Thread: Tab order in graphically designed forms(MSVC)

Originally posted by knutso
I'm designing forms in MSVC using the resource editor. I'm not using MFC.
You can set the tab-order in the editor, but this doesn't always work..

You can set the tab-order in the editor? How can you do that? I know it's easy in VB, but I am completely unaware of how you can possibly do it from within the resource editor in VC..
The way that I accomplish it is by manually editing the data in the resource file. Just cut/paste the controls in the tab order you desire. For example, before:

Code:

IDD_FILEINFO DIALOG DISCARDABLE  0, 0, 219, 175
STYLE WS_MINIMIZEBOX | WS_MAXIMIZEBOX | WS_POPUP | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU | 
    WS_THICKFRAME
FONT 8, "MS Sans Serif"
BEGIN
    PUSHBUTTON      "Display Comment",IDC_CHGDSP,7,154,79,14
    DEFPUSHBUTTON   "Close",IDOK,162,154,50,14
    EDITTEXT        IDC_INF,7,48,205,99,ES_MULTILINE | ES_AUTOVSCROLL | 
                    ES_AUTOHSCROLL | ES_READONLY | ES_WANTRETURN | 
                    WS_VSCROLL | WS_HSCROLL
    EDITTEXT        IDC_FILENAME,7,19,205,14,ES_AUTOHSCROLL | ES_READONLY
    LTEXT           "Filename",IDC_STATIC,7,7,29,8
    CTEXT           "Static",IDC_DISPLAYING,7,37,205,8
END

and after:

Code:

IDD_FILEINFO DIALOG DISCARDABLE  0, 0, 219, 175
STYLE WS_MINIMIZEBOX | WS_MAXIMIZEBOX | WS_POPUP | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU | 
    WS_THICKFRAME
FONT 8, "MS Sans Serif"
BEGIN
    EDITTEXT        IDC_FILENAME,7,19,205,14,ES_AUTOHSCROLL | ES_READONLY // tab 1
    PUSHBUTTON      "Display Comment",IDC_CHGDSP,7,154,79,14              // tab 2
    EDITTEXT        IDC_INF,7,48,205,99,ES_MULTILINE | ES_AUTOVSCROLL |   // tab 3
                    ES_AUTOHSCROLL | ES_READONLY | ES_WANTRETURN | 
                    WS_VSCROLL | WS_HSCROLL
    DEFPUSHBUTTON   "Close",IDOK,162,154,50,14                            // tab 4
    LTEXT           "Filename",IDC_STATIC,7,7,29,8
    CTEXT           "Static",IDC_DISPLAYING,7,37,205,8
END

Ohhhhhh, that's the problem?

You can set the tab-order in the editor, but this doesn't always work..

That makes it look like you have a problem with the tab order..

Just do this:

Code:

while (GetMessage(&msg, 0, 0, 0) > 0) {
    if (!IsDialogMessage(hDialog, &msg)) {
      TranslateMessage(&msg);
      DispatchMessage(&msg);
    }
  }

To note, this is a very common question as you may have gathered. A prime candidate for the <search> function.

Have you selected the TAB stop style for the control in the resource editor as well?