Handling the back key doesn't work if the form has a LinkLabel (.NET CF)

[spit.respectable]

I'm porting a Pocket PC app to SmartPhone. Certain forms within the
app contain buttons -- these are not supported on SP so I've switch
them to LinkLabels. They work fine, but the issue is that overriding
the back button does not work on these forms.

For handling the SP back button, my keypress method looks like:

protected override void OnKeyPress(KeyPressEventArgs e)
{
if (e.KeyChar == (char)Keys.Escape)
{
e.Handled = true;
MessageBox.Show("Got back key on SP");
}
else
base.OnKeyPress(e);
}


This works great, unless I add the following to the form's
InitializeComponent():

this.Controls.Add( new System.Windows.Forms.LinkLabel() );

Now when I press the SP's back key my 'OnKeyPress' does not fire, and
the app is no longer displayed on the screen (i.e. the default SP back
key behavior).

Has anyone worked around this before? I did a quick search and didn't
see any obvious hits.

Thanks,

 

[Guest]

Have you tried the KeyDown event?

 

[Hilton]

Unfortunately the Back key does not work in many places such as a ListView.
I have tried numerous times to contact Microsoft folks about this (through
the NGs and other channels of communication). Not only do they not even
acknowledge the problem, they don't even care to suggest a workaround. Very
dissapointing from Microsoft.

So, you are correct, don't expect the BackKey to work consistently on the
Smartphone. The CF just seems to 'gobble up' the key press and the app
isn't even notified.

I'm hoping I'm completely wrong and a Microsoft engineer will jump in and
correct me. Let's see if I can tempt them...

Hilton

 

[Jason]

Have you tried the KeyDown event?

All the documentation I've seen indicates that the SP back key fires
KeyPress
(ex. http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms172543(VS.80).aspx).

I've tried catching it in KeyDown, but that doesn't fire (whether or
not I have a LinkLabel on the form).

Thanks,

 

[Jason]

Unfortunately the Back key does not work in many places such as a ListView.

Thanks for the confirmation. I was thinking that perhaps the
LinkLabel was gobbling up the back key, but I added an event handler
for it and I'm not seeing it fire for the back key.

 

[Guest]

Have you tried an actual official channel, like opening a support incident?
A newsgroup post is relly not a communication to Microsoft - it's a post in
USENET where some Microsoft people might see it. It doesn't get tied into
their bug reporting and tracking system, nor is anyone accountable for
handling it (unlike a support incident).


--

Chris Tacke, Embedded MVP
OpenNETCF Consulting
Managed Code in an Embedded World
www.OpenNETCF.com

 

[Hilton]

Have you tried an actual official channel, like opening a support
incident? A newsgroup post is relly not a communication to Microsoft -
it's a post in USENET where some Microsoft people might see it. It
doesn't get tied into their bug reporting and tracking system, nor is
anyone accountable for handling it (unlike a support incident).

I have posted so many articles here about the Back Key not working (even
some asking for Microsoft's help in the title), there's just no way an MS
person could not have seen it (e.g. Ilya). So, let's assume an MS person
did it. For them not to file an 'incident' on it, IMHO, shows a lack of
<insert one of a million words here>. So, I stand by my assertion that it
is a bad reflection on MS. Heck, no-one even asked specifics about it.
Sorry, but I've gotta believe someone from Microsoft saw the posts.

OK, so it has taken me about 20 minutes to figure out how to file an
'incident' through the Microsoft web site and even though I signed on, I now
need to apply for permission to help them fix their code. Chris, I love
what Microsoft has done with .NET and the CF, I think it is phenominal that
I can write code so quickly and easily that runs on cell phones etc. But I
just have to believe that they... [I stopped myself before saying bad
things about Microsoft]

Hilton

 

[Guest]

My point is that posting here, even a thousand times, is not an official
channel into Microsoft. There's no magic "turn this newsgroup post into a
support case" button on their news reader, and very frequently those who
might read the post aren't the owners of the area where the bug resides (I
doubt Ilya would own this, and if it came in as a bug, I doubt he'd be the
one fixing it).

