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TextBox with AutoComplete enabled clears itself and keeps focus when pressing [Enter]

I've successfully implemented AutoCompleteCustomSource on a TextBox control (single line, no drop-down) , which is saved in My.Settings. Also on this TextBox, I have a KeyPress event which, when triggered by the [Enter] key, a .PerformClick() is called on a button.

However, as long as the AutoCompleteMode and AutoCompleteSource are set, then when the [Enter] key is pressed, the TextBox is cleared and the KeyPress event never fires. If I remove the AutoComplete features (set them to None), the TextBox behaves as expected and the KeyPress event fires correctly.

Why is this happening?

ROMA CHAUHAN

You can handle the enter event in Textbox_Keydown event.

Nasir Razzaq

Use the KeyUp event instead of KeyPress
http://www.xtremevbtalk.com/showthread.php?t=301468

Matthew Clark

ASKER

They KeyUp event does fire, which is good, however the TextBox still clears before the event is fired. Why is the TextBox clearing out?

Nasir Razzaq

That is down to the implementation of the autocomplete feature i guess. Does it clear even when there are no autocomplete suggestions?

Matthew Clark

ASKER

@CodeCruiser: yes, even if there are no suggestions the TextBox clear itself. It's very strange, and it only happens when the AutoCompleteMode and AutoCompleteSource are set.
Changing the event from KeyPress to KeyUp got the [Enter] key functionality I was looking for, but I just can't explain why the TextBox is clearing itself. I've looked all through the documentation I could find on AutoComplete, and no one else has mentioned this problem.

Nasir Razzaq

Do you have any other events of the textbox handled or any other code related to this textbox?

Matthew Clark

ASKER

This is a fairly simple, single-form application designed to serve a very simple purpose. There are no other events on the TextBox. As I mentioned, if I set the AutoCompleteMode and AutoCompleteSource to "None", everything works perfectly. As soon as I set those, the problem returns.
I'm starting to think that I ought to just not use AutoComplete and create my own logic that populates a drop-down. But I don't like to give up, and I'll be damned if a software project is gonna beat me!

Matthew Clark

ASKER

Well, crap. I decided to whip out a brand new Windows Forms Application with just a TextBox, Button, and the accompanying AutoComplte features. It worked flawlessly.
Below is the code I wrote, which is basically the same as my real application, just simplified. I'll keep looking at what I have...

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Me.TextBox1.AutoCompleteCustomSource = My.Settings.TextBox_AC
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Form1_FormClosing(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.FormClosingEventArgs) Handles MyBase.FormClosing
        My.Settings.TextBox_AC = Me.TextBox1.AutoCompleteCustomSource
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub TextBox_Enter(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles TextBox1.KeyUp
        If e.KeyCode = 13 Then
            Button1.PerformClick()
            e.Handled = True
        End If
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        If Not Me.TextBox1.AutoCompleteCustomSource.Contains(Me.TextBox1.Text) Then
            Me.TextBox1.AutoCompleteCustomSource.Add(Me.TextBox1.Text)
        End If
        MsgBox("Hello, World!" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & Me.TextBox1.Text)
    End Sub
End Class

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Matthew Clark

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