Disable "Tab-Select" for some objects

Scripting Forums AppleScript Studio & Xcode
#1

Hi all!

I’m finishing up work on an applescript studio application and I need some help with tab-selecting.

My interface has several text fields and buttons on it, and pressing tab will jump through all of the text fields, check boxes and buttons. But I don’t want it to do this. I want it so that when a user presses the tab key it jumps only between the text fields. That is, when the last text field is selected, instead of jumping to the button or checkbox the tab key will shift the focus back up to the top text field.

I can’t figure out how to do this. I’m assuming there is some option I can select for each item that should not be “tab-able” but I can’t find anything.

Thanks for the help!

#2 
call method "setRefusesFirstResponder:" of theObject with parameter yes
#3

Instead of trying to disable the behavior for everything else, you could just set the behavior that you do want for the appropriate.

Control+Drag from the window to the first text field, and choose the initialFirstResponder outlet. Then, for each text field you want to tab to, control+drag from the previous text field to the next and connect the nextKeyView outlet. Connect the last text field back to the first one, and you should be all set.

#4

Well, I tried Control+Dragging, and went from the window to my combo-box to my text field and back to the combo box, but for some reason hitting tab still moves to the other objects as well.

#5

Are you using Interface Builder 3.0? You’ll get a convenient menu if you are. Either way, you want to do something like this: ib_window_connection.mov

#6

Yup. Thats what I did, but it doesn’t seem to work, so maybe I’m not doing it right. Here it is, step by step: http://landofchaos.net/jing/tabbing.swf

#7

I figured it out. I had Universal Access set so that it allowed for tab-bing to all selectable objects. I turned that off and it works as advertised. Thanks.