Setting Tab order fails

[jdhitsolutions]

I am using version 1.14.0 in a PowerShell script. I am struggling to get the tab order to work. From the documentation, I can create this control.

$txtDescription = [Terminal.Gui.TextField]@{
    X        = $lblDescription.Frame.Width + 2
    Width    = 40
    Y        = 4
    TabIndex = 2
    TabStop  = $True
    CanFocus = $True
}

If my first TabIndex is 0, I expect this control to be the third tab stop. But it isn't. In fact, if I create this control in the console as a standalone object, the tab index is 0.

PS C:\> $txtDescription | select tab*,can*

TabIndexes TabIndex TabStop CanFocus
---------- -------- ------- --------
{}                0    True     True

I assume I can assign a value. But it doesn't work, and there are no errors.

PS C:\> $txtDescription.TabIndex = 2
PS C:\> $txtDescription.TabIndex
0

Am I missing something regarding setting tab stops?

[BDisp]

The TabIndex handles the TabIndexes and it can't be greater than the TabIndexes.Count - 1. So if you have only one view that can be focused the TabIndex will be equal to zero.

[jdhitsolutions]

I think my head is still spinning from this. Here are the first 3 controls in my preferred tab order.

$txtTaskName = [Terminal.Gui.TextField]@{
    X        = $lblDescription.Frame.Width + 2
    Width    = 31
    Y        = 2
    TabIndex = 0
    TabStop  = $True
    CanFocus = $True
}
$dropCategory = [Terminal.Gui.ListView]@{
    Width                   = 15
    Height                  = 8
    X                       = $lblCategory.Frame.Right + 2
    Y                       = $lblCategory.Y
    TabIndex                = 1
    TabStop                 = $True
    AllowsMultipleSelection = $False
    CanFocus                = $True
}
$txtDescription = [Terminal.Gui.TextField]@{
    X        = $lblDescription.Frame.Width + 2
    Width    = 40
    Y        = 4
    TabIndex = 2
    TabStop  = $True
    CanFocus = $True
}
# add each control to top window

The first control is set to have focus when the window opens. Tabbing does not move in the expected order. As far as I know I'm not intentionally doing anything with Subviews. I may have invalid assumptions about how this is supposed to work.

[BDisp]

The controls are only added to the TabIndexes list when they are adding to the SuperView. I forgot to say that we can't set the TabIndex on control instance but only after they are added to the SuperView, sorry about that. Then if the TabIndex of one control isn't the desired you can change the order by setting;

# after add each control to top window
...
$txtDescription.TabIndex = 0
$dropCategory.TabIndex = 1
$txtDescription.TabIndex = 2

[jdhitsolutions]

I actually think I follow this. I'll give it a try.

[jdhitsolutions]

Finally worked this out. I realized I had to add the window to the top, which I'm assuming is what creates the SuperView.

This code sets the tab order I was after.

    $controls.foreach({ $window.Add($_) })

    [Terminal.Gui.Application]::Top.Add($window)
    #set tab order
    $txtTaskName.TabIndex = 0
    $dropCategory.TabIndex = 1
    $txtDescription.TabIndex = 2
    $txtDays.TabIndex = 3
    $radioGrp.TabIndex = 4
    $chkWhatIf.TabIndex = 5
    $btnAdd.TabIndex = 6
    $btnSet.TabIndex = 7
    $btnComplete.TabIndex = 8
    $btnRemove.TabIndex = 9

Thank you for your patience.