Capturing F1 key so I can display Help screen

[JrMontgom]

Currently in my MS Access 2010 application if I press the F1 key I get the Microsoft Help. I want to capture that keypress and display my own Help screen (PDF document ). I would appreciate any help with this problem as I don't want to have to place a command button on every form etc in order to display Help screen(s). I want to capture the FI key then read the "Tag" property of the form or control pressed and use the Tag to display the proper Help file which is saved in a table by "Tag" values.

[ranman256]

in form design set KEYPREVIEW = TRUE

then in the code for the form_KEYDOWN event , capture the F1 key, then run your help.
The getHelp() is your own version of help

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
If KeyCode = vbKeyF1 Then getHelp()

[Rawb]

After doing a little Google-fu, it appears that this isn't an uncommon issue. There used to be a way of making custom help files that could then be integrated with Access, but after Microsoft locked Access from running these from a network drive, they fell out of favor.

The consensus now seems to be that you should use an AutoKeys Macro to start up your own custom help system. I've never used one before, but it looks like an AutoKeys Macro is simply a macro that is run by a keyboard shortcut (in your case, pressing F1) instead of a Form Event.

Setting up an AutoKeys Macro: https://support.office.com/en-sg/art...b-a3c81af676be

[ssanfu]

I would not use "SendKeys"; I have read too many sites that say do not use SendKeys.

This is the code I use to capture F-keys:

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    Select Case KeyCode
        Case vbKeyF1
            KeyCode = 0
            '   More code here
        Case vbKeyF12
            KeyCode = 0
            '     Different code here
    End Select

End Sub

The line "KeyCode = 0" clears the keypress code so nothing else gets the keycode.

Note that this is in Form_keydown event property.
And, as ranman256 said, be sure in form design to set KEYPREVIEW = TRUE.

[JrMontgom]

I would not use "SendKeys"; I have read too many sites that say do not use SendKeys.

This is the code I use to capture F-keys:

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    Select Case KeyCode
        Case vbKeyF1
            KeyCode = 0
            '   More code here
        Case vbKeyF12
            KeyCode = 0
            '     Different code here
    End Select

End Sub

The line "KeyCode = 0" clears the keypress code so nothing else gets the keycode.

Note that this is in Form_keydown event property.
And, as ranman256 said, be sure in form design to set KEYPREVIEW = TRUE.

Thanks for the quick reply. I see how the code works but is there any way to run an application level "trap" for the F1 key so I don't have to write this code for every form or control Iwhere I need to display my Help process?

[ssanfu]

but is there any way to run an application level "trap" for the F1 key

The code I posted is a FORM level event. I don't know of an application level event.

write this code for every form or control

I have not tried (actually, I have not needed) a control level keydown event.


You could try putting code in a standard module and calling it from the Form KeyDown event.
But you must have code for the Form KeyDown event in every form.
Something like this (air code):
(each form)

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    Call OpenHelp(KeyCode, Shift, Me.Name)
    KeyCode = 0
End Sub

(standard module)

Sub OpenHelp(pKeyCode As Integer, pShift As Integer, pFormName As String)
    Select Case pKeyCode
        Case vbKeyF1
            Select Case pFormName
                Case "Form3"
                    MsgBox "You pressed F1 in form:  " & pFormName
                Case "Form2"
                    ' Open different form help here
            End Select  'pFormName
        Case Else
    End Select    'KeyCode
End Sub

You could also leave out the code to select which form the help is for for and just use one help screen (PDF document).
=============================
Warning: I corrupted the VBA project one time by copying a subroutine in a report and pasting it in 5 other reports without compiling the IDE or dB.
It took me two weeks to recover the FE.

What I do now to copy code into multiple forms/reports:
Copy the code and paste it into a text file.

Begin loop
...Open the form/report, click on the event (in this case it will be the form KeyDown event) and paste only the lines between "Sub" and "End Sub".
...Compile the code in the IDE (Debug-compile).
...Save the form/report.
..."Compile and Repair" from the menu (the whole dB).
loop until done

[JrMontgom]

The code I posted is a FORM level event. I don't know of an application level event.


I have not tried (actually, I have not needed) a control level keydown event.


You could try putting code in a standard module and calling it from the Form KeyDown event.
But you must have code for the Form KeyDown event in every form.
Something like this (air code):
(each form)

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    Call OpenHelp(KeyCode, Shift, Me.Name)
    KeyCode = 0
End Sub

(standard module)

Sub OpenHelp(pKeyCode As Integer, pShift As Integer, pFormName As String)
    Select Case pKeyCode
        Case vbKeyF1
            Select Case pFormName
                Case "Form3"
                    MsgBox "You pressed F1 in form:  " & pFormName
                Case "Form2"
                    ' Open different form help here
            End Select  'pFormName
        Case Else
    End Select    'KeyCode
End Sub

You could also leave out the code to select which form the help is for for and just use one help screen (PDF document).
=============================
Warning: I corrupted the VBA project one time by copying a subroutine in a report and pasting it in 5 other reports without compiling the IDE or dB.
It took me two weeks to recover the FE.

What I do now to copy code into multiple forms/reports:
Copy the code and paste it into a text file.

Begin loop
...Open the form/report, click on the event (in this case it will be the form KeyDown event) and paste only the lines between "Sub" and "End Sub".
...Compile the code in the IDE (Debug-compile).
...Save the form/report.
..."Compile and Repair" from the menu (the whole dB).
loop until done

Thanks for the arning but it came too late. Wow, what a mess. I had to load the application through the command line with the command /Decompile and then recopy etc. Thanks for the Help and wish me luck.

[JrMontgom]

TDailog Help form for MS and I can't seem to get rid of it. So +{F1} works.