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TextEdit Class

The single-line text editor.

Namespace: DevExpress.XtraEditors

Assembly: DevExpress.XtraEditors.v24.2.dll

NuGet Package: DevExpress.Win.Navigation

#Declaration

[DefaultBindingPropertyEx("Text")]
public class TextEdit :
    BaseEdit,
    ITextEditControllerProvider,
    IValidationHintCornerRadiusProvider,
    IDXMenuSupport,
    IMouseWheelSupport,
    ISupportsBaselineAlignment,
    ISupportsAutoSize,
    IDirectXClientProviderEx,
    IDirectXClientProvider,
    ITextEditControllerOwner,
    IChildAccessibleInfoProvider,
    ISupportsAdvancedMode

The following members return TextEdit objects:

#Remarks

The TextEdit.Properties property allows access to the RepositoryItemTextEdit object - a repository item that stores editor settings.

The image below shows a sample text edit.

TextEdit

The following table enumerates main TextEdit API:

Description

API

Editor text

BaseEdit.Text
BaseEdit.EditValue

Character casing (normal, uppercase, or lowercase)

RepositoryItemTextEdit.CharacterCasing

Maximum text length

RepositoryItemTextEdit.MaxLength

Default text shown when the editor is empty

RepositoryItem.NullText
RepositoryItemTextEdit.NullValuePrompt

Methods that manage the caret’s position and text selection

TextEdit.SelectionStart
TextEdit.SelectionLength
TextEdit.SelectedText
TextEdit.SelectAll
TextEdit.DeselectAll

Clipboard operations

TextEdit.Copy
TextEdit.Cut
TextEdit.Paste

Shortcuts

LEFT or UP arrow - moves the caret forward
RIGHT or DOWN arrow - moves the caret backwards
Ctrl+A - selects all text in the editor
Ctrl+Backspace - deletes an entire word to the left of the current cursor position
Ctrl+Del - clears the text box
Ctrl+Z - restores the previous value
Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Ins - copies selected text to clipboard
Ctrl+V or Shift+Ins - pastes text from clipboard
Ctrl+X or Shift+Del - cuts selected text
TextEditAdvancedModeOptions.ShortcutsEnabled - disables shortcuts

Context Menu

RepositoryItem.ContextMenu

Editors derived from the TextEdit class have the same features. You can modify the TextEditStyle property (for instance, RepositoryItemButtonEdit.TextEditStyle) to disable or hide the text box and prevent users from entering values.

Tip

If you need to work with values ​​other than strings, you can use input masks or data-specific editors (e.g. SpinEdit for numeric values, DateEdit for DateTime values, etc.). DevExpress data editors are fully customizable. You can hide UI buttons and dropdowns to make them look like a TextEdit.

#Advanced Mode

All editors derived from the TextEdit class (except for RepositoryItemHypertextLabel and HyperLinkEdit) can operate in Advanced Mode. In this mode editors use a custom DevExpress text box instead of the standard Windows Forms masked box. This custom text box supports unique features, such as embedded editor labels and custom caret animations.

Read the following topic for more information about Advanced Mode: UseAdvancedMode.

Important

In Advanced Mode or when the WXI Skin is applied, use the Appearance.BackColor property to specify the editor’s background color. Other appearance settings that specify the background color of the editor in different states are ignored (for example, the AppearanceReadOnly.BackColor, AppearanceFocused.BackColor, AppearanceDisabled.BackColor).

if (textEdit1.Properties.ReadOnly) {
    textEdit1.Properties.Appearance.BackColor = Color.LightGray;
}

#Tooltips

DevExpress controls support regular and super tooltips. Enable the ShowToolTips option to display tooltips when the mouse pointer hovers over the control.

Customize Regular Tooltip Text

Use the following properties of the target control to specify regular tooltip text and title:

API

Description

ToolTip

Specifies tooltip text. You can use line breaks in regular tooltips.

AllowHtmlTextInToolTip

Specifies whether to parse HTML tags in text.

ToolTipTitle

Specifies the tooltip title. If you do not specify tooltip text, the tooltip is not displayed even if you specify the title.

The following code snippet specifies tooltip text and title for a TextEdit editor:

public Form1() {
  InitializeComponent();
  textEdit1.ShowToolTips = true;
  textEdit1.ToolTipTitle = "Name";
  textEdit1.ToolTip = "Please enter your name";
}

WinForms - Customize a Regular Tooltip, DevExpress

Assign an Image to Regular Tooltips

Use the control’s ToolTipIconType property to assign a predefined icon. The ToolTipController.IconSize property specifies icon size.

Assign a custom image as follows:

  1. Create a ToolTipController and assign it to the control’s ToolTipController property.
  2. Create an image collection and assign it to the ToolTipController.ImageList property.
  3. Handle the ToolTipController.BeforeShow event. Use the e.ImageOptions parameter to assign a raster or vector image to the tooltip.

Note

The ToolTipIconType property has priority over e.ImageOptions. If you assign a custom image, set ToolTipIconType to None.

The following code snippet assigns a custom image to the TextEdit tooltip:

Note

textEdit1, toolTipController1, and svgImageCollection1 were created at runtime.

public Form1() {
  InitializeComponent();
  textEdit1.ShowToolTips = true;
  textEdit1.ToolTipTitle = "Name";
  textEdit1.ToolTip = "Please enter your name";
  textEdit1.ToolTipController = toolTipController1;
  toolTipController1.ImageList = svgImageCollection1;
  toolTipController1.BeforeShow += ToolTipController1_BeforeShow;
}

private void ToolTipController1_BeforeShow(object sender, ToolTipControllerShowEventArgs e) {
  ToolTipController controller = sender as ToolTipController;
  if (e.ToolTip == textEdit1.ToolTip)
    e.ImageOptions.SvgImage = (controller.ImageList as SvgImageCollection)["personalCard"];
}

WinForms - Assign a Custom Image to a Tooltip, DevExpress

Display a Super Tooltip

Use the control’s SuperTip property to assign a super tooltip. If you wish to use HTML tags in a super tooltip, enable the SuperToolTip.AllowHtmlText property.

Setting the ToolTipController.ToolTipType property to SuperTip converts existing regular tooltips to super tooltips.

WinForms - Convert Regular Tooltips to Super Tooltips, DevExpress

Tip

Read the following help topic for information on how to customize super tooltips: Hints and Tooltips.

See Also