DOCUMENT:Q192273  08-SEP-1998  [vbwin]
TITLE   :PRB: SendKeys Does Not Work with NumLock or Caplock
PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
PROD/VER:WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0
OPER/SYS:WINDOWS
KEYWORDS:kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbcode kbnokeyword

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Visual Basic Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions
   for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0
 - Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit only, for Windows,
   version 4.0
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SYMPTOMS
========

Using SendKeys to change the state of {CAPSLOCK} or {NUMLOCK} is not
effective.

CAUSE
=====

Toggling {CAPSLOCK} or {NUMLOCK} with the SendKeys statement is only in
effect for the continuous subsequent keys sent by SendKeys. The state of
{CAPSLOCK} or {NUMLOCK} is reset when Visual Basic yields to other
processes. For example, this occurs when the SendKeys statement's Wait
parameter is set to "True", or when a DoEvents statement is executed.

RESOLUTION
==========

Use SendKeys to toggle {CAPSLOCK} or {NUMLOCK} only when sending a series
of keys continuously in a single or multiple number of SendKeys statements.
To toggle the {CAPSLOCK} or {NUMLOCK} permanently:

1. Use the KeyState control that comes with Visual Basic 4.0.

- or -

2. Use the Win32 API. See the article in the References section for
   details.

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

1. Start a new Standard EXE project. From1 is created by default.

2. Add a TextBox to Form1 and paste the following code in the code Window:

    Private Sub Text1_Click()
        SendKeys "s"
        SendKeys "{CAPSLOCK}"  ' Turn on the CapsLock
        SendKeys "o"  ' will be printed in caps
        For i = 0 To 10
        SendKeys Chr(Asc("a") + i)  'will be printed in caps
        Next
        'DoEvents  ' uncommenting this will print next line in smalls
        SendKeys "o"  ' will be printed in caps
        SendKeys "{CAPSLOCK}"  ' Turn off the caps lock
        SendKeys "o"  ' Will be printed in smalls
    End Sub

3. Turn off the Caps Lock. Run the project. Note that the SendKeys work as
   expected.

4. Un-comment the DoEvents statement. Run the project. The Caps Lock is
   reset after the DoEvents call.

5. In any SendKeys statement after SendKeys "{CAPSLOCK}", pass "True" as
   the second parameter. The state of Caps Lock is reset after that
   statement.

REFERENCES
==========

For additional information, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q177674
   TITLE     : HOWTO: Toggle the NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, and SCROLL LOCK Keys

Additional query words:
======================================================================
Keywords          : kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbcode kbnokeyword
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,6.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

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