paste into field does not trigger closefield

[Ben Rubinstein]

On 27/6/06 11:37, kee nethery wrote:
> If I type data into a field, when I leave the field it gets a closefield 
> message and I have a handler for that.
> 
> When I paste text into a field and leave the field without typing 
> anything, the field does not get a closefield message and my handler 
> never gets called.
> 
> Watching the message watcher doesn't present any obvious solution for 
> what to use to catch the paste into a text field. Do I have to write a 
> handler that traps a set of keystrokes (command V) and then sends the 
> field a closefield event?
> 
> What does everyone else do?

What I do is whinge for a while, then do something like this:

	on keyDown
	  setCompDirty true
	  pass keyDown
	end keyDown
	
	on returnInField
	  setCompDirty true
	  pass returnInField
	end returnInField
	
	on deleteKey
	  setCompDirty true
	  pass deleteKey
	end deleteKey
	
	on backspaceKey
	  setCompDirty true
	  pass backspaceKey
	end backspaceKey
	
	on cutKey
	  setCompDirty true
	  pass cutKey
	end cutKey
	
	on pasteKey
	  setCompDirty true
	  pass pasteKey
	end pasteKey
	
In this case I've got a form with a number of fields on it, so I'm not so 
bothered about when the user leaves the field; "setCompDirty" does things like 
enable Save and Revert buttons, and make sure that stuff happens when they 
leave the form.  But if you really wanted something to happen when the field 
is 'exited', with a change, then I'd guess you could trap both exitField and 
closeField, with the former checking a flag set in some manner analogous to 
the above.

A while ago on the x-talks list I proposed a "fieldChanged" message, to be 
sent to a field the first time the text in it changes - whether by typing, 
deleting, cut and pasting, drag and dropping, etc - anything except purely 
programmatic changes.  One idea was that it should be sent on every change, 
just saving you from remembering all the possible messages to catch (and I 
note that my list above, from an actual app, won't catch drag and drop 
changing, oops).  Another idea was that it should be sent just once, and then 
not again until reset.  We discussed 'reset' possibilities including 
automatic, once the field loses focus (ie, essentially, when a 
closeField/exitField message has been sent); or manual, ie a property of the 
field that could be reset to indicate that you want to know the next time it 
happens too... unfortunately we got bugged down in these and other discussions 
about how exactly this should work, and it never got bugzilla'd it... but 
perhaps I'll dig out the details and have another go.

HTH,

   Ben Rubinstein               |  Email: benr_mc at cogapp.com
   Cognitive Applications Ltd   |  Phone: +44 (0)1273-821600
   http://www.cogapp.com        |  Fax  : +44 (0)1273-728866