| Package | dom.events |
| Class | public class KeyboardEvent |
| Inheritance | KeyboardEvent  UIEvent Event Object |
| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
The KeyboardEvent interface provides convenient attributes for some common modifiers keys: KeyboardEvent.ctrlKey, KeyboardEvent.shiftKey, KeyboardEvent.altKey, KeyboardEvent.metaKey. These attributes are equivalent to using the method KeyboardEvent.getModifierState(keyIdentifierArg) with "Control", "Shift", "Alt", or "Meta" respectively.
To create an instance of the KeyboardEvent interface, use the DocumentEvent.createEvent("KeyboardEvent") method call.
See also
| Property | Defined By | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| DOM 3 Events altKey : Boolean [read-only]
If the alternative (Alt) key modifier is activated. | KeyboardEvent | ||
 | DOM 2 Events bubbles : Boolean [read-only]
Used to indicate whether or not an event is a bubbling event. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events cancelable : Boolean [read-only]
Indicates whether the event is cancelable or not. | Event | |
| Non-Standard charCode : Boolean [read-only]
Returns the Unicode value of a character key pressed during a keypress event. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events ctrlKey : Boolean [read-only]
If the control (Ctrl) key modifier is activated. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 2 Events currentTarget : EventTarget [read-only]
Identifies the current target for the event, as the event traverses the DOM. | Event | |
| DOM 3 Events defaulPrevented : Boolean [read-only]
Used to indicate whether Event.preventDefault() has been called for
this event. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events detail : Number [read-only]
Specifies some detail information about the Event, depending
on the type of event. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events eventPhase : Number [read-only]
Used to indicate which phase of event flow is currently being accomplished. | Event | |
| Non-Standard explicitOriginalTarget : nsIDOMEventTarget [read-only]
The explicit original target of the event. | Event | |
| Non-Standard isChar : Boolean [read-only]
Returns a boolean indicating whether the event produced a key character or not. | UIEvent | |
| Non-Standard isTrusted : Boolean [read-only]
Determines if the event was from the user or script generated. | Event | |
| Non-Standard keyCode : DOMString [read-only]
Returns the Unicode value of a non-character key in a keypress event or any key in any other type of keyboard event. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events keyIdentifier : DOMString [read-only]
Holds the identifier of the key. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events keyLocation : Number [read-only]
The keyLocation attribute contains an indication of the location of
they key on the device, as described in Keyboard event types. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| Non-Standard layerX : Number [read-only]
Returns the horizontal coordinate of the event relative to the current layer. | UIEvent | |
| Non-Standard layerY : Number [read-only]
Returns the vertical coordinate of the event relative to the current layer. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 3 Events metaKey : Boolean [read-only]
If the meta (Meta) key modifier is activated. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events namespaceURI : DOMString [read-only]
The namespace URI associated with this event at initialization time, or
null if it is unspecified. | Event | |
| Non-Standard originalTarget : * [read-only]
The original target of the event before any retargetings. | Event | |
| Non-Standard pageX : Number [read-only]
Returns the horizontal coordinate of the event relative to whole document. | UIEvent | |
| Non-Standard pageY : Number [read-only]
Returns the vertical coordinate of the event relative to the whole document. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 3 Events shiftKey : Boolean [read-only]
If the shift (Shift) key modifier is activated. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 2 Events target : EventTarget [read-only]
Used to indicate the event target. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events timeStamp : DOMTimeStamp [read-only]
Used to specify the time at which the event was created in milliseconds
relative to 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events type : DOMString [read-only]
The local name of the event type. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events view : AbstractView [read-only]
Returns the AbstractView object from which the event was generated. | UIEvent | |
| Non-Standard which : DOMString [read-only]
Returns the numeric keyCode of the key pressed, or the character code (charCode) for
an alphanumeric key pressed. | UIEvent | |
| Method | Defined By | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Queries the state of a modifier using a key identifier. | KeyboardEvent | ||
|
Initializes attributes of an Event created through the
DocumentEvent.createEvent method. | Event | |
| DOM 3 Events initEventNS(namespaceURIArg:DOMString, typeArg:DOMString, canBubbleArg:Boolean, cancelableArg:Boolean):void
Initializes attributes of an Event object. | Event | |
DOM 3 Events initKeyboardEvent(typeArg:DOMString, canBubbleArg:Boolean, cancelableArg:Boolean, viewArg:AbstractView, keyIdentifierArg:DOMString, keyLocationArg:Number, modifiersListArg:DOMString):void
Initializes attributes of a KeyboardEvent object. | KeyboardEvent | ||
