Problem with childwindows

[colin glenn]

Have you considered having the parent watch for the %EN_CHANGE notification and creating the textbox having the %ES_WANTRETURN style? Then you can detect the validity of the entry, and if correct, do stuff (stripping the CR from the data), otherwise, inform user of invalid data.

ES_WANTRETURN: Specifies that a carriage return be inserted when the user presses the ENTER key while entering text into a multiline edit control in a dialog box. If you do not specify this style, pressing the ENTER key has the same effect as pressing the dialog box's default push button. This style has no effect on a single-line edit control.

[Gerhard Praetorius]

Thank you all for your suggestions. And excuse my delayed answer. After all I think, the best method is to test all inputs as far as possible before leaving the edit field, and check inputs which can only be tested after completion of input in a separate function ["CheckInputCtrls()"]. This function must be called
1. from childwindow after %EN_KILLFOCUS and
2. from parentwindow when "Ok", "submit" etc. is clicked or the childwindow is going to be changed by typing a tab of the tab control.
"Editbusy" prevents "CheckInputCtrls()" from being called twice.

#PBFORMS CREATED V1.51

#COMPILE EXE
#DIM ALL

#PBFORMS BEGIN INCLUDES
%USEMACROS = 1
#IF NOT %DEF(%WINAPI)
    #INCLUDE "WIN32API.INC"
#ENDIF
#IF NOT %DEF(%COMMCTRL_INC)
    #INCLUDE "COMMCTRL.INC"
#ENDIF
#INCLUDE "PBForms.INC"
#PBFORMS END INCLUDES

#PBFORMS BEGIN CONSTANTS
%IDD_DIALOG1           = 101
%IDOK                  =   1
%IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1 =   2
%IDD_DIALOG2           = 102
%IDC_TEXTBOX1          =   3
%IDCANCEL              =   2
#PBFORMS END CONSTANTS

DECLARE CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1Proc()
DECLARE CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2Proc()
DECLARE FUNCTION SampleTabCtrl(BYVAL hDlg AS DWORD, BYVAL lID AS LONG, BYVAL _
    lCount AS LONG) AS LONG
DECLARE FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
DECLARE FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
#PBFORMS DECLARATIONS

FUNCTION PBMAIN()
    PBFormsInitComCtls (%ICC_WIN95_CLASSES OR %ICC_DATE_CLASSES OR _
        %ICC_INTERNET_CLASSES)

    GLOBAL gPage AS LONG
    GLOBAL ghPage() AS LONG
    GLOBAL gEditbusy AS LONG

    ShowDIALOG1 %HWND_DESKTOP
    ShowDIALOG2 %HWND_DESKTOP
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION CheckInputCtrls(BYVAL CtrlId AS LONG) AS LONG
    LOCAL hDlg,ret,flt AS LONG
    STATIC Editbusy AS LONG

    IF Editbusy THEN EXIT FUNCTION
    Editbusy = 1
    hDlg = ghPage(gPage)

    SELECT CASE CtrlId
       CASE %IDC_TEXTBOX1
          CONTROL SEND hDlg,CtrlId,%EM_GETMODIFY,0,0 TO ret
          IF ISTRUE ret THEN
             MessageBox hDlg,"test input after %EN_KILLFOCUS","",%MB_OK
             'if input not valid then flt = 1
          END IF

       CASE ELSE
          RESET CtrlId

    END SELECT
    IF flt THEN
       CONTROL SEND hDlg, %IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1, %TCM_SETCURFOCUS, gPage - 1, 0
       Setfocus GetDlgItem(hDlg,CtrlId)
       FUNCTION = 1
    END IF
    
    IF CtrlId THEN
       CONTROL SEND hDlg,CtrlId,%EM_SETMODIFY,%FALSE,0
    END IF
    
    RESET Editbusy
    END FUNCTION

CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1Proc()
    LOCAL pNMHDR AS NMHDR PTR

    SELECT CASE AS LONG CBMSG
        CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
            gPage = 1
            DIALOG SEND CBHNDL, %DM_SETDEFID,%IDOK,0

