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Report.KeyDown event (Access)

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The KeyDown event occurs when the user presses a key while a report has the focus. This event also occurs if you send a keystroke to a report by using the SendKeys action in a macro or the SendKeys statement in Visual Basic.

Syntax

expression.KeyDown (KeyCode, Shift)

expression A variable that represents a Report object.

Parameters

Name Required/Optional Data type Description
KeyCode Required Integer A key code, such as vbKeyF1 (the F1 key) or vbKeyHome (the Home key). To specify key codes, use the intrinsic constants shown in the Object Browser. You can prevent an object from receiving a keystroke by setting KeyCode to 0.
Shift Required Integer The state of the Shift, Ctrl, and Alt keys at the time of the event. If you need to test for the Shift argument, you can use one of the following intrinsic constants as bit masks:

  • acShiftMask The bit mask for the Shift key.

  • acCtrlMask The bit mask for the Ctrl key.

  • acAltMask The bit mask for the Alt key.

Remarks

The KeyDown event applies only to forms and controls on a form, and not to controls on a report.

To run a macro or event procedure when these events occur, set the OnKeyDown property to the name of the macro or to [Event Procedure].

A report will also receive all keyboard events, even those that occur for controls, if you set the KeyPreview property of the report to Yes. With this property setting, all keyboard events occur first for the report, and then for the control that has the focus. You can respond to specific keys pressed in the report, regardless of which control has the focus. For example, you may want the key combination Ctrl+X to always perform the same action on a report.

If you press and hold down a key, the KeyDown and KeyPress events alternate repeatedly (KeyDown, KeyPress, KeyDown, KeyPress, and so on) until you release the key, and then the KeyUp event occurs.

Although the KeyDown event occurs when most keys are pressed, it is typically used to recognize or distinguish between:

  • Extended character keys, such as function keys.

  • Navigation keys, such as Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Up arrow, Down arrow, Right arrow, Left arrow, and Tab.

  • Combinations of keys and standard keyboard modifiers (Shift, Ctrl, or Alt keys).

  • The numeric keypad and keyboard number keys.

To find out the ANSI character corresponding to the key pressed, use the KeyPress event.

If a modal dialog box is displayed as a result of pressing or sending a key, the KeyDown and KeyPress events occur, but the KeyUp event doesn't occur.

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