How to Change Default Control Focus on CPropertyPage

The information in this article applies to:

• The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) included with: Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, version 4.0

SUMMARY

When a CPropertyPage is activated, the first control in the page's tab order will get the focus by default. To change the default to a different control, derive a class from CPropertyPage, override OnSetActive(), and post a user message to a member function that will actually set the focus to the desired control.

MORE INFORMATION

CPropertySheet's member function OnSetActive() is called when a PSN_SETACTIVE message is sent to that page. Attempting to set the focus to a control while in this handler won't produce the expected results because after this notification is handled, the tab control will get the focus.

Therefore, you need to post a message to the property sheet's message queue with a user message in order to set the focus to the desired control once the page is active.

Sample Code

// this is the user-defined message
#define WM_SETPAGEFOCUS WM_APP+2

  ON_MESSAGE(WM_SETPAGEFOCUS, OnSetPageFocus)

BOOL CMyPage::OnSetActive() {

  BOOL fRet = CPropertyPage::OnSetActive();

  PostMessage(WM_SETPAGEFOCUS, 0, 0L);

  return fRet;

LONG CMyPage::OnSetPageFocus(UINT wParam, LONG lParam) {

  // IDC_BUTTON2 is the button on this property page
  // that you want to give the default focus.

  CButton* pBtn = (CButton*)GetDlgItem(IDC_BUTTON2);
  ASSERT(pBtn);
  pBtn->SetFocus();
  return 0;