How to handle special key events?

Microsoft .NET Framework has KeyUp, KeyPress and KeyDown events. These events capture only limited character set. Also, Arrow keys do not fire KeyPress and KeyDown events, but it fires KeyUp event.

Now application needs to capture TAB/Arrow keys efectively, before any part of the application reads or fires any events. Also how to disable certain keys within an application?

To handle special key events at the form or control level, overrides protected ProcessCmdKey function as follow:

To handle special key events at an application level, implements IMessageFilter. This interface allows an application to capture a message before it is dispatched to a control or form:

Public Class FormKeyHandler Implements IMessageFilter Public Function PreFilterMessage(ByRef m As _ System.Windows.Forms.Message) _ As Boolean Implements _ System.Windows.Forms.IMessageFilter.PreFilterMessage ''' Do something Return True ''' True indicates key has been processed. End Function End Class '''And add the following statement when application starts... Application.AddMessageFilter(new FormKeyHandler())

Happy "Key" Coding :)