       CASE %WM_NCACTIVATE
            RedrawWindow CBHNDL, BYVAL 0&, BYVAL 0&, %RDW_ERASE OR %RDW_INVALIDATE OR %RDW_ALLCHILDREN OR %RDW_ERASENOW
            RedrawWindow ghPage(gPage), BYVAL 0&, BYVAL 0&, %RDW_ERASE OR %RDW_INVALIDATE OR %RDW_ALLCHILDREN OR %RDW_ERASENOW

        CASE %WM_NOTIFY
            pNMHDR = CBLPARAM

            IF @pNMHDR.hWndFrom = GetDlgItem(CBHNDL, %IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1) THEN
               CONTROL SEND CBHNDL, %IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1, %TCM_GETCURSEL, 0, 0 TO gPage
               INCR gPage

               SELECT CASE @pNMHDR.Code
                   CASE %TCN_SELCHANGING
                      IF CheckInputCtrls(GetDlgCtrlID(GetFocus())) THEN EXIT FUNCTION
               
                      DIALOG SHOW STATE ghPage(gPage), %SW_HIDE
                      FUNCTION = 0

                   CASE %TCN_SELCHANGE
                      
                      DIALOG SHOW STATE ghPage(gPage), %SW_SHOW
                      FUNCTION = 0

               END SELECT
            END IF

        CASE %WM_COMMAND
            SELECT CASE AS LONG CBCTL
                CASE %IDCANCEL
                   DIALOG END CBHNDL,0

                CASE %IDOK
                    IF CBCTLMSG = %BN_CLICKED OR CBCTLMSG = 1 THEN
                       IF CheckInputCtrls(GetDlgCtrlID(GetFocus())) THEN EXIT FUNCTION
                       DIALOG END CBHNDL,0
                    END IF

            END SELECT
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION

CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2Proc()
    LOCAL ret AS LONG

    SELECT CASE AS LONG CBMSG
        CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
           LOCAL x,y AS LONG
           CONTROL GET LOC GetParent(CBHNDL),%IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1 TO x,y
           DIALOG SET LOC CBHNDL,x + 4,y + 16
           CONTROL SET FOCUS CBHNDL,%IDC_TEXTBOX1
           FUNCTION = 1

        CASE %WM_COMMAND
            SELECT CASE AS LONG CBCTL
                CASE %IDC_TEXTBOX1
                   IF CBCTLMSG = %EN_KILLFOCUS THEN
                      IF CheckInputCtrls(CBCTL) THEN EXIT FUNCTION
                   END IF

            END SELECT
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION SampleTabCtrl(BYVAL hDlg AS DWORD, BYVAL lID AS LONG, BYVAL lCount _
    AS LONG) AS LONG
    LOCAL i        AS LONG
    LOCAL hCtl     AS DWORD
    LOCAL szBuf    AS ASCIIZ * 32
    LOCAL tTC_Item AS TC_ITEM

    CONTROL HANDLE hDlg, lID TO hCtl

    tTC_Item.Mask    = %TCIF_TEXT
    tTC_Item.iImage  = -1
    tTC_Item.pszText = VARPTR(szBuf)

    DIM tAccel(lCount -1) AS ACCELAPI
    FOR i = 0 TO lCount - 1
        szBuf = USING$("Tab #", i)
        TabCtrl_InsertItem(hCtl, i, tTC_Item)
    NEXT i
END FUNCTION


FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt AS LONG

#PBFORMS BEGIN DIALOG %IDD_DIALOG1->->
    LOCAL hDlg  AS DWORD

    DIALOG NEW hParent, "MainWindow", 221, 161, 311, 169, %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_BORDER OR %WS_DLGFRAME OR %WS_THICKFRAME OR %WS_CAPTION OR _
        %WS_SYSMENU OR %WS_MINIMIZEBOX OR %WS_MAXIMIZEBOX OR _
        %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_ABSALIGN OR %DS_MODALFRAME OR _
        %DS_CENTER OR %DS_3DLOOK OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE OR %DS_SETFONT, _
        %WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE OR %WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT OR %WS_EX_LEFT OR _
        %WS_EX_LTRREADING OR %WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR, TO hDlg
    CONTROL ADD BUTTON, hDlg, %IDOK, "&Ok", 174, 140, 60, 15
    DIALOG  SEND        hDlg, %DM_SETDEFID, %IDOK, 0
    CONTROL ADD "SysTabControl32", hDlg, %IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1, _
        "SysTabControl32_1", 10, 25, 295, 105, %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR _
        %WS_TABSTOP OR %TCS_SINGLELINE OR %TCS_RIGHTJUSTIFY, _
        %WS_EX_TRANSPARENT OR %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL ADD BUTTON, hDlg, %IDCANCEL, "&Cancel", 241, 140, 60, 15
#PBFORMS END DIALOG

