SAMPLE: Program Demonstrates Edit Control Validation

 Last reviewed: July 23, 1997
Article ID: Q82076
3.00 3.10 WINDOWS kbprg kbfile

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows versions 3.0 and 3.1

DATAVAL is a file in the Microsoft Software Library that demonstrates how to validate the contents of one or more edit controls within the same dialog box without subclassing the edit controls.

Download DATAVAL.EXE, a self-extracting file, from the Microsoft Software Library (MSL) on the following services:

  • Microsoft Download Service (MSDL) 

          Dial (206) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
      Download DATAVAL.EXE (size: 26383 bytes)
  • Internet (anonymous FTP) 

          ftp ftp.microsoft.com
      Change to the \SOFTLIB\MSLFILES directory
      Get DATAVAL.EXE (size: 26383 bytes)

DATAVAL processes the EN_KILLFOCUS message, which the dialog box receives after an edit control has lost the input focus. When the dialog box receives an EN_KILLFOCUS message, it calls a validation function to determine if the contents of the control losing focus is valid. If the contents is not valid, then the dialog box posts a user- defined "not valid" message to itself. When the dialog box processes the "not valid" message, it displays a message box alerting the user of the error, and then sets focus back to the control with invalid contents. A cancel button in the dialog box allows the user to exit the dialog box without performing validation.

An application is in an unstable state when it receives an EN_KILLFOCUS message; Windows is in the process of switching focus between windows. Therefore, the application must use PostMessage to provide the "not valid" message or the application can enter an infinite loop.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.10 softlib DATAVAL.EXE
KBCategory: kbprg kbfile
KBSubcategory: UsrCtl
Keywords : kb16bitonly UsrCtl kbfile kbprg
Version : 3.00 3.10
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: July 23, 1997
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