keyDown

Type

message

Summary

Sent when the user presses a key.

Syntax

keyDown <pKeyName>

Description

Handle the keyDown message if you want to do something special when the user presses any key or a particular key you check for in the handler.

The message is sent to the active (focused) control, or to the current card if no control is focused.

If the key pressed is the Return, Tab, Backspace, Delete, or Enter key, an arrow key, or a function key, no keyDown message is sent. Instead, the returnKey, tabKey, backspaceKey, deleteKey, enterKey, arrowKey, or functionKey message is sent.

If the insertion point is in a field, the entry of typed characters is triggered by the keyDown message. This means that trapping the keyDown message and not passing it prevents typing from being entered in the field.

note

The keyDown message is sent before the character is placed in the field, so if you need to use the new content of the field, handle the keyUp message instead.

note

The keydown message is not sent when either of the Option, Control or Command keys are down. In this case, first a rawKeyDown message is sent, then one of optionKeyDown, controlKeyDown or commandKeyDown is sent instead of keydown.

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
pKeyName		The actual character of the pressed key.

Examples

on keyDown theKey 
  if theKey is not a number then beep
  else pass keyDown
end keyDown

Related

command: focus

function: keysDown

glossary: handler, character, pass, message, trap

keyword: field

message: rawKeyDown, commandKeyDown, returnKey, enterInField, controlKeyDown, arrowKey, backspaceKey, tabKey, functionKey, enterKey, deleteKey, keyUp, optionKeyDown, escapeKey

property: emacsKeyBindings, extendKey, powerKeys

Compatibility and Support

Introduced

LiveCode 1.0

OS

mac

windows

linux

ios

android

Platforms

desktop

server

mobile