What is a method to detect if NumLock is OFF and how to turn it always back ON automatically when my VB APP is running ?
EDIT:
My app is dedicated app, running on dedicated computer with external numpad device.
another option would be to ACCEPT NUMPAD ARROW KEYS (etc) and convert these to NUMBERS on fly, is it possible?? (e.g. ignore the numlock off situation and behave as numlock is on)
I'm not sure how you do this specifically in vb.net (a quick google found http://support.microsoft.com/kb/177674), but generally speaking changing machine-wide settings like this is frowned upon: users are accustomed to their individual preference for numlock (or capslock -- or whatever) key state...and you're overriding it.
This would really irritate me.
That said, in circumstances where your app is the only thing running (e.g., POS software, medical office management software, etc) this might be ok.
Physically remove NUMPAD key ?
Private Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" (ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)
Private Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
Private Const KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = &H2
Const VK_NUMLOCK = &H90
Const KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY = &H1
Declare Function GetKeyState Lib "user32" Alias "GetKeyState" (ByVal ByValnVirtKey As Integer) As Short
Private Sub numlockON()
keybd_event(VK_NUMLOCK, 0, 0, 0) ' Press NUMLOCK key down
keybd_event(VK_NUMLOCK, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0) ' Release it
End Sub
If Not GetKeyState(VK_NUMLOCK) Then numlockON()
Public Const VK_NUMLOCK = &H90
Declare Function GetKeyState Lib "user32" Alias "GetKeyState" _
(ByVal ByValnVirtKey As Integer) As Short
Private Sub me_keyDown(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
If e.KeyCode = Keys.NumLock And Not NLKey Then
If Not GetKeyState(VK_NUMLOCK) Then
e.Handled = True
NumlOn.Start()
Exit Sub
End If
End If
End sub
Private Sub NumlOn_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles NumlOn.Tick
NLKey = True
If Not GetKeyState(VK_NUMLOCK) Then numlockON()
Application.DoEvents()
NumlOn.Stop()
NLKey = False
End Sub