Question

Currently I have the start-key for my vb.net application hardcoded like this:

GetAsyncKeyState(Keys.F2)

Where vb.net sais “F2 As System.Windows.Forms.Keys = 113” on mouse-over

But I want my users to be able to pick their own Key. If I make a drop-down box (combobox) and pre-define some choices in there (Like ESC or F3), all those choices are strings. How can I convert those strings to a System.Windows.Forms.Keys integer?

Also, I’d like it to also be possible to “capture” a single keypress. So they’d click the “capture” button, and the next key they hit will be saved as the start/stop button. But I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for that one.

Answer 1

Try something like this:

Public Class Form1
    Dim captureKey As Boolean
    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        captureKey = True
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button1_PreviewKeyDown(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.PreviewKeyDownEventArgs) Handles Button1.PreviewKeyDown
        If captureKey Then
            Label1.Text = e.KeyValue.ToString
            captureKey = False
        End If

    End Sub
End Class

I created a form with a label and a button for an example. e.KeyValue is an integer that I am converting to a string for display purposes. You also have the ability to capture other keydata. See this info on PreviewKeyDownEventArg

As for the first part of your question use a Select Case Statement to convert between your ComboBox Values and KeyData Values.