Class keys.gui

Gets key states for using in UI code (winforms, WPF, etc).

public static class keys.gui

Remarks

Use functions of this class in user interface code (winforms, WPF, etc). In other code (automation scripts, etc) usually it's better to use functions of keys class.

In Windows there are two API to get key state - GetKeyState and GetAsyncKeyState.

API GetAsyncKeyState is used by class keys and not by this class (keys.gui). When physical key state changes (pressed/released), GetAsyncKeyState sees the change immediately. It is good in automation scripts, but not good in UI code because the state is not synchronized with the message queue.

This class (keys.gui) uses API GetKeyState. In the foreground thread (of the active window), it sees key state changes not immediately but after the thread reads key messages from its queue. It is good in UI threads. In background threads this API usually works like GetAsyncKeyState, but it depends on API AttachThreadInput and in some cases is less reliable, for example may be unaware of keys pressed before the thread started.

The key state returned by these API is not always the same as of the physical keyboard. There is no API to get real physical state. Some cases when it is different:

The key is pressed or released by software, such as the keys.send function of this library.
The key is blocked by a low-level hook. For example, hotkey triggers of this library use hooks.
The foreground window belongs to a process with higher UAC integrity level.

Also there is API GetKeyboardState. It gets states of all keys in single call. Works like GetKeyState.

Namespace: Au

Assembly: Au.dll

Inheritance

object

keys.gui

Properties

Name	Description
isAlt	Returns `true` if the `Alt` key is pressed.
isCapsLock	Returns `true` if the `CapsLock` key is toggled.
isCtrl	Returns `true` if the `Ctrl` key is pressed.
isNumLock	Returns `true` if the `NumLock` key is toggled.
isScrollLock	Returns `true` if the `ScrollLock` key is toggled.
isShift	Returns `true` if the `Shift` key is pressed.
isWin	Returns `true` if the `Win` key is pressed.

Methods

Name	Description
getKeyState(KKey)	Calls API GetKeyState and returns its return value.
getMod(KMod)	Gets flags indicating which modifier keys are pressed.
isMod(KMod)	Returns `true` if some modifier keys are pressed.
isPressed(KKey)	Returns `true` if the specified key or mouse button is pressed.
isToggled(KKey)	Returns `true` if the specified key or mouse button is toggled.