Alternative to Using the _CUROBJ Variable with Forms

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0

SUMMARY

The _CUROBJ system memory variable indicates the number of the currently active objects in a screen. Because _CUROBJ is active only when a READ is in effect, this system memory variable does not return any value in a Visual FoxPro form. However, Visual FoxPro provides ways to control the current object. This article describes the properties of a form that you can use to set the tab order of objects on a form, refer to the active control on a form, and set the focus to a control.

MORE INFORMATION

The _CUROBJ system memory variable returns a value when a READ is active, and it is not used in the Visual FoxPro event model. However, the form object exposes methods and properties that provide information about the current control.

Retrieving or Setting the Access Order of an Object

By default, controls are accessed in the order they are created on a form. You can alter this default with the TABINDEX property. The TABINDEX property specifies the tab order of controls on a form or specifies the order of forms in a form set. It returns a numeric value. You can read or write it at both design and run time.

For example, to ensure that a command button called CMDBUTTON3 in a form called TEST is the third control accessed on a form, you can type:

   TEST.CmdButton3.Tabindex= 3

Referencing the Active Control on a Form

The ACTIVECONTROL property references the active control on a form. It returns a reference to the object that currently has the focus on a form. You can use the ACTIVECONTROL property to refer to and manipulate a control on a form or form page generically.

For example, to change the font of the active control to bold, you can type the following in the Refresh method of the form:

   IF TYPE('THISFORM.ActiveControl')="O"
      THISFORM.ActiveControl.FontBold= .F.
   ELSE
      =MESSAGEBOX('There is no Control active on this form')
   ENDIF

Setting the Focus on a Control in a Form

Use the SETFOCUS method to move the focus to a specific control in a form. The SETFOCUS method is a method of a control. It requires that you reference the object to which you want to move. You can use the SETFOCUS along with the CONTROLS collection of a form to access controls on a form generically.

For example, if you want to move the focus to the previous control on the form, you can type the following in the Click event handler of the control:

   ncontrol=This.Tabindex
   THISFORM.CONTROLS(ncontrol-1).SETFOCUS