InputPanel.InputMethodCollection Class

[This documentation is for preview only, and is subject to change in later releases. Blank topics are included as placeholders.]

Provides access to all input method software installed on a Pocket PC. This class cannot be inherited.

Namespace:  Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms
Assembly:  Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms (in Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.dll)

Syntax

'Declaration
Public NotInheritable Class InputMethodCollection _
    Implements IList, ICollection, IEnumerable
'Usage
Dim instance As InputPanel.InputMethodCollection
public sealed class InputMethodCollection : IList, 
    ICollection, IEnumerable
public ref class InputMethodCollection sealed : IList, 
    ICollection, IEnumerable
[<SealedAttribute>]
type InputMethodCollection =  
    class
        interface IList
        interface ICollection
        interface IEnumerable
    end

Remarks

This collection accesses the methods for text and character entry in the soft input panel (SIP) on a Pocket PC. Common input methods include:

  • Keyboard

    Tap characters on the SIP keyboard or on a hardware keyboard attachment.

  • Letter Recognizer

    Draw letters and numbers in the SIP. When the user pauses, the writing is automatically converted to typed text and displayed at the insertion point.

  • Block Recognizer

    Draw predetermined strokes in the SIP that render as specific characters. This input method is similar to graffiti emulation.

Other input methods can be installed to support languages such as Japanese and Russian. When a new input method is installed on the device, it is included in the input method collection.

Use the InputMethods property to get an InputPanel.InputMethodCollection.

Examples

The following code example enumerates InputPanel.InputMethodCollection and lists the available input methods in a list box. When a user selects an input method, the CurrentInputMethod property is set to that input method. The Enabled property for the input panel is set to true so that the keyboard and other input areas are displayed for the user.

Imports System
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic

Public Class Form1
   Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

   Private WithEvents ListBox1 As System.Windows.Forms.ListBox
   Private TextBox1 As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox

   Private InputPanel1 As Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.InputPanel


   Public Sub New()
      InitializeComponent()

      'Display OK Button for closing the application.
      Me.MinimizeBox = False

      MessageBox.Show(InputPanel1.InputMethods.Count.ToString())

      ' Display the input panel.
      InputPanel1.Enabled = True

      ' Get the input methods to populate the list box.
      ' Select the first method.
      GetInputMethods()
      ListBox1.SelectedIndex = 0

      ' Set the focus on the text box to render input from the input panel.
      TextBox1.Focus()
   End Sub

   Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(disposing As Boolean)
      MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
   End Sub

   Private Sub InitializeComponent()
      Me.InputPanel1 = New Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.InputPanel
      Me.ListBox1 = New System.Windows.Forms.ListBox
      Me.TextBox1 = New System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
      '
      ' ListBox1
      '
      Me.ListBox1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(8, 40)
      Me.ListBox1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(200, 80)
      '
      ' TextBox1
      '
      Me.TextBox1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(8, 140)
      Me.TextBox1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(200, 200)
      '
      ' Form1
      '
      Me.Controls.Add(ListBox1)
      Me.Controls.Add(TextBox1)
      Me.Text = "Input Methods"
   End Sub


   Shared Sub Main()
      Application.Run(New Form1())
   End Sub

  Private Sub GetInputMethods()
      Me.ListBox1.Items.Clear()

      ' Get the InputMethods collection and
      ' add each method to the list box.
      Dim im As InputMethod
      For Each im In  InputPanel1.InputMethods
         Me.ListBox1.Items.Add(im.Name)
      Next im
  End Sub

   ' This event handler iterates through the
   ' InputMethodCollection and sets the input method
   ' to the input method selected in the list box.
   ' When a member of the collection is the
   ' same the selected value in the list box, that
   ' method is set to the current input method.
   Private Sub ListBox1_SelectedIndexChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ListBox1.SelectedIndexChanged

      ' Get the selected input method from the list box.
      Dim strIM As String
      strIM = ListBox1.SelectedItem.ToString()

