Highlight current word and line in a TextBox control

Here’s a simple way to highlight the current word in a TextBox control (i.e. the word where the caret is):

Text1.SetFocusSendKeys "^{LEFT}+^{RIGHT}"

Similarly, you can highlight the current line in a multiline TextBox control as follows:

Text1.SetFocusSendKeys "{HOME}+{END}"

Deleting the current word or the current line is as simple. You just need to add a {DELETE} key at the end of the key sequence:

Text1.SetFocusSendKeys "{HOME}+{END}{DELETE}"

You can’t copy the highlighted text to the Clipboard using the “^C” sequence. However, since the text is currently highlighted you can simply use the SelText property. Curiously, however, the following code fails:

Text1.SetFocusSendKeys "{HOME}+{END}"Debug.Print Text1.SelText     ' display a null string

To have it work properly you must add a DoEvents command:

Text1.SetFocusSendKeys "{HOME}+{END}"DoEventsDebug.Print Text1.SelText     ' this works

Charlie Frank

Charlie has over a decade of experience in website administration and technology management. As the site admin, he oversees all technical aspects of running a high-traffic online platform, ensuring optimal performance, security, and user experience.