DOM 3 Events initKeyboardEventNS(namespaceURI:DOMString, typeArg:DOMString, canBubbleArg:Boolean, cancelableArg:Boolean, viewArg:AbstractView, keyIdentifierArg:DOMString, keyLocationArg:Number, modifiersListArg:DOMString):void
Initializes attributes of a KeyboardEvent object. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 2 Events initUIEvent(typeArg:DOMString, canBubbleArg:Boolean, cancelableArg:Boolean, viewArg:AbstractView, detailArg:Number):void
Initializes attributes of an UIEvent object. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 3 Events initUIEventNS(namespaceURIArg:DOMString, typeArg:DOMString, canBubbleArg:Boolean, cancelableArg:Boolean, viewArg:AbstractView, detailArg:Number):void
Initializes attributes of an UIEvent object. | UIEvent | |
| Obsolete preventBubble():void
Prevents the event from bubbling. | Event | |
| Obsolete preventCapture():void
This method is deprecated in favor of standard stopPropagation and is removed in Gecko 1.9. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events preventDefault():void
Cancels the event if it is cancelable, without stopping further propagation of the event. | Event | |
| DOM 3 Events stopImmediatePropogation():void
Prevents other event listeners from being triggered and, unlike
Event.stopPropagation() its effect is immediate . | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events stopPropogation():void
Prevents other event listeners from being triggered but its effect is
deferred until all event listeners attached on the Event.currentTarget
have been triggered . | Event | |
| Constant | Defined By | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| HTML 4.0 abort : String = abort [static]
Loading of a resource has been aborted. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events AT_TARGET : Number = 2 [static]
The current event is in the target phase, i.e. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events blur : String = blur [static]
An event target loses focus. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events BUBBLING_PHASE : Number = 3 [static]
The current event phase is the bubbling phase. | Event | |
| DOM 2 Events CAPTURING_PHASE : Number = 1 [static]
The current event phase is the capture phase. | Event | |
| HTML 4.0 change : String = change [static]
A control loses the input focus and its value has been modified since gaining focus. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events DOMActivate : String = DOMActivate [static]
Refer to Activation requests and behavior. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events DOMFocusIn : String = DOMFocusIn [static]
An event target receives focus. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events DOMFocusOut : String = DOMFocusOut [static]
An event target loses focus. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_LEFT : Number = 1 [static]
The key activated is in the left key location (there is more than one
possible location for this key). | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_NUMPAD : Number = 3 [static]
The key activation originated on the numeric keypad or with a virtual key
corresponding to the numeric keypad. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_RIGHT : Number = 2 [static]
The key activation is in the right key location (there is more than one
possible location for this key). | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_STANDARD : Number = 0 [static]
The key activation is not distinguished as the left or right version
of the key, and did not originate from the numeric keypad (or did
not originate with a virtual key corresponding to the numeric keypad). | KeyboardEvent | ||
| HTML 4.0 error : String = error [static]
A resource failed to load, or has been loaded but cannot be interpreted according to its semantics
such as an invalid image, a script execution error, or non-well-formed XML. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events focus : String = focus [static]
An event target receives focus. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 3 Events keydown : String = keydown [static]
A key is pressed down. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| DOM 3 Events keyup : String = keyup [static]
A key is released. | KeyboardEvent | ||
| HTML 4.0 load : String = load [static]
The DOM Implementation finishes loading the resource (such as the document) and any dependent resources
(such as images, style sheets, or scripts). | UIEvent | |
| HTML 4.0 reset : String = reset [static]
A form, such as a [HTML 4.01] or [XHTML 1.0] form, is reset. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events resize : String = resize [static]
A document view or an element has been resized. | UIEvent | |
| DOM 2 Events scroll : String = scroll [static]
A document view or an element has been scrolled. | UIEvent | |
| HTML 4.0 select : String = select [static]
A user selects some text. | UIEvent | |
| HTML 4.0 submit : String = submit [static]
A form, such as a [HTML 4.01] or [XHTML 1.0] form, is submitted. | UIEvent | |
| HTML 4.0 unload : String = unload [static]
The DOM implementation removes from the environment the resource (such as the document) or any dependent
resources (such as images, style sheets, scripts). | UIEvent | |
| DOM 3 Events altKey | property |
Hide Inherited Public Properties
Show Inherited Public PropertiesaltKey:Boolean [read-only] | Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
If the alternative (Alt) key modifier is activated.