      ' Iterate through the input method collection.
      ' When there is a match with the input method
      ' selected in the list box, set the
      ' CurrentInputMethod property to the selected method.
      Dim im As InputMethod
      For Each im In  InputPanel1.InputMethods
         If im.Name = strIM Then
            ' Change the input method.
            InputPanel1.CurrentInputMethod = im
         End If
      Next im
   End Sub

End Class 

' Note that the InputMethodCollection
' can also be enumerated as follows:
'  InputPanel.InputMethodCollection imc;
'  imc = InputPanel1.InputMethods;
'  for (int i = 0; i < imc.Count; i++)
'  {
'   if (imc[i].Name == strIM)
'   {
'    // Change input method.
'    InputPanel1.CurrentInputMethod = imc[i];
'
'    break;
'   }
'  }
using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms;

namespace InputMethodsTest
{
public class Form1 : System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
 private System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu mainMenu1;
 private System.Windows.Forms.ListBox listBox1;
 private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox textBox1;

 private Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.InputPanel ip;

 public Form1()
 {
  InitializeComponent();

  //Display OK Button for closing the application.
  this.MinimizeBox = false;

  MessageBox.Show(ip.InputMethods.Count.ToString());

  // Display the input panel.
  ip.Enabled = true;

  // Get the input methods to populate the list box.
  // Select the first method.
  GetInputMethods();
  listBox1.SelectedIndex = 0;

  // Set the focus on the text box to render input from the input panel.
  textBox1.Focus();

 }
 protected override void Dispose( bool disposing )
 {
  base.Dispose( disposing );
 }
 #region Windows Form Designer generated code

 private void InitializeComponent()
 {
  this.mainMenu1 = new System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu();
  this.ip = new InputPanel();
  this.listBox1 = new ListBox();
  this.textBox1 = new TextBox();
  //
  // listBox1
  //
  this.listBox1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(8, 40);
  this.listBox1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(200, 80);
  this.listBox1.SelectedIndexChanged += new System.EventHandler(this.listBox1_SelectedIndexChanged);
  //
  // textBox1
  //
  this.textBox1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(8, 140);
  this.textBox1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(200, 200);
  //
  // Form1
  //
  this.Controls.Add(this.listBox1);
  this.Controls.Add(this.textBox1);
  this.Menu = this.mainMenu1;
  this.Text = "Input Methods";
 }
 #endregion

 static void Main()
 {
  Application.Run(new Form1());
 }

 private void GetInputMethods()
 {
  this.listBox1.Items.Clear();


 // Get the InputMethods collection and
 // add each method to the list box.
 foreach (InputMethod im in ip.InputMethods)
 {
  this.listBox1.Items.Add(im.Name);
 }
 }

 // This event handler iterates through the
 // InputMethodCollection and sets the input method
 // to the input method selected in the list box.
 // When a member of the collection is the
 // same the selected value in the list box, that
 // method is set to the current input method.
 private void listBox1_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {

 // Get the selected input method from the list box.
 string strIM;
 strIM = listBox1.SelectedItem.ToString();

 // Iterate through the input method collection.
 // When there is a match with the input method
 // selected in the list box, set the
 // CurrentInputMethod property to the selected method.
 foreach (InputMethod im in ip.InputMethods)
 {
  if (im.Name == strIM)
   // Change the input method.
   ip.CurrentInputMethod = im;
 }

 // Note that the InputMethodCollection
 // can also be enumerated as follows:
 //  InputPanel.InputMethodCollection imc;
 //  imc = ip.InputMethods;
 //  for (int i = 0; i < imc.Count; i++)
 //  {
 //   if (imc[i].Name == strIM)
 //   {
 //    // Change input method.
 //    ip.CurrentInputMethod = imc[i];
 //
 //    break;
 //   }
 //  }

 }
}
}

Inheritance Hierarchy

System.Object
  Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.InputPanel.InputMethodCollection

Thread Safety

Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

Platforms

Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Version Information

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0

See Also

Reference

InputPanel.InputMethodCollection Members

Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms Namespace

Other Resources

InputPanel Component

How to: Use the InputPanel Component