Why doesn't setting MenuItem.InputGestureText cause the MenuItem to activate when I perform the input gesture?

Question

I want to implement Keyboard shortcuts for a MenuItem. I have used the code below:

<MenuItem Header="_New" InputGestureText="CTRL+N" Click="NewMenu_Click">
    <MenuItem.Icon>
        <Image Source= "Images\NEW.PNG" Width="25" Height="28" />
    </MenuItem.Icon>
</MenuItem>`

But the InputGestureText property is not responding when I pressed the CTRL+N. I am using Visual Studio Express Edition 2010. Am I missing anything here?

Answer 1

It is quite explicit in the documentation for the property:

This property does not associate the input gesture with the menu item; it simply adds text to the menu item. The application must handle the user's input to carry out the action. For information on how to associate a command with a menu item, see Command.

Answer 2

The best way to do this is to make a Command, and associate the InputGesture with that command:

public static class Commands
{
    public static readonly RoutedCommand CreateNew = new RoutedCommand("New", typeof(Commands));

    static Commands()
    {
        SomeCommand.InputGestures.Add(new KeyGesture(Key.N, ModifierKeys.Control));
    }
}

...

// Wherever you want to create the MenuItem. "local" should be the namespace that
// you delcared "Commands" in.
<MenuItem Header="_New" Command="{x:Static local:Commands.CreateNew}">

...

// Wherever you want to process the command. I am assuming you want to do it in your 
// main window, but you can do it anywhere in the route between your main window and 
// the menu item.
<Window.CommandBindings>
    <CommandBinding Command="{x:Static local:Commands.CreateNew}"> Executed="CreateNew_Executed" />
</Window.CommandBindings>

...

// In the code behind for your main window (or whichever file you put the above XAML in)
private void CreateNew(object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
{
    ...
}

If you really just want a "New" command, you can skip creating the RoutedCommand and InputGesture, because that command is already created for you:

<MenuItem Header="_New" Command="New">

...

<Window.CommandBindings>
    <CommandBinding Command="New" Executed="New_Executed" />
</Window.CommandBindings>

...

private void New_Executed(object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
{
    ...
}