KEYDOWN sequence of keys

[DH]

How can I code a form to open another form when a sequence of keys are pushed on a keyboard?

For example, I would like to push and hold down the following keys "Ctrl" and "D" and "L" to open a form.

The form that will be opened is a special database maintenance screen that only a limited number of users will know about.

Any suggestions on how the code should look?

Thanks!

 

[RickSpr]

What you need is basically this:

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    Static fCtrlDPressed As Boolean
    
    If (KeyCode = vbKeyD) And (Shift And acCtrlMask) Then
        fCtrlDPressed = True
        KeyCode = 0
    Else
        If fCtrlDPressed And KeyCode = vbKeyL Then
            DoCmd.OpenForm...
            KeyCode = 0
        End If
        fCtrlDPressed = False
    End If
End Sub

However, the Form normally only receives a KeyDown event when no control is focused, or when the focused control has no KeyDown event. If the focused control does have a KeyDown event, it will handle the event, even if you have written no event procedure.

To make sure the Form always has first crack at a KeyDown, set the KeyPreview property to Yes.

As an alternative, you could tell your special users that they have to click in a particular text box before hitting Ctrl-D L, and put the above code in that text box's event procedure instead. Rick Sprague