DOCUMENT:Q153310  11-JAN-2001  [vbwin]
TITLE   :How to Select All Text in a Field When It Gets the Focus
PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
PROD/VER:4.00 | 4.00
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kbcode

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
 - Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
 - Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
 - Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
 - Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

In many cases, it is best to select or highlight the full text of a field when
that field gains the focus. This allows the user to simply begin typing to
replace the original text with new text or to press TAB to leave text as it is,
and move to the next field. This is particularly useful in screens where there
are multiple text boxes bound to a Data control for example.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Step by Step Example
--------------------

1. Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.

2. Place three text boxes on the form named Text1, Text2, and Text3.

3. Add the following code to the form1 code window:

      Option Explicit

      Sub Form_Load()
         Text1_lostfocus
         Text2_lostfocus
         Text3_lostfocus
      End Sub

      Sub SetSelected(ctl As Textbox)
         ctl.SelStart = 0
         ctl.SelLength = Len(ctl.Text)
      End Sub

      Private Sub text1_LostFocus()
          Call SetSelected(text1)
      End Sub

      Private Sub text2_LostFocus()
          Call SetSelected(text2)
      End Sub

      Private Sub text3_LostFocus()
          Call SetSelected(text3)
      End Sub

4. On the Run menu, click Start or press F5. You will notice that as you move to
   each text box, the text is highlighted as opposed to the default behavior of
   the mouse pointer remaining in front of the first letter in] the text box.

REFERENCES
==========

Visual Basic Language Reference, SelLength, SelStart Properties, Pages 842-844

   Q110394 How to Automatically Select or Highlight Text Box Upon Focus

Additional query words: 4.00 vb4win vb4all highlight

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Keywords          : kbcode 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbVB400Search kbVB400 kbVB16bitSearch
Version           : 4.00 | 4.00

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