vb.net - Setting focus to a textbox control

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If I want to set the focus on a textbox when the form is first opened, then at design time, I can set it's tabOrder property to 0 and make sure no other form control has a tabOrder of 0.

If I want to achieve the same result at run-time, using code, how should I proceed?
Are there alternatives to using tabOrder?
I assume any run-time code will be in the form's constructor or its onload event handler?

In other words I'd like to be able to type straight into the textbox as soon as the form appears without having to manually tab to it, or manually select it.

Because you want to set it when the form loads, you have to first .Show() the form before you can call the .Focus() method. The form cannot take focus in the Load event until you show the form

Private Sub RibbonForm1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    Me.Show()
    TextBox1.Select()
End Sub
in the constructor. (This is in C#. Maybe in VB that would be the same but without the semicolon.)
From http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.control.focus.aspx :
  Focus is a low-level method intended primarily for custom control
  authors. Instead, application programmers should use the Select method
  or the ActiveControl property for child controls, or the Activate
  method for forms.
Private Sub Form1_Shown(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Shown
    TextBox1.Select()
End Sub
Using Focus method  
  Private Sub frmTest_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
       yourControl.Focus()
    End Sub
To set focus,
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
    TextBox1.Focus()
End Sub
Set the TabIndex by
Me.TextBox1.TabIndex = 0
For the tab control, you need to handle the _SelectedIndexChanged event:
Private Sub TabControl1_SelectedIndexChanged(sender As Object, e As System.EventArgs) _
  Handles TabControl1.SelectedIndexChanged
If TabControl1.SelectedTab.Name = "TabPage1" Then
    TextBox2.Focus()
End If
If TabControl1.SelectedTab.Name = "TabPage2" Then
    TextBox4.Focus()
End If
I think the appropriate event handler to use is "Shown".
And you only need to focus the appropriate text box.
Private Sub Me_Shown(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Shown
    myTextbox.Focus()
End Sub
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