Problems with Exit event for Textbox

I have a frame that allows me to select either All merchants for a report, or the Top n Merchants. The two option buttons work fine.

I want to have the behavior be as follows:

If I type a value into the text box associated with Top N (ie I am implicitly selecting that option), then I want that option to be selected.

So, I put the following into the Exit event handler:

Private Sub rptTopNMerchantsValue_Exit(ByVal Cancel As MSForms.ReturnBoolean)

'   If we have a valid value (numeric) then
'   force the corresponding button to true

If Me.rptTopNMerchantsValue = "" Then   '   Don't do anything if the field is empty
Else
   Me.rptTopNMerchants = True           '   Select the option button
End If

End Sub

It doesn't work!
When I simply tab out of the text field the event doesn't fire. If I tab back to the frame that contains the text box then it does fire (about 2 minutes and 20 tabs late!). Similarly, if I click on the field (after clicking elsewhere on the form), the event will fire. (This of course, is really an On Entry event!)

I'm stumped about why this should (mis-)behave in this manner.

Any ideas?

Tony

upload a sample file so that i can help you....
Regards
CA Mahaveer Somani

Thanks Joseph

I think that you've identified the problem. At any rate it is an (intellectually) satisfying answer. I've shifted the text box to the top of the tab order in the frame, so it may clear up some percentage of the problem.

The MS documentation is delightfully (and typically) vague on this issue. At http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...ice.10%29.aspx we read:

The Exit event applies only to controls on a form, not controls on a report. This event does not apply to check boxes, option buttons, or toggle buttons in an option group. It applies only to the option group itself.

To run a macro or event procedure when this event occurs, set the OnExit property to the name of the macro or to [Event Procedure].

Because the Enter event occurs before the focus moves to a particular control, you can use an Enter macro or event procedure to display instructions; for example, you could use a macro or event procedure to display a small form or message box identifying the type of data the control typically contains, or giving instructions on how to use the control.

The Exit event occurs before the LostFocus event.

Unlike the LostFocus event, the Exit event does not occur when a form loses the focus. For example, suppose you select a check box on a form, and then click a report. The Enter and GotFocus events occur when you select the check box. Only the LostFocus event occurs when you click the report. The Exit event doesn't occur (because the focus is moving to a different window). If you select the check box on the form again to bring it to the foreground, the GotFocus event occurs, but not the Enter event (because the control had the focus when the form was last active). The Exit event occurs only when you click another control on the form.

If you move the focus to a control on a form, and that control doesn't have the focus on that form, the Exit and LostFocus events for the control that does have the focus on the form occur before the Enter and GotFocus events for the control you moved to.

If you use the mouse to move the focus from a control on a main form to a control on a subform of that form (a control that doesn't already have the focus on the subform), the following events occur:

Exit (for the control on the main form)
LostFocus (for the control on the main form)

Nothing at all about frames, you note! However, if we regard a frame as a form then it makes some sort of sense. I am reminded of the early days of Windows when MS used to assert that every single visible artifact on the screen was in fact s separate window, and as such this was the basis for the plural in the Windows name. Seems like every collection of controls is a form.....

At any rate, I'll explore Lost Focus and see if that helps!

Thanks again for the succinct explanation,

Tony

Just ran a quick test.

1) Moving the textbox to the top of the tab order worked if I wanted to tab out of the box, however it resulted in a somewhat unsatisfactory user experience, because the cursor then wandered off into an unex[ected part of the form!

2) After Update (no LostFocus on an Excel control :-( ) worked fine. When I select the Top N option I can now (after restoring the tab order) immediately go to the text field. No need to worry about whether the <end of control> processing works, because the option is set. However, if I mouse directly to the text box, the Afterpdate event ocurs even when the Exit event doesn't.

Solution:

Avoid Exit events in frames.

Thanks for the pointer!

Tony