TcxDBShellComboBox Class

A data-aware Shell Combo Box editor

Declaration

TcxDBShellComboBox = class(
    TcxCustomShellComboBox
)

Remarks

A Shell Combo Box editor combines the functionality of TcxComboBox and TdxShellTreeView components. The Shell Combo Box editor can display the Shell Tree View control in a drop-down window to allow users to browse Windows Shell. Alternatively, users can type the path to an item in the editor box. The Shell Combo Box editor can synchronize content with other DevExpress shell controls, allowing you to build fully-functional shell dialogs in your applications.

A Shell Combo Box

In this topic…

End-User Input Options
- Drop-Down Menu Interaction
UI Automation/Accessibility Support
- UI Automation Settings
Main API Members
Other Shell-Related Components

End-User Input Options

↑ and ↓ keys allow users to switch between combo box items, even when the drop-down menu is closed. Ctrl + PageUp and Ctrl + PageDown keystrokes select first and last items, respectively.

Users can do the following to open or close the drop-down combo box menu:

Click the drop-down button.
Focus the combo box and press the Alt + ↑ or Alt + ↓ key combination.
Focus the combo box and press the F4 key.

Note

You can open the drop-down menu only if it contains at least one value.

UI Automation/Accessibility Support

The shell combo box is mapped to a node in the UI Automation tree when the global UI Automation flag (dxUIAutomationEnabled) is enabled.

UI Automation Settings

Use the Properties.Automation.Name and Properties.Automation.Description properties to specify the shell combo box name and an optional description that clarifies the editor’s purpose for users who rely on third-party assistive tools (such as Microsoft Narrator).

Refer to the TdxAutomationElementSettings class description for detailed information on all available options.

Main API Members

The list below outlines key members of the TcxDBShellComboBox class.

Appearance and Behavior Settings

BeepOnEnter: Specifies if the combo box plays the default system sound when a user confirms input.
Style | StyleDisabled | StyleFocused | StyleHot | StyleReadOnly: Allow you to define individual appearance settings for different editor states.

Tip
To apply the same style settings to multiple editors, use a TcxEditStyleController component. If you need to apply the same style settings to all editors in your application, you can use a TcxDefaultEditStyleController component.
Styles: Provides access to individual styles applied to the combo box in different states.

AbsolutePIDL | Path: Specify the accessed shell item (folder).
GroupIndex: Allows you to associate the shell combo box with TdxShellBreadcrumbEdit, TdxShellListView, and TdxShellTreeView components.
PopupShellTreeView: Provides access to the Shell Tree View displayed in a drop-down window.

Clear | EditingValue | EditValue | EditingText | EditText | ResetEditValue: Manage the edit value.
CopyToClipboard | CutToClipboard | PasteFromClipboard: Allow you to perform clipboard operations.
CanDropDown | DroppedDown | CloseUp: Manage the drop-down menu.
ItemIndex: Specifies the active combo box item.
OnEditing: Allows you to prevent users from activating the combo box.
PopupWindow: Allows you to access and customize the drop-down menu.
ResetEditValue: Restores the previous edit value before the pending change is applied.
SelectAll: Selects editor content.
SelStart | SelLength | SelText | SetSelection | SelectAll | ClearSelection: Manage content selection.
TextHint: Specifies a text hint for the combo box when it has no assigned edit value.
Undo: Discards the last content change when the combo box has focus.
ValidateEdit: Validates the display value.

DataBinding: Allows you to bind the editor to data.
CanPostEditValue: Indicates if the data-aware editor can post its edit value to the bound data storage.
OnPostEditValue: Executes custom code when the editor posts its value to the bound data storage.
PostEditValue: Posts the edit value to the bound data storage.

General Editor Settings

ActiveProperties: Provides access to the current combo box settings regardless of their source. This property set does not allow you to customize combo box settings.
Properties: Allows you to customize combo box settings directly.

General-Purpose API Members

Enabled: Specifies if the combo box is enabled.
CanModify: Indicates if the combo box is in read-only mode.
IsEditValidating | IsHiding | IsPosting: Allow you to identify the current operation in the combo box.
Width | Height: Allow you to explicitly define combo box dimensions.

You can associate TcxShellComboBox and TcxDBShellComboBox editors with the following DevExpress shell-related components using the GroupIndex property.