Disable F1-F12 Keys?

[Rayr]

Hi All,
Is their a way to turn off all the F keys? I dont want a user to hit one of these keys and have alpha do something I dont want.

[Colin Roberts]

Trap them with OnKey:

If a_user.key.value="{F1}"
a_user.key.handled=.T.
if a_user.key.event="down" then
end if
end if

If a_user.key.value="{F2}"
a_user.key.handled=.T.
if a_user.key.event="down" then
end if
end if

Etc.

Store the code in the code library to make it easier to apply to all forms.

BUT there may be an easier way - i'm always prepared to bow to superior knowledge.

Colin

[martinwcole]

if left(a_user.key.value,2)="{F" 
     a_user.key.handled=.t.
     end
end if

[CALocklin]

Martin - so simple I never thought of it.

However, Ray might want to consider something else instead - especially if he has users who do a lot of data entry. (In other words, if your users are good typists.)

Instead of disabling them completely:
- leave the F1 key as the help key as defined by Windows. (with the exception noted below)
- the F2 key is defined by Windows as the "edit this" key which moves the cursor to the end of the text. This can be handy when a user wants to add something to the end of the existing text. (Actually, it toggles between the end of the text and highlighting all text.)
- F3 toggles the "allow edits" flag. A few of my users like to use this even if the form is not modal. They sometimes "disallow" edits when the screen will be open for awhile just to protect against accidental key presses when moving papers around, etc.
- F4 seems to be undefined in Alpha.
- F5 refreshes the current form. (Not used very often but it shouldn't hurt anything.)
- F6 moves you to the next 'region' if you have any embedded browses on the form. Very handy for some users.
- F7 seems to be undefined. (In other words, it can't hurt either.)
- F8 toggles between browse mode and form view. This is the one I usually want to disable. See below for an explanation of what I use it for instead.
- F9 is just a Save key. Again, this should not be a problem.
- F10, 11, and 12 are not defined in Alpha.

Based on the above, my solution is an OnKey script that sets up the following standards throughout my application:

- Change the F8 key to an "Alt - DownArrow" shortcut. "Alt - DownArrow" is the Windows "shortcut" command for opening drop-downs. (Most users I know of don't think of "Alt - DownArrow" as a viable shortcut. First, they can't seem to remember it and second, they find it very awkward. Pressing the F8 key is a bit awkward at first but definitely easier because it's only one keystroke. Those who prefer can still use "Alt - DownArrow".)
- Set the F10 key to press the "Enter_btn" button if I have one. (I.e., the "new record" button or just Ctrl-E if you don't have an Enter button. I use an Enter button when I want to do more than just a simple "New Record" command such as getting data from the current form first and/or entering data in the new record.)
- Set the F11 key to press the "Find_btn" button if the form has one. This way they can just press F11 rather than grabbing the mouse every time. Users entering lots of data are usually very fast at keyboarding and prefer "type, type, type, type, type, type, type" - to - "type, type, type, grab the mouse, locate the Find button, click the Find button, relocate your hands on the keyboard, type, type, type"
- Set the F12 key to activate the "Close_Form_btn". See the wierd explanation above for the reason why.
- Set the F1 key to press the Help_btn button if there is one. Otherwise it defaults to the standard F1 action defined by Windows.

Of course, this only talks about the "F" keys. What about the various Control keys. There are actually more of them that I consider "possibly troublesome". Here's my solution so you don't have to figure out which control keys are used:

IF a_user.key.value = "{^O}" 'Open form
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^E}" 'Enter Record
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^B}" 'Query by Form
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^P}" 'Print
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^Q}" 'Query Genie
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^M}" 'Mark record
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^U}" 'Unmark record
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^D}" 'Delete record
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^F}" 'Find by Form
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF
IF a_user.key.value = "{^T}" 'Dial phone
 a_user.key.handled = .T.
 END'
END IF

Of course, the definition of the specific Control keys can be changed rather than simply disabled or the section for a specific key can be deleted or REMed if you prefer to leave one active.

[martinwcole]

Cal, I use a similar system, too, to protect data. Do use a function or put the code in all the forms.

