Switching IME during runtime

Input Method Editor (IME) provide users an efficient way to key in texts other than the default Latin text.

When the user has to switch between local language and the English “Advanced Key Settings” allow rapid switching.

But what if a single form contains multiple form elements, some of which expect input in local language and rest in English. Is it fair to burden user with the requirement to switch IME each time he changes field for input or rectification?

Of course not! There needs to be some way out… and there is…

I assume here that you are using controls from “Micosoft Forms 2.0 Object Library” for Unicode character inputs. The form controls expecting user input from IME as TextBox, ComboBox exposes a property namely IMEMode which can be modified at runtime to relieve users from manually changing language settings.

As shown above there are two textboxes one of which expects input in lacal language while the other in English. Place codes as below for the GotFocus event of the controls and you are done.

Private Sub TextBox1_GotFocus()

    TextBox1.IMEMode = fmIMEModeOn

End Sub

Private Sub TextBox2_GotFocus()

    TextBox2.IMEMode = fmIMEModeOff

End Sub

Setting the properties as above ensures that IME works only on Controls where it is expected to.

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FootNote : This post is in response to comment by Phil on the post Storing Unicode Data in Databases. Got any such problem please post on any relevant page or on page Ides ?. I would try to post solution and in the process would learn a few new things. After all learning never stops…

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