Note: The Option key modifier on Macintosh systems must be represented using this key modifier.
public function get altKey():BooleanSee also
<html>
<head>
<title>altKey example</title>
<script type="text/javascript">
function showChar(e){
alert(
"Key Pressed: " + String.fromCharCode(e.charCode) + "\n"
+ "charCode: " + e.charCode + "\n"
+ "ALT key pressed: " + e.altKey + "\n"
);
}
</script>
</head>
<body onkeypress="showChar(event);">
<p>
Press any character key,
with or without holding down the ALT key.<br />
You can also use the SHIFT key together with the ALT key.
</p>
</body>
</html>| charCode | property |
charCode:Boolean [read-only] Non-standard (Mozilla)
Returns the Unicode value of a character key pressed during a keypress event.
For constants equivalent to these numeric codes, see KeyEvent.
Note: In a keypress event, the Unicode value of the key pressed is stored in either the keyCode or charCode property, never both. If the key pressed generates a character (e.g. 'a'), charCode is set to the code of that character, respecting the letter case. (i.e. charCode takes into account whether the shift key is held down). Otherwise, the code of the pressed key is stored in keyCode.
Note: charCode is never set in the keydown and keyup events. In these cases, keyCode is set instead.
Note: To get the code of the key regardless of whether it was stored in keyCode or charCode, query the which property.
Note: Characters entered through an IME do not register through keyCode or charCode.
public function get charCode():BooleanSee also
<html>
<head>
<title>charCode example</title>
<script type="text/javascript">
function showChar(e) {
alert("Key Pressed: " + String.fromCharCode(e.charCode) + "\n"
+ "charCode: " + e.charCode);
}
</script>
</head>
<body onkeypress="showChar(event);">
<p>Press any 'character' type key.</p>
</body>
</html>| DOM 3 Events ctrlKey | property |
ctrlKey:Boolean [read-only] | Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
If the control (Ctrl) key modifier is activated.
public function get ctrlKey():BooleanSee also
<html>
<head>
<title>ctrlKey example</title>
<script type="text/javascript">
function showChar(e) {
alert(
"Key Pressed: " + String.fromCharCode(e.charCode) + "\n"
+ "charCode: " + e.charCode + "\n"
+ "CTRL key pressed: " + e.ctrlKey + "\n"
);
}
</script>
</head>
<body onkeypress="showChar(event);">
<p>Press any character key, with or without holding down the CTRL key.<br />
You can also use the SHIFT key together with the CTRL key.</p>
</body>
</html>| keyCode | property |
keyCode:DOMString [read-only] Non-standard (Mozilla)
Returns the Unicode value of a non-character key in a keypress event or any key in any other type of keyboard event.
For constants equivalent to these numeric codes, see KeyEvent.
