
This page describes keyboard navigation within the PropertyList control. Navigation works exactly the same way in the Visual Basic Properties window. If you include documentation with your product that uses the PropertyList control, you would do well to pass on this information to your users.
General
Items in the list can be navigated by using the up,
right, down, and left arrow keys when the Value field
(second column) is not active. If the Value field is active,
items can still be navigated by using the up and down arrow keys.
If the PropertyList is the only control on a form,
or the only control in the form's tab order, the Tab key
activates the Value column for String and Numeric items.
Item Editing
An editing operation (activating the Value field) can
be initiated for any item by using the following keys or key
combinations:
Navigating in a Dropdown Listbox
The Up, Down, Left and Right arrow keys are used
for navigating a dropdown listbox. Pressing F4, Alt-Up, or
Alt-Down will also cancel the editing operation.
Navigating in a Dropdown Textbox
You can navigate within a Memo field
the same way you would in a normal textbox. Pressing
Enter (Return) alone will close the textbox and
end editing. However, by pressing and holding Shift
or Control while pressing the Enter key,
a new line can be entered in the field without closing
the text window.
Pressing Escape, F4, Alt-Up, or
Alt-Down will also cancel the editing operation.
Navigating in a ColorPicker Dropdown Window
The user can switch tabs in the color picker
(if the tabs are available) by using the Page Up and Page
Down keys.
In the Palette tab, the Up, Down, Left, and Right
arrow keys navigate through the color palette. Pressing the
Spacebar on a color well in the last two rows of the palette
brings up a color dialog that allows the user to choose
a custom color.
In the System Colors tab, the user can navigate
through the available system colors using the Up and
Down arrow keys.
Navigating in a DatePicker Dropdown Window
The arrow keys will move the user through the available
days in the date picker, and the Page Up and Page Down keys
will move through the months.