    SampleTabCtrl  hDlg, %IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1, 2

    REDIM ghPage(1)
    ghPage(0) = hDlg
    ghPage(1) = ShowDIALOG2(hDlg)


    DIALOG SHOW MODAL hDlg, CALL ShowDIALOG1Proc TO lRslt

#PBFORMS BEGIN CLEANUP %IDD_DIALOG1
#PBFORMS END CLEANUP

    FUNCTION = lRslt
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt AS LONG

#PBFORMS BEGIN DIALOG %IDD_DIALOG2->->
    LOCAL hDlg  AS DWORD

    DIALOG NEW hParent, "Child1", 292, 179, 201, 75, %WS_CHILD OR %WS_BORDER _
        OR %WS_DLGFRAME OR %WS_THICKFRAME OR %WS_CAPTION OR %WS_SYSMENU OR _
        %WS_MINIMIZEBOX OR %WS_MAXIMIZEBOX OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_ABSALIGN OR _
        %DS_MODALFRAME OR %DS_CONTROL OR %DS_CENTER OR %DS_3DLOOK OR _
        %DS_NOFAILCREATE OR %DS_SETFONT, %WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE OR %WS_EX_LEFT OR _
        %WS_EX_LTRREADING OR %WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR, TO hDlg
    CONTROL ADD TEXTBOX, hDlg, %IDC_TEXTBOX1, "TextBox1", 5, 5, 100, 13
#PBFORMS END DIALOG

    DIALOG SHOW MODELESS hDlg, CALL ShowDIALOG2Proc TO lRslt

#PBFORMS BEGIN CLEANUP %IDD_DIALOG2
#PBFORMS END CLEANUP

    FUNCTION = hDlg
END FUNCTION

[Dave Biggs]

There are lots of examples of 'data entry' techniques on the forum.
Most accept the Enter key or the TAB key as a trigger to check the data that the user has entered. Sometimes a 'Submit' button is used.

In your example. If the user can navigate away from the TEXTBOX without causing a EN_KILLFOCUS notification, your code will need to allow for it.

When the enter key sends an %IDOK you need to check in the code that handles %IDOK if the keyboard focus is (still) on your TEXTBOX. If so you will have to deal with it.

This code shows one way to do that check. It also shows a bit of a hack which will allow you to force a EN_KILLFOCUS message be sent to the TEXTBOX - not that I am recommending it - just for fun

                 CASE %IDOK
                    IF CBCTLMSG = %BN_CLICKED OR CBCTLMSG = 1 Then
                      If GetDlgCtrlID(GetFocus()) = %IDC_TEXTBOX1 Then
                        WinBeep 800, 50 : 'check the TextBox data
                        SendMessage GetParent(GetFocus()), %WM_COMMAND, MAKLNG(%IDC_TEXTBOX1, %EN_KILLFOCUS), GetFocus()
                      End If
                       ? "%IDOK in ShowDIALOG1Proc, gtest: " + STR$(gtest)
                       DIALOG END CBHNDL,0
                    END IF

BTW a standard solution for your example of date input would be to use a date time picker control. It can be set to accept data input in the style of your choice (not neccessarily the same as the PCs Locale settings) by sending a DTM_SETFORMAT message.

[Gerhard Praetorius]

Here is a small testprogram which demonstrates my problem:

#PBFORMS CREATED V1.51

#COMPILE EXE
#DIM ALL

#PBFORMS BEGIN INCLUDES
%USEMACROS = 1
#IF NOT %DEF(%WINAPI)
    #INCLUDE "WIN32API.INC"
#ENDIF
#IF NOT %DEF(%COMMCTRL_INC)
    #INCLUDE "COMMCTRL.INC"
#ENDIF
#INCLUDE "PBForms.INC"
#PBFORMS END INCLUDES

