Add Virtual Keyword in WPF Application

Back to: WPF Snippets Collection

WPFTabTip Virtual Keyboard Integration for WPF Applications in C#

The WPFTabTip library is a powerful tool for enhancing the user experience in WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) applications by seamlessly integrating the Windows on-screen keyboard, commonly known as the TabTip. In this article, we will explore how to use the WPFTabTip library to bring virtual keyboard functionality to your WPF application, including a focus on the “virtual” keyword for creating a touch-friendly user interface.

What is WPFTabTip? WPFTabTip is an open-source library that simplifies the management of the TabTip (Tablet Input Panel) in WPF applications. The TabTip is primarily designed for touch-based devices and serves as an on-screen keyboard for text input. However, integrating it effectively into a WPF application can be a challenge.

One of the key features of WPFTabTip is its support for creating touch-friendly interfaces in WPF applications. This is where the “virtual” keyword comes into play.

The “Virtual” Keyword: Creating Touch-Friendly Interfaces In the context of WPFTabTip, the “virtual” keyword doesn’t refer to C# virtual methods or properties. Instead, it’s a concept that emphasizes creating a virtual touch-friendly environment within your application. Here’s how it works:

  1. Touch-Friendly Controls: WPFTabTip provides a set of custom controls and extensions that can be used in your XAML layout. These controls are designed to enhance the touch experience. For instance, the VirtualKeyboardTextBox control ensures that the virtual keyboard (TabTip) is automatically displayed when the control receives focus.
  2. Automatic Keyboard Handling: By simply including VirtualKeyboardTextBox controls in your application’s layout, you can ensure that the on-screen keyboard appears when needed. This makes your application touch-friendly without requiring extensive code modifications.
<tabTip:VirtualKeyboardTextBox Width="200" Height="40" PlaceholderText="Touch here to type" />
  1. Focus Management: The “virtual” keyword signifies that focus management is key to providing a smooth touch experience. When a user interacts with a VirtualKeyboardTextBox, WPFTabTip takes care of handling the focus, triggering the TabTip, and ensuring the correct keyboard layout is displayed.

Additional Features of WPFTabTip

  • Language Support: WPFTabTip offers language-specific keyboard layouts, which are automatically selected based on the input language.
  • Customization: You can customize the appearance of the virtual keyboard and handle various TabTip events for further personalization.
  • Integration with Non-Touch Devices: WPFTabTip can also be used on non-touch devices, providing a consistent user interface across different hardware configurations.

Getting Started with WPFTabTip To get started with WPFTabTip in your WPF application:

  1. Install the Package: Use NuGet Package Manager to install the WPFTabTip package.
Install-Package WPFTabTip
  1. Add WPFTabTip Controls: In your XAML, add VirtualKeyboardTextBox or other WPFTabTip controls as needed.
  2. Customize and Fine-Tune: Customize the behavior and appearance of the virtual keyboard to match your application’s requirements.
  3. Test and Optimize: Test your application on touch-enabled and non-touch devices to ensure a seamless user experience.

Simplified Code

Here is a simplified example of how you can use the WPFTabTip library to create a touch-friendly virtual keyboard integration in your WPF application:

Install the WPFTabTip library via NuGet Package Manager:

Install-Package WPFTabTip

Include the necessary XAML namespace in your MainWindow.xaml:

xmlns:tabTip="clr-namespace:WPFTabTip;assembly=WPFTabTip"

Add a VirtualKeyboardTextBox control to your XAML layout where you want to enable touch input:

<tabTip:VirtualKeyboardTextBox Width="200" Height="40" PlaceholderText="Touch here to type" />

Customize as needed: You can customize the appearance and behavior of the virtual keyboard control through XAML attributes or in your code-behind.

Here’s a complete MainWindow.xaml example:

<Window x:Class="WpfTabTipIntegration.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:tabTip="clr-namespace:WPFTabTip;assembly=WPFTabTip"
        Title="WPFTabTip Integration" Width="400" Height="200">
    <Grid>
        <!-- Add a VirtualKeyboardTextBox control -->
        <tabTip:VirtualKeyboardTextBox Width="200" Height="40" PlaceholderText="Touch here to type" />
    </Grid>
</Window>

This simple XAML layout incorporates a VirtualKeyboardTextBox control, which will automatically handle touch input and display the on-screen keyboard (TabTip) when the control receives focus.

The “complete code” for your application will depend on your specific requirements and what you want to achieve with the integration of WPFTabTip. You can add additional controls, handle events, and further customize the user interface based on your application’s needs.

Add a virtual Keyboard with Hardware Keyword Detection

f you are referring to the WPFTabTipMixedHardware library, you can use it to enhance the handling of the on-screen keyboard (TabTip) in a mixed hardware environment, such as touch and non-touch devices.

Here’s a basic example of how to use the WPFTabTipMixedHardware library to show and hide the TabTip when focusing on and off a text box in your WPF application:

Install the WPFTabTipMixedHardware library via NuGet Package Manager:

Install-Package WPFTabTipMixedHardware

Include the necessary XAML namespace in your MainWindow.xaml:

xmlns:tabTip="clr-namespace:WPFTabTipMixedHardware;assembly=WPFTabTipMixedHardware"

Add a TabTipMonitor control to your XAML layout:

<tabTip:TabTipMonitor x:Name="tabTipMonitor" IsEnabled="True" />

Add a TextBox control where you want to enable text input and TabTip integration:

<TextBox Width="200" Height="40" Text="Touch here to type" GotFocus="TextBox_GotFocus" />

Handle the GotFocus event of the TextBox to show the TabTip:

private void TextBox_GotFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    tabTipMonitor.ShowTabTip();
}

Optionally, you can handle the LostFocus event to hide the TabTip when the TextBox loses focus:

private void TextBox_LostFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    tabTipMonitor.HideTabTip();
}

Here’s the complete XAML and code-behind for your MainWindow:

<Window x:Class="WpfTabTipIntegration.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:tabTip="clr-namespace:WPFTabTipMixedHardware;assembly=WPFTabTipMixedHardware"
        Title="WPFTabTip Mixed Hardware Integration" Width="400" Height="200">
    <Grid>
        <tabTip:TabTipMonitor x:Name="tabTipMonitor" IsEnabled="True" />

        <!-- Add a TextBox control with GotFocus event handling -->
        <TextBox Width="200" Height="40" Text="Touch here to type" GotFocus="TextBox_GotFocus" />
    </Grid>
</Window>

using System.Windows;

namespace WpfTabTipIntegration
{
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void TextBox_GotFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            tabTipMonitor.ShowTabTip();
        }
    }
}

With this code, the TabTip will automatically appear when the TextBox receives focus and will hide when the TextBox loses focus. You can further customize this integration and handle other events as needed for your application.