Hi - I am trying to write code that requires an end user to fill in a text box on a form. I have the event procedure coded as follows:

----------------
Private Sub hourlyRateTextBox_Leave(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
Handles hourlyRateTextBox.Leave

If hourlyRateTextBox.Text = String.Empty Then
MessageBox.Show("Error - Field Required", "Field Required", _
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
hourlyRateTextBox.Focus()
End If

End Sub
------------

I have several of these coded and they work fine. However, I have a button on my UI that allows the end user to quit without saving so if they go into the form in add mode but don't enter anything in the text boxes (I have 4 set up like this), they get error messages.

Is there a way to circumvent the required fields if they simply want to quit the application without entering anything.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Jewel

I would probably move the validation code into the button that closes the form normally. For example, suppose you have OK and Cancel buttons. Then do the validation in the OK button's event handler. When it finds a text box that isn't filled it, it displays a message and returns. That way the user only sees the first message not a whole bunch all at once, and the form doesn't close.

The Cancel button doesn't perform the checks so it closes the form without displaying error messages.

__________________
Rod

Rod Stephens, Microsoft MVP

Essential Algorithms: A Practical Approach to Computer Algorithms

(Please post reviews at Amazon or wherever you shop!)

Thank you. I will move the code there. I was trying to make it so the user couldn't move past the text box without entering something but I guess in the grand scheme of things it won't work that way. Thanks again!!

Ah. In that case you may want to look at the Validating event. A control's Validating event fires when the user tries to move off of it. Here's an example:

http://www.vb-helper.com/howto_net_use_validation.html

In this case, each TextBox would have its own Validating event.

I like to change the background color of an invalid value to light yellow so the user knows there's a problem, but not use e.Cancel to prevent the user from leaving the field. That way they can fix it when it's convenient, and it avoids the issue of what to do it they want to cancel. The OK button can validate again to make sure all of the fields are filled in correctly before accepting the form.

__________________
Rod

Rod Stephens, Microsoft MVP

Essential Algorithms: A Practical Approach to Computer Algorithms

(Please post reviews at Amazon or wherever you shop!)