#PBFORMS BEGIN CONSTANTS
%IDD_DIALOG1           = 101
%IDOK                  =   1
%IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1 =   2
%IDD_DIALOG2           = 102
%IDC_TEXTBOX1          =   3
%IDCANCEL              =   2
#PBFORMS END CONSTANTS

DECLARE CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1Proc()
DECLARE CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2Proc()
DECLARE FUNCTION SampleTabCtrl(BYVAL hDlg AS DWORD, BYVAL lID AS LONG, BYVAL _
    lCount AS LONG) AS LONG
DECLARE FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
DECLARE FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
#PBFORMS DECLARATIONS

FUNCTION PBMAIN()
    PBFormsInitComCtls (%ICC_WIN95_CLASSES OR %ICC_DATE_CLASSES OR _
        %ICC_INTERNET_CLASSES)

    GLOBAL ghPage() AS LONG
    GLOBAL gtest AS LONG

    ShowDIALOG1 %HWND_DESKTOP
    ShowDIALOG2 %HWND_DESKTOP
END FUNCTION

CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1Proc()

    SELECT CASE AS LONG CBMSG
        CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
           DIALOG SEND CBHNDL, %DM_SETDEFID,%IDOK,0

            RedrawWindow CBHNDL, BYVAL 0&, BYVAL 0&, %RDW_ERASE OR %RDW_INVALIDATE OR %RDW_ALLCHILDREN OR %RDW_ERASENOW
            RedrawWindow ghPage(1), BYVAL 0&, BYVAL 0&, %RDW_ERASE OR %RDW_INVALIDATE OR %RDW_ALLCHILDREN OR %RDW_ERASENOW

        CASE %WM_COMMAND
            SELECT CASE AS LONG CBCTL
                CASE %IDCANCEL
                   DIALOG END CBHNDL,0

                CASE %IDOK
                    IF CBCTLMSG = %BN_CLICKED OR CBCTLMSG = 1 THEN
                       ? "%IDOK in ShowDIALOG1Proc, gtest: " + STR$(gtest)
                       DIALOG END CBHNDL,0
                    END IF

            END SELECT
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION

CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2Proc()

    SELECT CASE AS LONG CBMSG
        CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
           LOCAL x,y AS LONG
           CONTROL GET LOC GetParent(CBHNDL),%IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1 TO x,y
           DIALOG SET LOC CBHNDL,x + 4,y + 16
           CONTROL SET FOCUS CBHNDL,%IDC_TEXTBOX1
           FUNCTION = 1

        CASE %WM_COMMAND
            SELECT CASE AS LONG CBCTL
                CASE %IDC_TEXTBOX1
                   IF CBCTLMSG = %EN_KILLFOCUS THEN
                      gtest = 1
                   END IF

            END SELECT
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION SampleTabCtrl(BYVAL hDlg AS DWORD, BYVAL lID AS LONG, BYVAL lCount _
    AS LONG) AS LONG
    LOCAL i        AS LONG
    LOCAL hCtl     AS DWORD
    LOCAL szBuf    AS ASCIIZ * 32
    LOCAL tTC_Item AS TC_ITEM

    CONTROL HANDLE hDlg, lID TO hCtl

    tTC_Item.Mask    = %TCIF_TEXT
    tTC_Item.iImage  = -1
    tTC_Item.pszText = VARPTR(szBuf)

    FOR i = 0 TO lCount - 1
        szBuf = USING$("Tab #", i)
        TabCtrl_InsertItem(hCtl, i, tTC_Item)
    NEXT i
END FUNCTION


FUNCTION ShowDIALOG1(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt AS LONG

#PBFORMS BEGIN DIALOG %IDD_DIALOG1->->
    LOCAL hDlg  AS DWORD

    DIALOG NEW hParent, "MainWindow", 221, 161, 311, 169, %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_BORDER OR %WS_DLGFRAME OR %WS_THICKFRAME OR %WS_CAPTION OR _
        %WS_SYSMENU OR %WS_MINIMIZEBOX OR %WS_MAXIMIZEBOX OR _
        %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_ABSALIGN OR %DS_MODALFRAME OR _
        %DS_CENTER OR %DS_3DLOOK OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE OR %DS_SETFONT, _
        %WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE OR %WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT OR %WS_EX_LEFT OR _
        %WS_EX_LTRREADING OR %WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR, TO hDlg
    CONTROL ADD BUTTON, hDlg, %IDOK, "&Ok", 174, 140, 60, 15
    DIALOG  SEND        hDlg, %DM_SETDEFID, %IDOK, 0
    CONTROL ADD "SysTabControl32", hDlg, %IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1, _
        "SysTabControl32_1", 10, 25, 295, 105, %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR _
        %WS_TABSTOP OR %TCS_SINGLELINE OR %TCS_RIGHTJUSTIFY, _
        %WS_EX_TRANSPARENT OR %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL ADD BUTTON, hDlg, %IDCANCEL, "&Cancel", 241, 140, 60, 15
#PBFORMS END DIALOG

