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3-Jul-09 2:16

Hello,

I'having problems getting the "Taborder" right on a ToolBar which has a UserControl hosted in a ToolStripControlhost object.

To replicate:
1. Create a new WindowsForms project.
2 Add a toolBar with four ToolBarButtons to Form1 (via the designer)
3. Create a new UserControl and drop a MaskedTextBox on it (via the designer)
5. In the form Constructor add the following code;

toolStrip1.Items.Insert(2, new ToolStripControlHost(new UserControl1()));

During runtime if you click on the maskedTextBox in the toolStrip (to give it focus), and try to navigate with the tab key (either shifttab or tab) you'll notice a weird taborder.

If the MaskedTextbox is hosted directly in the ToolStripHostControl everything works fine. But my real usercontrol is way too comlicated to do this.

The problem seems to be caused by inserting a usercontrol in a toolstrip which messes up the taborder.
Does anyone know how to fix this? Any help would be sincerely appreciated.

Henry Minute3-Jul-09 3:11

Henry Minute

3-Jul-09 3:11

The only thing I can think of is after adding UserControl1 go through first the toolstrip then usercontrol1 controls collection and manually set the tab order to what you want.

Other than that I've no idea. Perhaps someone else can help.

Henry Minute

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netogg3-Jul-09 3:39

3-Jul-09 3:39

Thanks for your reply Henry.

I was thinking in the same direction...
But the only collection I could find to go through, are toolStrip1.Items[] and these do not have a TabIndex to reorder.

Henry Minute3-Jul-09 3:46

Henry Minute

3-Jul-09 3:46

netogg wrote:
these do not have a TabIndex to reorder.

That's a shame!

I hope someone else can help you.

DaveyM693-Jul-09 5:23

Re: Taborder in toolbar? [modified]

3-Jul-09 5:23

It seems the answer is to extend the ToolStripControlHost class as suggested here[^].

I've just tried it with your 'steps to reproduce' above and it worked fine. Code I used below.

using System.Windows.Forms; namespace WindowsFormsApplication1 { public class ToolStripUserControl1 : ToolStripControlHost { public ToolStripUserControl1() : base(new UserControl1()) { } public UserControl1 UserControl1Control { get { return Control as UserControl1; } } } }

toolStrip1.Items.Add(new ToolStripUserControl1());

Hmm... It was adding it at the end so it appeared to work. Using Insert instead of Add to place it inbetween the buttons produces the same result as before Confused | :confused:

Dave
BTW, in software, hope and pray is not a viable strategy. (Luc Pattyn)
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netogg3-Jul-09 6:05

3-Jul-09 6:05

Hi Dave,

Thank you for your solution, I already came across the link your posted and tried several times.
I might be doing something terribly wrong...

When I try to "tab" trough the buttons its still messed up. When the focus is inside the UserControl then "tab" goes to the first button instead of to the next. And "shifttab" goes to the last button instead of the previous.

Would you mind posting your full solution please?

Thanks in advance.

@Dave at your comments suggesting insert: been there, tried that... sigh

modified on Friday, July 3, 2009 12:11 PM

DaveyM693-Jul-09 6:23

3-Jul-09 6:23

This is annoying me so I'll have a further look at home tonight (UK) and see if I can work a solution.

netogg3-Jul-09 6:40

3-Jul-09 6:40

Wow, thanks.

So far I've tried to add everything in the designercode, but nothing changes. Also am I looking into SelctNextControl en SelectPreviousControl, but I'd rather have the whole userControl self contained.

Anyway, Good luck!

DaveyM693-Jul-09 9:11

3-Jul-09 9:11

No solution I'm afraid, but I have narrowed down the exact situation under which it occurs which could help to diagnose the cause and find a solution

Problem: It only happens when a UserControl is being hosted and that UserControl has a control(s) that can accept focus.
OK: If you use an empty UserControl or one that only has non focusable controls, it behaves as expected.
OK: If you host a TextBox (or any other edit control) directly, it also behaves as expected.

netogg3-Jul-09 12:10

3-Jul-09 12:10

Thank you very much for your effort!

Anybody else on this issue? It shouldn't be that hard...you'd think. Confused | :confused:

DaveyM693-Jul-09 20:02

3-Jul-09 20:02

I'd file it as a bug report on Microsoft Connect.

netogg4-Jul-09 0:35

4-Jul-09 0:35

Hmmm, the process of bugreporting seems excruciating, frustrating and the average results too meager.
I'd be more interested in a workaround or fix.

If anyone else thinks this is worthy of reporting to Microsoft, I won't stop you and be thankful for it.

Kind regards to all you nice people.

DaveyM694-Jul-09 11:50

4-Jul-09 11:50

Reported here[^]

DaveyM696-Jul-09 23:14

6-Jul-09 23:14

Have you got anywhere with this?

Microsoft have been able to reproduce it which is a good first step, but doesn't mean they have a fix or workaround for it of course!

netogg7-Jul-09 8:07

7-Jul-09 8:07

They better ought to be able to reproduce it... I've been battling this for quite a while now. Smile | :)

Thank you for reporting this, I must admit Microsofts reponse so far has pleasantly surprised me.
Still no luck in getting around this issue though.

Does anyone else know a solution for putting a complex compound control in a toolbar?

netogg7-Jul-09 9:16

Re: Taborder in toolbar? CanSelect?

7-Jul-09 9:16

I have been trying this with a "compound"control on this same form as the toolbar is.

The compound control is a Panel with a Texbox inside (child control) on the very Form.
In the Form's Constructor i do;

toolStrip1.Items.Insert(2,new ToolStripControlHost(panel1));

With the same results. I think this narrows the bug to:

When using a ToolStripControlHost to host any ContainerControl with any focusable controls in a ToolStrip, tabbing between controls on the ToolStrip does not cycle through all controls.

You might wanna link Microsoft to here. Thanks again.

netogg7-Jul-09 9:57