#628 – Key Up/Down Sequence When Using ALT Key

When you use the Alt-key in combination with another key, the control that has focus will receive KeyUp and KeyDown events for both the Alt key and the combination key.

When using the Alt key, the Key property of the KeyEventArgs object will be Key.System and the actual key being pressed will be available in the SystemKey property.  This is true for both the Alt key and the combination key.

For example, pressing Alt-Q while a TextBox control has focus will result in the following events for the TextBox, in the sequence listed.

• PreviewKeyDown, Key = System, SystemKey = LeftAlt
• KeyDown, Key = System, SystemKey = LeftAlt
• PreviewKeyDown, Key = System, SystemKey = Q
• KeyDown, Key = System, SystemKey = Q
• PreviewKeyUp, Key = System, SystemKey = Q
• KeyUp, Key = System, SystemKey = Q
• PreviewKeyUp, Key = System, SystemKey = LeftAlt
• KeyUp, Key = System, SystemKey = LeftAlt