[vb.net] Setting focus to a textbox control

If I want to set the focus on a textbox when the form is first opened, then at design time, I can set it's tabOrder property to 0 and make sure no other form control has a tabOrder of 0.

If I want to achieve the same result at run-time, using code, how should I proceed?
Are there alternatives to using tabOrder?
I assume any run-time code will be in the form's constructor or its onload event handler?


EDIT
In other words I'd like to be able to type straight into the textbox as soon as the form appears without having to manually tab to it, or manually select it.

This question is related to vb.net winforms

The answer is


I think what you're looking for is:

textBox1.Select();

in the constructor. (This is in C#. Maybe in VB that would be the same but without the semicolon.)

From http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.control.focus.aspx :

Focus is a low-level method intended primarily for custom control authors. Instead, application programmers should use the Select method or the ActiveControl property for child controls, or the Activate method for forms.


To set focus,

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
    TextBox1.Focus()
End Sub

Set the TabIndex by

Me.TextBox1.TabIndex = 0

Using Focus method

  Private Sub frmTest_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
       yourControl.Focus()
    End Sub

create a textbox:

 <TextBox Name="tb">
 ..hello..
</TextBox>

focus() ---> it is used to set input focus to the textbox control

tb.focus()

Private Sub Form1_Shown(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Shown
    TextBox1.Select()
End Sub

Quite simple :

For the tab control, you need to handle the _SelectedIndexChanged event:

Private Sub TabControl1_SelectedIndexChanged(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) _
  Handles TabControl1.SelectedIndexChanged

If TabControl1.SelectedTab.Name = "TabPage1" Then
    TextBox2.Focus()
End If
If TabControl1.SelectedTab.Name = "TabPage2" Then
    TextBox4.Focus()
End If