-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 16-bit, for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0
This article was previously published under Q153310

SUMMARY

In many cases, it is best to select or highlight the full text of a field when that field gains the focus. This allows the user to simply begin typing to replace the original text with new text or to press TAB to leave text as it is, and move to the next field. This is particularly useful in screens where there are multiple text boxes bound to a Data control for example.

MORE INFORMATION

Step by Step Example

  1. Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
  2. Place three text boxes on the form named Text1, Text2, and Text3.
  3. Add the following code to the form1 code window: 
       Option Explicit

   Sub Form_Load()
      Text1_lostfocus
      Text2_lostfocus
      Text3_lostfocus
   End Sub

   Sub SetSelected(ctl As Textbox)
      ctl.SelStart = 0
      ctl.SelLength = Len(ctl.Text)
   End Sub

   Private Sub text1_LostFocus()
       Call SetSelected(text1)
   End Sub

   Private Sub text2_LostFocus()
       Call SetSelected(text2)
   End Sub

   Private Sub text3_LostFocus()
       Call SetSelected(text3)
   End Sub
  4. On the Run menu, click Start or press F5. You will notice that as you move to each text box, the text is highlighted as opposed to the default behavior of the mouse pointer remaining in front of the first letter in] the text box.

REFERENCES

Visual Basic Language Reference, SelLength, SelStart Properties, Pages 842-844

110394 How to Automatically Select or Highlight Text Box Upon Focus

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/24/2004
Keywords:kbcode KB153310
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