Thread: Tabs in windows childs

Originally Posted by CommonTater

Ok... the WS_TABSTOP is to be added to each control you want to tab to... It's a style, not a message.

Here's an example in a .rc file (used for dialog boxes)...

Code:

  CONTROL "", 4000, "Static", SS_CENTER|SS_CENTERIMAGE, 54, 13, 93, 12, WS_EX_STATICEDGE
  CONTROL "2100", 4001, "Edit", ES_CENTER|ES_NUMBER|WS_BORDER|WS_TABSTOP, 54, 29, 28, 12, WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE
  CONTROL "", 4002, "Edit", ES_AUTOHSCROLL|ES_PASSWORD|WS_BORDER|WS_TABSTOP, 54, 45, 93, 12, WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE
  CONTROL "10", 4003, "Edit", ES_CENTER|ES_NUMBER|WS_BORDER|WS_TABSTOP, 54, 79, 28, 12
  CONTROL "30", 4004, "Edit", ES_CENTER|ES_NUMBER|ES_AUTOHSCROLL|WS_BORDER|WS_TABSTOP, 54, 95, 28, 12
  CONTROL "5", 4005, "Edit", ES_CENTER|ES_NUMBER|ES_AUTOHSCROLL|WS_BORDER|WS_TABSTOP, 54, 111, 28, 12
  CONTROL "1000", 4006, "Edit", ES_CENTER|ES_NUMBER|ES_AUTOHSCROLL|WS_BORDER|WS_TABSTOP, 54, 127, 28, 12
  CONTROL "Disable Add Files mode", 4008, "Button", BS_AUTOCHECKBOX|WS_TABSTOP, 173, 14, 117, 16
  CONTROL "Allow only 1 remote per program", 4009, "Button", BS_AUTOCHECKBOX|WS_TABSTOP, 173, 34, 117, 16
  CONTROL "Disable End Program command", 4010, "Button", BS_AUTOCHECKBOX|WS_TABSTOP, 173, 54, 117, 16

Notice how WS_TABSTOP is used with every control...

Now with direct window creation...

Code:

    Wind[1] = CreateWindowEx(WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE,L"STATIC",L"Menu",
                  WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE |
                  SS_CENTER | SS_CENTERIMAGE | SS_NOTIFY,
                  1,1,300,20,Wind[0],(HMENU) 100,PgmInst,NULL);
    MsgWind = Wind[1];
    // upper toolbar
    Wind[2] = CreateWindow(TOOLBARCLASSNAME,NULL,
                      WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_TABSTOP |
                      TBSTYLE_FLAT | TBSTYLE_TRANSPARENT | 
                      TBSTYLE_TOOLTIPS | TBSTYLE_LIST | 
                      CCS_NODIVIDER |CCS_NOPARENTALIGN | CCS_NORESIZE,
                      10,60,300,35,Wind[0],(HMENU)101,PgmInst,NULL);
    // lower toolbar
    Wind[3] = CreateWindow(TOOLBARCLASSNAME,NULL,
                      WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_TABSTOP |
                      TBSTYLE_FLAT | TBSTYLE_TRANSPARENT | 
                      TBSTYLE_TOOLTIPS | TBSTYLE_LIST | 
                      CCS_NODIVIDER |CCS_NOPARENTALIGN | CCS_NORESIZE,
                      10,95,300,35,Wind[0],(HMENU)102,PgmInst,NULL);

Again, notice how WS_TABSTOP is used with each of the child windows.

When your dispatcher loop (or the dialog's one) calls IsDialogMessage, it will look first for tabs from the keyboard, search the child windows for the next one with the WS_TABSTOP style and move input focus to that control.

hey mate I did the same thing,but I see it tabs only in 1 control when it goes at that edit box it won't tab to the others I added WB_TABSTOP to child window that wants tabbing and basically my dispatcher loop looks like this.I find more information on WB_TABSTOP except its styles on msdn.

I create the child windows on WM_CREATE of a normal window not dialog box or anything.

Code:

	while(GetMessage(&Msg,hHWND,NULL,NULL) > 0){
		if(!IsDialogMessage(hHWND,&Msg)){
			TranslateMessage(&Msg);
			DispatchMessage(&Msg);
		}
	}

Originally Posted by kira_coder

hey mate I did the same thing,but I see it tabs only in 1 control when it goes at that edit box it won't tab to the others I added WB_TABSTOP to child window that wants tabbing and basically my dispatcher loop looks like this.I find more information on WB_TABSTOP except its styles on msdn.

I create the child windows on WM_CREATE of a normal window not dialog box or anything.

Code:

	while(GetMessage(&Msg,hHWND,NULL,NULL) > 0){
		if(!IsDialogMessage(hHWND,&Msg)){
			TranslateMessage(&Msg);
			DispatchMessage(&Msg);
		}
	}

Ahhhh.... sounds like we're on a wavelength now.

There are some windows controls --multiline edit boxes being one-- that don't support tab-out properly. This is because they use the tab character internally, you can tab in, but then you're stuck. Some will support CTRL-TAB others just leave you stranded.

Work arounds for this include:

Re-arranging your tab order (the order in which child windows are created)
Removing WS_TABSTOP from the control.
Subclassing the control and processing the tab key with GetNextDlgTabItem and SetFocus.
Using a different control.

It's rather inconsistent of them but it is what it is...

Your dispatcher looks fine. There is another element you could add IsAccelerator which supports keyboard shortcuts from AcceleratorTables in your program's resources.

Originally Posted by kira_coder

ahh thanks mate.I thought when I add WB_TABSTOP it would remove handling for TAB WM_CHAR for edit box.
I guess I have to just subclass them and use GetNextDlgTabItem and SetFocus manually to do it.

Yep, that's probably the best option if you don't care about tabbing in the edit box.

You can also try responding to WM_GETDLGCODE in your subclass. In my experience this is a tad flakey, but still worth a try.

WM_GETDLGCODE Message (Windows)