CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#winformsautocompletecombobox
Elfoc
Elfoc

Reputation: 3689

Combobox and autocomplete in C#

i have small problem with autocomplete option in combobox. Everything is working correct, except that i want to work it diffrent :)

When I start typing in combobox, autusuggest working the way i like :

Combo

But when i first open combobox, and then start typing i get something like that:

enter image description here

What's more i can't pick item from autosuggest combobox, only from this list under.

AutocompleteMode is SuggestAppend

I'd like to have autosuggest like on the first picture, and in situations like picture 2, this first combobox list should be closed somehow..

Upvotes: 7

Views: 21978

Answers (7)

Nitin...
Nitin...

Reputation: 337

void cmbExample_KeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
  cmbExample.DroppedDown = false;
}

Upvotes: 0

msmolcic
msmolcic

Reputation: 6577

I had the same problem and solved it this way:

private void comboBox_DropDown(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    ComboBox cbo = (ComboBox)sender;
    cbo.PreviewKeyDown += new PreviewKeyDownEventHandler(comboBox_PreviewKeyDown);
}

private void comboBox_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, PreviewKeyDownEventArgs e)
{
    ComboBox cbo = (ComboBox)sender;
    cbo.PreviewKeyDown -= comboBox_PreviewKeyDown;
    if (cbo.DroppedDown) cbo.Focus();
}

Once the user clicks on the DropDown button PreviewKeyDown event is attached to that ComboBox. When user starts typing, freshly added event is triggered. In that event we check if ComboBox is DroppedDown, if it is, focus that ComboBox. On ComboBox focus DropDown disappeares and that's it.

Upvotes: 12

Valdas Zaramba
Valdas Zaramba

Reputation: 41

Implement event on ComboBox KeyDown. It should look like this.

void cmbExample_KeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
    {
        if ((sender as ComboBox).DroppedDown)
            (sender as ComboBox).DroppedDown = false;
    }

Upvotes: 3

Greg Dorn
Greg Dorn

Reputation: 21

I also found the default UI implementation distracting as the two dropdowns fight for mouse control.

You want to hide the dropdown list when autocomplete suggestions are shown. There is a windows message that the combobox makes before showing the autocomplete suggestions. I chose to collapse the droplist in response to this message. It requires a small override of the combobox to achieve this:

Public Class Combobox2
    Inherits ComboBox

    Protected Overrides Sub WndProc(ByRef m As System.Windows.Forms.Message)
        If m.Msg = 135 AndAlso DroppedDown Then 'WM_GETDLGCODE
            DroppedDown = False
        End If
        MyBase.WndProc(m)
    End Sub

End Class

Upvotes: 2

Joep Admiraal
Joep Admiraal

Reputation: 31

I was having exactly the same problem. I tried the DropDown and DropDownClosed events to set the AutoCompleteMode property to none and suggest. In this situation the SelectedIndexChanged event does not get fired after selecting an item with the mouse. I was using the SelectedValue property in the SelectedIndexChanged event and this property is already changed at the moment the DropDownClosed event is triggered. In my case I simply called the SelectedIndexChanged method from the DropDownClosed event to solve the problem.

Upvotes: 3

Mike LaSpina
Mike LaSpina

Reputation: 420

What about using the DropDown and DropDownClosed events to disable or change the auto-complete mode?

Upvotes: 5

DOK
DOK

Reputation: 32851

Have you tried the other possible values for AutoCompleteMode, which are Append, None, and Suggest? I think that what you are looking for is Suggest instead of AppendSuggest.

Here is some downloadable sample code illustrating the different modes, if you need it.

Upvotes: 2

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