Note: In a keypress event, the Unicode value of the key pressed is stored in either the keyCode or charCode property, never both. If the key pressed generates a character (e.g. 'a'), charCode is set to the code of that character, respecting the letter case. (i.e. charCode takes into account whether the shift key is held down). Otherwise, the code of the pressed key is stored in keyCode.
Note: keyCode is always set in the keydown and keyup events. In these cases, charCode is never set.
Note: To get the code of the key regardless of whether it was stored in keyCode or charCode, query the which property.
Note: Characters entered through an IME do not register through keyCode or charCode.
public function get keyCode():DOMStringSee also
<html>
<head>
<title>keyCode example</title>
<script type="text/javascript">
function showKeyCode(e) {
alert("keyCode for the key pressed: " + e.keyCode + "\n");
}
</script>
</head>
<body onkeydown="showKeyCode(event);">
<p>Press any key.</p>
</body>
</html>| DOM 3 Events keyIdentifier | property |
keyIdentifier:DOMString [read-only] | Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
Holds the identifier of the key. The key identifiers are defined in Appendix A.2 "Key identifiers set". Implementations that are unable to identify a key must use the key identifier "Unidentified".
public function get keyIdentifier():DOMStringSee also
| DOM 3 Events keyLocation | property |
keyLocation:Number [read-only] | Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
The keyLocation attribute contains an indication of the location of they key on the device, as described in Keyboard event types.
public function get keyLocation():NumberSee also
| DOM 3 Events metaKey | property |
metaKey:Boolean [read-only] | Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
If the meta (Meta) key modifier is activated.
Note: The Command key modifier on Macintosh systems must be represented using this key modifier.
public function get metaKey():BooleanSee also
| DOM 3 Events shiftKey | property |
shiftKey:Boolean [read-only] | Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
If the shift (Shift) key modifier is activated.
public function get shiftKey():BooleanSee also
| DOM 3 Events getModifierState | () | method |
public function getModifierState(keyIdentifierArg:DOMString):Boolean| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
Queries the state of a modifier using a key identifier.
Parameters
keyIdentifierArg:DOMString — A modifier key identifier. Common modifier
keys are "Alt", "AltGraph", "CapsLock", "Control", "Meta", "NumLock",
"Scroll", or "Shift".
Note: If an application wishes to distinguish between right and left modifiers, this information could be deduced using keyboard events and KeyboardEvent.keyLocation. |
Boolean — If it is a modifier key and the modifier is activated
|
See also
| DOM 3 Events initKeyboardEvent | () | method |
public function initKeyboardEvent(typeArg:DOMString, canBubbleArg:Boolean, cancelableArg:Boolean, viewArg:AbstractView, keyIdentifierArg:DOMString, keyLocationArg:Number, modifiersListArg:DOMString):void| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
Initializes attributes of a KeyboardEvent object. This method has the same behavior as UIEvent.initUIEvent(). The value of UIEvent.detail remains undefined.
Parameters
typeArg:DOMString — Specifies Event.type, the local name of the event type.
| |
canBubbleArg:Boolean — Specifies Event.bubbles. This parameter overrides the intrinsic bubbling behavior of the event.
| |
cancelableArg:Boolean — Specifies Event.cancelable. This parameter overrides the intrinsic cancelable behavior of the event.
| |
viewArg:AbstractView — Specifies UIEvent.view. This value may be null.
| |
keyIdentifierArg:DOMString — Specifies KeyboardEvent.keyIdentifier.
| |
keyLocationArg:Number — Specifies KeyboardEvent.keyLocation.
| |
modifiersListArg:DOMString — A white space separated list of modifier key
identifiers to be activated on this object. As an example, "Control Alt"
will mark the control and alt modifiers as activated.
|
See also
| DOM 3 Events initKeyboardEventNS | () | method |
public function initKeyboardEventNS(namespaceURI:DOMString, typeArg:DOMString, canBubbleArg:Boolean, cancelableArg:Boolean, viewArg:AbstractView, keyIdentifierArg:DOMString, keyLocationArg:Number, modifiersListArg:DOMString):void| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
Initializes attributes of a KeyboardEvent object. This method has the same behavior as UIEvent.initUIEventNS(). The value of UIEvent.detail remains undefined.