Since most of my forms fall into maybe 3 types, I put the code in a function and call the one appropriate to the type of form I'm wirking with - eg:

FUNCTION onkey1 AS L ( )
	on error goto errors
	lastuse=toseconds(time()) 'timer disables app after 15 minutes non-use, forces re-logon from main menu
	if a_user.key.value = "{esc}" then
		a_user.key.handled=.t.
		if a_user.key.event="down"
			if this.mode_get() <> "view"
				this.cancel() 
				end
			else
				this.close()
				end
			end if
		end if
	end if
	if a_user.key.value="{prnt scrn}" 'uses keyboard to print any screen from anywhere
		a_user.key.handled=.t.
		ui_bitmap_create_from_screen("test", 0, 0, 8, 6) 
		vblob = ui_bitmap_save("test") 
		t=table.open("cscreen")
		t.change_begin()
			t.cscreen=vblob
		t.change_end(.t.)
		report.preview("cscreen")
		t.close()
		ui_bitmap_drop("test") 
		delete vblob
		end
	end if 
	if a_user.key.value="{^d}"
		if left(parentform.active(),6)="browse"
			end 
		else
			a_user.key.handled=.t.
			end
		end if 
	end if 
	if left(a_user.key.value,2)="{^"
		select 
			case a_user.key.value="{^a}"
			case a_user.key.value="{^z}"	
			case a_user.key.value="{^c}"	
			case a_user.key.value="{^v}"
			case a_user.key.value="{^end}"
			case a_user.key.value="{^home}"				
			case else 
				a_user.key.handled=.t.
				end
		end select
	end if
	if left(a_user.key.value,2)="{%"
		a_user.key.handled=.t.
		end
	end if 
	end
	errors:
	err_msg = error_text_get(error_code_get())
	line = error_line_number_get()
	script = error_script_get()
	ui_msg_box("Error", err_msg+" Error occurred at line "+alltrim(str(line,4,0))+ " in script: "+script)
	end
END FUNCTION

[Rayr]

Thank you all, I will try your recommendation.

[CALocklin]

Cal, I use a similar system, too, to protect data. Do use a function or put the code in all the forms.

Since most of my forms fall into maybe 3 types, I put the code in a function and call the one appropriate to the type of form I'm wirking with - eg:

So far I've just used one "Std_OnKey" script. (Never changed it to a function - no specific reason.) I have my basic version stored in the Code Library but it sometimes gets slight modifications for specific apps. It's pretty similar to your function except that I left the individual keys as separate IF statements so they are easy to modify when necessary. Sometimes my OnKey event will actually "modify" the script action by running specific checks before the Std_OnKey call and ENDing at that point if used. For example:

IF a_user.key.value = "{^O}"
        a_user.key.handled = .T.
        IF a_user.key.event = "down"
            <Do something "non-standard" here>
            END'
        END IF
END IF

script_play("Std_OnKey")

[Cheryl Lemire]

I also have a function that I use for the OnKey.

'*******************************************************************************
' PRIMARY PURPOSE of the OnKey() function is to run a custom script
' when a specific key is pressed.
'
' Parameters:
'
' OnKey("KeyPressed", "ScriptName")
'    KeyPressed    -    specific key pressed by the user on the keyboard
'   ScriptName  -   name of custom script to play when key is pressed
'*******************************************************************************

FUNCTION OnKey AS C (KeyPressed as c, ScriptName as c )

if a_user.key.value = KeyPressed

'    if parentform.mode_get() = "View"

        a_user.key.handled = .T.

        if a_user.key.event = "down"

            'run custom script
            script_play(ScriptName)

        end if

'    end if
    
end if    

END FUNCTION

If I want a specific key to do something, say exit the application, from anywhere in the application, I would call my function in the autoexec. On the other hand, if I want to use a specific key to perform a different action depending on where the user is within the app, I call my function in the OnKey event of the form.

All in personal preference :)

Edited: Sample calls of function:

'Program F10 key to close all windows and exit Alpha
OnKey("{f10}","exit_db")

'Program F2 key to begin new shipping process
OnKey("{F2}","change_ship_num_tech")

'Program F2 key to begin new at vendor process
OnKey("{F2}","change_ven_ship")