The corresponding tunneling event is PreviewKeyDown.

This is an attached event. WPF implements attached events as routed events. Attached events are fundamentally a XAML language concept for referencing events that can be handled on objects that do not define that event, which WPF expands upon by also enabling the event to traverse a route. Attached events do not have a direct handling syntax in code; to attach handlers for a routed event in code, you use a designated Add*Handler method. For details, see Attached Events Overview.

The following example creates TextBox that attaches an event handler for the KeyDown event. When the Return is pressed, the event handler displays the text in the TextBox in a TextBlock.

<StackPanel>
  <TextBlock Width="300" Height="20">
    Type some text into the TextBox and press the Enter key.
  </TextBlock>
  <TextBox Width="300" Height="30" Name="textBox1"
           KeyDown="OnKeyDownHandler"/>
  <TextBlock Width="300" Height="100" Name="textBlock1"/>
</StackPanel>

Private Sub OnKeyDownHandler(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As KeyEventArgs)
    If (e.Key = Key.Return) Then
        textBlock1.Text = "You Entered: " + textBox1.Text
    End If
End Sub

private void OnKeyDownHandler(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Key == Key.Return)
    {
        textBlock1.Text = "You Entered: " + textBox1.Text;
    }
}

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003

.NET Framework

Reference

Other Resources