Q148388: HOWTO: How to Change Default Control Focus on CPropertyPage

Article: Q148388
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode kbCtrl kbMFC KbUIDesign kbVC kbVC400 kbGrpDSMFCATL kbNoUpdate
Last Modified: 06-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), included with:
   - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, version 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

When a CPropertyPage is activated, the first control in the page's tab order
will get the focus by default. To change the default to a different control,
derive a class from CPropertyPage, override OnSetActive(), and post a user
message to a member function that will actually set the focus to the desired
control.

MORE INFORMATION
================

CPropertySheet's member function OnSetActive() is called when a PSN_SETACTIVE
message is sent to that page. Attempting to set the focus to a control while in
this handler won't produce the expected results because after this notification
is handled, the tab control will get the focus.

Therefore, you need to post a message to the property sheet's message queue with
a user message in order to set the focus to the desired control once the page is
active.

Sample Code
-----------

  // this is the user-defined message
  #define WM_SETPAGEFOCUS WM_APP+2
  BEGIN_MESSAGE_MAP(CMyPage, CPropertyPage)
    ON_MESSAGE(WM_SETPAGEFOCUS, OnSetPageFocus)
  END_MESSAGE_MAP()

  BOOL CMyPage::OnSetActive()
  {
    BOOL fRet = CPropertyPage::OnSetActive();

    PostMessage(WM_SETPAGEFOCUS, 0, 0L);

    return fRet;
  }

  LONG CMyPage::OnSetPageFocus(UINT wParam, LONG lParam)
  {
    // IDC_BUTTON2 is the button on this property page
    // that you want to give the default focus.

    CButton* pBtn = (CButton*)GetDlgItem(IDC_BUTTON2);
    ASSERT(pBtn);
    pBtn->SetFocus();
    return 0;
  }

Additional query words: kbinf 4.00 CPropertySheet

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbcode kbCtrl kbMFC KbUIDesign kbVC kbVC400 kbGrpDSMFCATL kbNoUpdate 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbMFC
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

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