Parameters
namespaceURI:DOMString — Specifies Event.namespaceURI, the namespace URI associated with this event, or null if no namespace.
| |
typeArg:DOMString — Specifies Event.type, the local name of the event type.
| |
canBubbleArg:Boolean — Specifies Event.bubbles. This parameter overrides the intrinsic bubbling behavior of the event.
| |
cancelableArg:Boolean — Specifies Event.cancelable. This parameter overrides the intrinsic cancelable behavior of the event.
| |
viewArg:AbstractView — Specifies UIEvent.view. This value may be null.
| |
keyIdentifierArg:DOMString — Specifies KeyboardEvent.keyIdentifier.
| |
keyLocationArg:Number — Specifies KeyboardEvent.keyLocation.
| |
modifiersListArg:DOMString — A white space separated list of modifier key
identifiers to be activated on this object. As an example, "Control Alt"
will mark the control and alt modifiers as activated.
|
See also
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_LEFT | Constant |
public static const DOM_KEY_LOCATION_LEFT:Number = 1| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
The key activated is in the left key location (there is more than one possible location for this key). Example: the left Shift key on a PC 101 Key US keyboard.
See also
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_NUMPAD | Constant |
public static const DOM_KEY_LOCATION_NUMPAD:Number = 3| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
The key activation originated on the numeric keypad or with a virtual key corresponding to the numeric keypad. Example: the '1' key on a PC 101 Key US keyboard located on the numeric pad.
See also
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_RIGHT | Constant |
public static const DOM_KEY_LOCATION_RIGHT:Number = 2| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
The key activation is in the right key location (there is more than one possible location for this key). Example: the right Shift key on a PC 101 Key US keyboard.
See also
| DOM 3 Events DOM_KEY_LOCATION_STANDARD | Constant |
public static const DOM_KEY_LOCATION_STANDARD:Number = 0| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
The key activation is not distinguished as the left or right version of the key, and did not originate from the numeric keypad (or did not originate with a virtual key corresponding to the numeric keypad). Example: the 'Q' key on a PC 101 Key US keyboard.
See also
| DOM 3 Events keydown | Constant |
public static const keydown:String = keydown| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
A key is pressed down.
This event type is device dependent and relies on the capabilities of the input devices and how they are mapped in the operating system. This event type is generated after the keyboard mapping but before the processing of an input method editor. This event should logically happen before the event keyup is produced. Whether a keydown contributes or not to the generation of a text event is implementation dependent.
| Title | Value |
|---|---|
| Namespace | None |
| Cancelable | Yes |
| Bubbles | Yes |
| Target | Element |
| Context info | UIEvent.view, KeyboardEvent.keyIdentifier, KeyboardEvent.keyLocation, KeyboardEvent.altKey, KeyboardEvent.shiftKey, KeyboardEvent.ctrlKey, and KeyboardEvent.metaKey are in use. |
See also
| DOM 3 Events keyup | Constant |
public static const keyup:String = keyup| Introduced in: | DOM 3 Events |
A key is released.
This event type is device dependent and relies on the capabilities of the input devices and how they are mapped in the operating system. This event type is generated after the keyboard mapping but before the processing of an input method editor. This event should logically happen after the event keydown is produced. Whether a keyup contributes or not to the generation of a text event is implementation dependent.
| Title | Value |
|---|---|
| Namespace | None |
| Cancelable | Yes |
| Bubbles | Yes |
| Target | Element |
| Context info | UIEvent.view, KeyboardEvent.keyIdentifier, and KeyboardEvent.keyLocation are in use. KeyboardEvent.altKey, KeyboardEvent.shiftKey, KeyboardEvent.ctrlKey, and KeyboardEvent.metaKey are in use unless the KeyboardEvent.keyIdentifier corresponds to the key modifier itself. |
See also