Move PictureBox with Arrow Keys? - vb.net

Question

I use the following code to handle positioning of certain controls in my Form;
Protected Overrides Function ProcessCmdKey(ByRef msg As Message, ByVal keyData As Keys) As Boolean
'Sub detects which arrow key is pressed
Dim strControlName As String
' Get the name of the control
strControlName = Me.ActiveControl.Name
Dim aControl = Me.Controls.Item(strControlName)
If strControlName <> "PrintButton" Then
If keyData = Keys.Up Then
aControl.Location = New Point(aControl.Location.X, aControl.Location.Y - 1)
Return True
End If
'detect down arrow ke
If keyData = Keys.Down Then
aControl.Location = New Point(aControl.Location.X, aControl.Location.Y + 1)
Return True
End If
'detect left arrow key
If keyData = Keys.Left Then
aControl.Location = New Point(aControl.Location.X - 1, aControl.Location.Y)
Return True
End If
'detect right arrow key
If keyData = Keys.Right Then
aControl.Location = New Point(aControl.Location.X + 1, aControl.Location.Y)
Return True
End If
End If
Return MyBase.ProcessCmdKey(msg, keyData)
End Function
I also have a PictureBox that I allow a Drag n Drop image into;
Private Sub pbSig_DragDrop(sender As System.Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.DragEventArgs) Handles pbSig.DragDrop
Dim picbox As PictureBox = CType(sender, PictureBox)
Dim files() As String = CType(e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop), String())
If files.Length <> 0 Then
Try
picbox.Image = Image.FromFile(files(0))
pbSig.ImageLocation = files(0)
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show("Problem opening file ")
End Try
End If
End Sub
Private Sub pbSig_DragEnter(sender As System.Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.DragEventArgs) Handles pbSig.DragEnter
If e.Data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.FileDrop) Then
e.Effect = DragDropEffects.Copy
Else
e.Effect = DragDropEffects.None
End If
End Sub
Is there a way I can make the PictureBox "movable" using the arrow keys? I can't use a KeyPress event on the Form since I am already using it elsewhere. I was hoping I could set a focus on the PictureBox or allow the user to do a "+Arrow" event.
Also, if I make the PictureBox move, is the dropped image going to move with it?

Answer 1

Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
KeyPreview = True
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
If e.KeyCode = Keys.Up Then
PictureBox1.Top -= 5
End If
If e.KeyCode = Keys.Down Then
PictureBox1.Top += 5
End If
If e.KeyCode = Keys.Left Then
PictureBox1.Left -= 5
End If
If e.KeyCode = Keys.Right Then
PictureBox1.Left += 5
End If
End Sub
You can use this code to move the PictureBox using Arrow Keys.

Answer 2

Here is what I ended up using. The Mouse just much better sense, plus I get to store it to Settings along with the other settings. I think this is a good solution without getting into any DB work. Opinions?
Private Sub CheckForm_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
'...
pbSig.Location = My.Settings.pbSigLoc
'Allow an image to be dropped
pbSig.AllowDrop = True
End Sub
End Sub
' The next three subs control the moving of the pbSig location using the mouse
Dim startX As Integer
Dim startY As Integer
Dim endX As Integer
Dim endY As Integer
Dim mDown As Boolean
Dim valX As Boolean
Dim valY As Boolean
Private Sub pbSig_MouseDown(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles pbSig.MouseDown
startX = MousePosition.X
startY = MousePosition.Y
mDown = True
valX = False
valY = False
End Sub
Private Sub Main_MouseMove(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles Me.MouseMove
End Sub
Private Sub pbSig_MouseMove(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles pbSig.MouseMove
'Check if mouse=down
If mDown = True Then
endX = (MousePosition.X - Me.Left)
endY = (MousePosition.Y - Me.Top)
If valY = False Then
startY = endY - sender.top
valY = True
End If
If valX = False Then
startX = endX - sender.left
valX = True
End If
sender.left = endX - startX
sender.top = endY - startY
End If
End Sub
'If mouseUp=True then End and Save to Settings
Private Sub pbSig_MouseUp(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles pbSig.MouseUp
My.Settings.pbSigLoc = pbSig.Location
mDown = False
valX = False
valY = False
End Sub
This way all the user needs to do is use their mouse to locate the pB and it's contents and I don't need to call the ProcessCmdKey again. And I still have the arrow keys functionality on the Controls I need it to be.