    SampleTabCtrl  hDlg, %IDC_SYSTABCONTROL32_1, 5

    REDIM ghPage(1)
    ghPage(0) = hDlg
    ghPage(1) = ShowDIALOG2(hDlg)


    DIALOG SHOW MODAL hDlg, CALL ShowDIALOG1Proc TO lRslt

#PBFORMS BEGIN CLEANUP %IDD_DIALOG1
#PBFORMS END CLEANUP

    FUNCTION = lRslt
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION ShowDIALOG2(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt AS LONG

#PBFORMS BEGIN DIALOG %IDD_DIALOG2->->
    LOCAL hDlg  AS DWORD

    DIALOG NEW hParent, "Child1", 292, 179, 201, 75, %WS_CHILD OR %WS_BORDER _
        OR %WS_DLGFRAME OR %WS_THICKFRAME OR %WS_CAPTION OR %WS_SYSMENU OR _
        %WS_MINIMIZEBOX OR %WS_MAXIMIZEBOX OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_ABSALIGN OR _
        %DS_MODALFRAME OR %DS_CONTROL OR %DS_CENTER OR %DS_3DLOOK OR _
        %DS_NOFAILCREATE OR %DS_SETFONT, %WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE OR %WS_EX_LEFT OR _
        %WS_EX_LTRREADING OR %WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR, TO hDlg
    CONTROL ADD TEXTBOX, hDlg, %IDC_TEXTBOX1, "TextBox1", 5, 5, 100, 13
#PBFORMS END DIALOG

    DIALOG SHOW MODELESS hDlg, CALL ShowDIALOG2Proc TO lRslt

#PBFORMS BEGIN CLEANUP %IDD_DIALOG2
#PBFORMS END CLEANUP

    FUNCTION = hDlg
END FUNCTION

The program should recognize that the value of the GLOBAL "gtest", set in "ShowDIALOG2Proc" after "%EN_KILLFOCUS", is "1" when you leave the field "Textbox1". When you leave the field by mousecklick everything is OK: It is displayed "gtest = 1". But when you leave the control by typing "Enter" the program ignores "%EN_KILLFOCUS" in "ShowDIALOG2Proc" (or rather comes to late), and the value of "gtest" ist "0".

[Michael Mattias]

I've never had any real success editing data "as the field is being left" but just this week I was testing some things for another purpose and made a discovery which might be of some use....

If the problem is, the user clicks the "OK" button before the field is edited...

The "OK" button gets a WM_COMMAND/BN_SETFOCUS BEFORE the button gets WM_COMMAND/BN_CLICKED. This requires the OK button be created with style BS_NOTIFY.

Maybe you can do something with the BN_SETFOCUS notification from the "OK" button?

The other path I started down was to subclass the edit controls, looking for the WM_SETFOCUS notification. On this notification, wParam is a handle to the control which is LOSING the focus... that is, "where did this come from?" That wasn't working out for me, so I never got to the next step, which would be picking off the WM_KILLFOCUS, in which wParam is a handle to the control which is GAINING the focus.

Knowing "where the focus WAS before it came here" or "where the focus WILL BE GOING when I leave this control" might be useful?

The other thing I've tried over the years... not using IDOK as the ID of the OK button. In these cases if I got WM_COMMAND/IDOK I 'eat' it and optionally post a click to the "real" OK button. If nothing else that allows me to know that the user hit the "Enter" key rather than clicking on the "real OK" button.

Some stuff to play with, anyway.



MCM

[Gerhard Praetorius]

Example input of date: The user types "9.13.9" (german notation, month in the middle), the program should correct this to "09.12.09", e.g.. Or the user types "65" as year which makes no sense in the actual context. This should be corrected or complained not before leaving the field. Or: A date must be prior to another date. That can be tested only after leaving the field as well.

