RichEdit Control and CTL + I Key combination

I am having a problem with the .Net RichText control.
I am writing an application that relies heavily on the RichText control for user input in a form design app.
When the user presses CTL + I, I need to set the font style to Italic. I wrote code to override the KeyPress function. It works, but a Tab Char is also inserted into the text even though I set the Handeled property to true.

(CTL + B for bold and CTL + U for underline work fine)

CTL + I is ASCII code 9, which of course is a Horizontal Tab. However, if the .Handled property is set to true I would expect the RichText control to thow out the character. What am I missing Is this a bug I don't have $99.00 to find out so I hope someone can help. I will certainly appreciate it.
Best Regards,
-Marty

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RichEdit Control and CTL + I Key combination

Carol Pahl
The RichTextBox throws a lot of people on various key stroke handlers...  The problem is that the control can seem very inconsistant about where and when it handles certain events.

In this case, the insertion of the horizontal tab is occuring in the KeyPress event, rather than the KeyDown event (which is where things like copy/cut/paste are handled).  For your code you work, you will have to handle both events:

'First, you need a class wide variable to determine if the KeyDown event handled the KeyPress event

Dim DidHandle As Boolean = False

'Now you put the code to do the italics on KeyDown
    Private Sub RichTextBox1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles RichTextBox1.KeyDown

        If e.KeyCode = Keys.I And e.Control = True Then
            Dim TargetStyle As FontStyle = RichTextBox1.SelectionFont.Style
            If RichTextBox1.SelectionFont.Italic Then
                TargetStyle -= FontStyle.Italic
            Else
                TargetStyle += FontStyle.Italic
            End If
            RichTextBox1.SelectionFont = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.SelectionFont, TargetStyle)
            e.Handled = True

'Set the variable to say we handled this key press
            DidHandle = True

        End If

    End Sub

'Now put code in the KeyPress event to check for the key being handled in KeyDown

    Private Sub RichTextBox1_KeyPress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs) Handles RichTextBox1.KeyPress

        If DidHandle Then
'Mark this key event as handled
            e.Handled = True

'Reset our class wide variable
            DidHandle = False
        End If

    End Sub

As you can see, you don't have to actually override the events, just handle them.  By handling both events you'll get the desired results.

Good Luck!
HannesThor
It's basicly experience...

Whenever an key event doesn't work like I expect, the first thing I do is move my code to the other key events and look for a difference... more trial and error than anything. But hey, so long as the errors won't end in death, it's a viable way to learn!! =)
Paul2006
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. It worked great. I spent days trying to figure this out. I really appreciate it! Is there a way to figure out where different events are handled or do you just know about this one from experience

Best Regards,
-Marty
RichEdit Control and CTL + I Key combination

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