Detecting Ctrl and Shift Keys on a Form using C# or VB.NET

I am not a WinForm programmer anymore but that does not stop me from trying out code when a user asks me a question about it.

I recently got a request where the user wanted to detect Ctrl and Shift keys on his windows form. The keys to be detected were Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V and Ctrl+Shift+C

Here’s how the keys can be detected:

C#

private void Form1_KeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
    if ((e.Control & e.Shift) && e.KeyCode == Keys.C)
    {
        MessageBox.Show("Ctrl+Shift+C");
    }
    else if (e.Control && e.KeyCode == Keys.C)
    {
        MessageBox.Show("Ctrl+C detected");
    }
    else if (e.Control && e.KeyCode == Keys.V)
    {
        MessageBox.Show("Ctrl+V detected");
    }
}

VB.NET

Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As KeyEventArgs)
    If (e.Control And e.Shift) AndAlso e.KeyCode = Keys.C Then
        MessageBox.Show("Ctrl+Shift+C")
    ElseIf e.Control AndAlso e.KeyCode = Keys.C Then
        MessageBox.Show("Ctrl+C detected")
    ElseIf e.Control AndAlso e.KeyCode = Keys.V Then
        MessageBox.Show("Ctrl+V detected")
    End If
End Sub

I have seen users using the KeyPress event to solve this requirement. Remember that non-characters keys like Ctrl do not raise the KeyPress event. I prefer either the KeyUp or KeyDown instead.

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About The Author

Suprotim Agarwal, ASP.NET Architecture MVP works as an Architect Consultant and provides consultancy on how to design and develop Web applications.

Suprotim is also the founder and primary contributor to DevCurry, DotNetCurry and SQLServerCurry. He has also written an EBook 51 Recipes using jQuery with ASP.NET Controls.

Follow him on twitter @suprotimagarwal