FIX: Property Sheet with Edit Doesn't Close On ESC Key

The information in this article applies to:

• The Microsoft Foundation Classes, included with: Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

Pressing the ESC key when focus is in a multiline edit control does not cause the Property Sheet to close (OnCancel) even if it has an IDCANCEL button. This problem may also exhibit itself when the focus is on other child controls that return the DLGC_WANTALLKEYS or the DLGC_WANTMESSAGE value in response to a WM_GETDLGCODE message.

CAUSE

The framework's code for handling the ESC key does not translate the ESC key if the child window (control) wants to handle it. A multiline edit control, which requests all messages in response to a WM_GETDLGCODE message, sends a WM_CLOSE message to its parent window (the CPropertyPage in this case) when the ESC key is received. However, the WM_CLOSE message is not handled in a CPropertyPage. Therefore it is ignored and is never received by the CPropertySheet.

RESOLUTION

To take care of this behavior, provide an OnClose() handler for your CPropertyPage derived class, and post the WM_CLOSE message to the parent window (the CPropertySheet). Add the WM_CLOSE message handler to your CPropertyPage derived class using ClassWizard. Then implement it as follows:

void CMyPropertyPage::OnClose()
    {
    GetParent()->PostMessage(WM_CLOSE);
    CPropertyPage::OnClose();
    }

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Visual C++ version 2.10 for Windows NT.