To open a support case is quite simple. You go to the MS support page. On
it are several phone numbers based on where you are and what technology is
the problem. You call that number. I've done it several times and *always*
have had fast and very good support. I can't say that the bugs have always
been fixed or that a workaround was always provided because I've had some
really oddball stuff in the past that had no business case for resolution
(like wanting support for RDP client on a 160x240 display). The have always
resolved the issue to my satisfaction though (which is in fact the
requirement to close a case - your satisfaction, not theirs).

Sure, this specific case maybe someone should have seen a post about it and
done something, but maybe the MS readers didn't personally consider it a big
deal (for example, I've never been affected by it in all my years of CF
coding nor has anyone I've worked with) or assumed that someone else closer
to the fix would act. The point is that it's not their responsibility or
job to do so. I can't imagine trying to open support cases for every "bug"
reported in the newsgroups and then trying to manage both them and an actual
job. If you have a real bug, open a real incident. It will get a real
resolution.


--

Chris Tacke, Embedded MVP
OpenNETCF Consulting
Managed Code in an Embedded World
www.OpenNETCF.com

Have you tried an actual official channel, like opening a support
incident? A newsgroup post is relly not a communication to Microsoft -
it's a post in USENET where some Microsoft people might see it. It
doesn't get tied into their bug reporting and tracking system, nor is
anyone accountable for handling it (unlike a support incident).

I have posted so many articles here about the Back Key not working (even
some asking for Microsoft's help in the title), there's just no way an MS
person could not have seen it (e.g. Ilya). So, let's assume an MS person
did it. For them not to file an 'incident' on it, IMHO, shows a lack of
<insert one of a million words here>. So, I stand by my assertion that it
is a bad reflection on MS. Heck, no-one even asked specifics about it.
Sorry, but I've gotta believe someone from Microsoft saw the posts.

OK, so it has taken me about 20 minutes to figure out how to file an
'incident' through the Microsoft web site and even though I signed on, I
now need to apply for permission to help them fix their code. Chris, I
love what Microsoft has done with .NET and the CF, I think it is
phenominal that I can write code so quickly and easily that runs on cell
phones etc. But I just have to believe that they... [I stopped myself
before saying bad things about Microsoft]

Hilton

 

[Hilton]

My point is that posting here, even a thousand times, is not an official
channel into Microsoft. There's no magic "turn this newsgroup post into a
support case" button on their news reader,
Agreed.


...and very frequently those who might read the post aren't the owners of
the area where the bug resides (I doubt Ilya would own this, and if it
came in as a bug, I doubt he'd be the one fixing it).

He works for Microsoft - right? When I worked for large companies, I always
filed or emailed a reported bug; but that's just me.


[zap: how to open support case via the phone]

Sure, this specific case maybe someone should have seen a post about it
and done something, but maybe the MS readers didn't personally consider it
a big deal (for example, I've never been affected by it in all my years of
CF coding nor has anyone I've worked with) or assumed that someone else
closer to the fix would act.

The bug makes code written for the Smartphone unable to adhere to
Microsoft's UI guidelines, that's a big deal and very frustrating for our
customers. The "Back Key" has an accepted/anticipated behavior; how can I
achieve that? To me that should get a high priority because this bug will
affect *EVERY* CF application written for the Smartphone that uses certain
controls such as a ListView. That's a big deal.

The point is that it's not their responsibility or job to do so. I can't
imagine trying to open support cases for every "bug" reported in the
newsgroups and then trying to manage both them and an actual job. If you
have a real bug, open a real incident. It will get a real resolution.

Agreed. But they don't have to open support cases for every bug, only mine.
Just kidding. Seriously though, a bug that breaks Microsoft's own
usability guidelines, has no workaround and affects an entire platform
should at least get some attention from Microsoft. I'm not here to blame
anyone, I just expected more, I expected an engineer at Microsoft to perhaps
take 5 minutes our of their day to send a quick email: "Hey Bob, this guy on
the CF NG is reporting a Back Key bug. Please take a look." and then a post
saying: "Thanks, I have referred the bug to the CF team.", OK, maybe only 2
minutes.

Hilton