Press enter in textbox and execute button function in VBA

Question

I have a login form to my database done in Access 2010 and using VBA code. I want to be able to press Enter on txtboxPassword and automatically execute btnLogin_Click event. I tried this:

Private Sub txtboxPassword_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer) If KeyCode = 13 Then btnLogin_Click End If End Sub

What I get is a self-made error saying Password is incorrect. If I debug I see that actually txtPassword is null, but I just typed the text in it!

However If I click the Login button with the mouse it works perfect. Why does vba behave like that? How can I do it to make it work?

NOTE I also tried with:

KeyPress: after I press Enter the focus goes to btnLogin (maybe also because the tab order is like that), but the btnLogin_Click event is not executed.
KeyUp: same like KeyPress.

What do you mean by txtPassword is null? Textboxes have a Text property. But that one is usually an empty string but not null. — Olivier Jacot-Descombes
– Olivier Jacot-Descombes, Commented Apr 1, 2014 at 17:48
When in debug mode I hover the mouse over txtboxPassword.Value I get null — EricPb
– EricPb, Commented Apr 1, 2014 at 19:25

Olivier Jacot-Descombes · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-01 16:47:24Z

15

The buttons in Access have a property called Default (on the "Other" property page). If you set it to Yes the form calls the button click event handler automatically, when you press Enter. No need for additional Key-event handling.

There is also a Cancel property. If you set it to Yes for a button, the form activates it automatically when the user types the Esc-key. Very convenient for Cancel buttons.

edited May 1 at 16:47

answered Apr 1, 2014 at 17:41

Olivier Jacot-Descombes

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3 Comments

EricPb Over a year ago

I couldn't find that property either in the btnLogin or the form. Can you guide me a little bit more. Thanks.

Olivier Jacot-Descombes Over a year ago

I am sorry, my answer was for VB.NET. I changed my answer for Access now. In Access you can set the Default property of the "OK" button.

Chri.s Over a year ago

As referenced in this SO answer this also works in Excel

Dil Dilshan · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-07 11:16:28Z

to activate KeyCode, you need to set Key Preview Property on form to YES (it will be at the bottom)

If KeyCode = vbKeyReturn Then Your_fuction_here End If

Lukas2 · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-01 17:55:40Z

0

Cant reproduce exactly your problem, but some time ago I had somewhat similar issue and solved it by adding:

Private Sub txtboxPassword_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer) If KeyCode = 13 Then btnLogin_Click KeyCode.Value = 0 End If End Sub

answered Apr 1, 2014 at 17:55

Lukas2

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2 Comments

EricPb Over a year ago

Didn't work. I got "Compiled error: Invalid qualifier" and KeyCode on KeyCode.Value is marked in blue.

bgmCoder Over a year ago

Yeah, it doesn't seem to like KeyCode.Value = 0. I presume the purpose of adding this is so the normal keypress action is absorbed?

Snowflake68 · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-17 16:18:40Z

On the button you wish to action go to properties 'Other' and set the 'Default' to Yes. Then when you click on enter when in the text box it will action the button.

Henrik Erlandsson · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-22 12:38:44Z

KeyPress rather than KeyDown works for me, and calling the _Click sub avoids sending triggers that may fire other events.

Private Sub txtboxPassword_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer) If KeyAscii = 13 Then Call btnLogin_Click End If End Sub

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