[Paul D. Elliott]

Frankly, I've only found a couple problems with doing field validation on
KillFocus. You have to allow for the user switching to another program or
minimizing your app. No big thing once you realize that it can happen.
And for me, the upside is that you can provide instant feed back ( such
as updating related fields and validating the field you just left ) without
having to wait for the user to click some other button. This is also good
if you have users that refuse to follow the normal flow of field entry
and go clicking whichever field they want. This way you know that they
have entered/changed the field as much as they want and that you can
do what checks you need to before going on to another field.

Just my opinion but it's worked well for over 30 years in various languages.

[Gerhard Praetorius]

Instead of validating the user input when the control looses focus, you could try doing it as the user types.

There are situations where you have to test and eventually correct inputs after the control has loosed the focus, e.g. input of date. What I am looking for is a reliable method to determin the last/lost focus in a childwindow when the user types "Enter" or "Save" in the main window or he changes to another childwindow by typing a tab in the tab control et cetera. For a long time I have being using globals (gLastId) but it has proved not to be reliable. One problem is: you don't get a message unter "%WM_KILLFOCUS" in the modeless childwindow.

[Dave Biggs]

Instead of validating the user input when the control looses focus, you could try doing it as the user types. Using EN_CHANGE for example -

        CASE %IDC_TEXTBOX1
          IF CBCTLMSG = %EN_CHANGE THEN
            CONTROL GET TEXT CBHNDL, %TXT_TEXTBOX1 TO sTest
            ' check input e.g.
            x = VERIFY (sTest , "-+,.1234567890")
            IF x > 0 THEN
              sTest = REMOVE$(sTest, MID$(sTest, x, 1))
              CONTROL SET TEXT CBHNDL, %TXT_TEXTBOX1, sTest
              CONTROL SEND CBHNDL, %TXT_TEXTBOX1, %EM_SETSEL, x-1, x-1
            END IF
          END IF

[Edwin Knoppert]

>you have to test inputs in the parentdialog, and that means
You'll need so anyway.
And now you have to 'fix' any possible way that the user can leave your control.

>and which one has to be tested actually.
That may be a design flaw.

I am not saying it is impossible but i have experiance with this.
Lostfocus means the control does no longer has the focus.
That means you may have a empty-check in the control now having the focus.
By using setfocus you'll keep jumping.

If you must.. use WM_GETDLGCODE to detect and prevent.
Use a mousehook to prevent the click (i did that on one occasion).
You see, it is not that simple.
Controls are diverse and maybe the check is no longer behaving the same as you did on an older control.
The user will not like that.
Testing under a 'submit' is accepted behaviour, messageboxes during a lostfocus is super annoying.
You'll also get the lostfocus destroycaret syndrome, good luck..

[Gerhard Praetorius]

No bad idea to illustrate the issue in a code snipped, Chris. Trying this I found out: In a small test environment the problem does not exist.
So it must be something special in my complex code which I have to find out. Is it really bad practice, Edwin, to test under "lostfocus"? With "OK",
"CANCEL" and "%WM_SYSCOMMAND" you have to test inputs in the parentdialog, and that means: It's not even easy to find out which of the controls in half a dozen or more childwindows has had the lost focus, and which one has to be tested actually.

[Edwin Knoppert]

Testing input under a 'lostfocus' is bad practise in most if not all cases.
Just test under the ok button.
You can also test when you click 'X' but that should be a cancel.

[Chris Holbrook]

Have you considered showing code to illustrate the problem?

[Gerhard Praetorius]

Hi all,
I have a problem with tab controls and childwindows. In a childwindow there is a textbox with user input. After "CBCTLMSG = %EN_KILLFOCUS"
the program checks if the user input is OK. So far all right. The issue occurs when the focus changes by striking the Enter-key.
Then the program performs the "OK"-command in the parentwindow (the "OK"-button has the %DM_SETDEFID-style) BEFORE reaching %EN_KILLFOCUS in
the childwindow. So the dialog is closed before the user input is proved and eventually corrected. This does not happen when the "OK"-button
is activated by mouse-click. How can I make sure that the program "visits" %EN_KILLFOCUS first under all circumstances?