Packageflash.events
Classpublic class KeyboardEvent
InheritanceKeyboardEvent Inheritance Event Inheritance Object

Flash® Player dispatches KeyboardEvent objects in response to user input through a keyboard. There are two types of keyboard events: KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN and KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP

Because mappings between keys and specific characters vary by device and operating system, use the TextEvent event type for processing character input.

To listen globally for key events, listen on the Stage for the capture and target or bubble phase.

View the examples.

See also

KEY_DOWN
KEY_UP
KeyLocation
About keyboard events
Handling keyboard events
Understanding the keyCode and charCode properties
Understanding KeyboardEvent precedence


Public Properties
 PropertyDefined by
  altKey : Boolean
Reserved for future use.
KeyboardEvent
 Inheritedbubbles : Boolean
Indicates whether an event is a bubbling event.
Event
 Inheritedcancelable : Boolean
Indicates whether the behavior associated with the event can be prevented.
Event
  charCode : uint
Contains the character code value of the key pressed or released.
KeyboardEvent
 Inheritedconstructor : Object
A reference to the class object or constructor function for a given object instance.
Object
  ctrlKey : Boolean
Indicates whether the Control key is active (true) or inactive (false).
KeyboardEvent
 InheritedcurrentTarget : Object
The object that is actively processing the Event object with an event listener.
Event
 InheritedeventPhase : uint
The current phase in the event flow.
Event
  keyCode : uint
The key code value of the key pressed or released.
KeyboardEvent
  keyLocation : uint
Indicates the location of the key on the keyboard.
KeyboardEvent
 Inheritedprototype : Object
[static] A reference to the prototype object of a class or function object.
Object
  shiftKey : Boolean
Indicates whether the Shift key modifier is active (true) or inactive (false).
KeyboardEvent
 Inheritedtarget : Object
The event target.
Event
 Inheritedtype : String
The type of event.
Event
Public Methods
 MethodDefined by
  
KeyboardEvent(type:String, bubbles:Boolean = true, cancelable:Boolean = false, charCode:uint = 0, keyCode:uint = 0, keyLocation:uint = 0, ctrlKey:Boolean = false, altKey:Boolean = false, shiftKey:Boolean = false)
Creates an Event object that contains specific information about keyboard events.
KeyboardEvent
  
Creates a copy of the KeyboardEvent object and sets the value of each property to match that of the original.
KeyboardEvent
 Inherited
formatToString(className:String, ... arguments):String
A utility function for implementing the toString() method in your custom Event class.
Event
 Inherited
Indicates whether an object has a specified property defined.
Object
 Inherited
Checks whether preventDefault() has been called on the event.
Event
 Inherited
Indicates whether an instance of the Object class is in the prototype chain of the object specified as the parameter.
Object
 Inherited
Cancels an event's default behavior if that behavior can be canceled.
Event
 Inherited
Indicates whether the specified property exists and is enumerable.
Object
 Inherited
Sets the availability of a dynamic property for loop operations.
Object
 Inherited
Prevents processing of any event listeners in the current node and any subsequent nodes in the event flow.
Event
 Inherited
Prevents processing of any event listeners in nodes subsequent to the current node in the event flow.
Event
  
Returns a string that contains all the properties of the KeyboardEvent object.
KeyboardEvent
  
Instructs Flash Player to render after processing of this event completes, if the display list has been modified
KeyboardEvent
 Inherited
Returns the primitive value of the specified object.
Object
Public Constants
 ConstantDefined by
 InheritedACTIVATE : String = "activate"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an activate event object.
Event
 InheritedADDED : String = "added"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an added event object.
Event
 InheritedADDED_TO_STAGE : String = "addedToStage"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an addedToStage event object.
Event
 InheritedCANCEL : String = "cancel"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a cancel event object.
Event
 InheritedCHANGE : String = "change"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a change event object.
Event
 InheritedCLOSE : String = "close"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a close event object.
Event
 InheritedCOMPLETE : String = "complete"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a complete event object.
Event
 InheritedCONNECT : String = "connect"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a connect event object.
Event
 InheritedDEACTIVATE : String = "deactivate"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a deactivate event object.
Event
 InheritedENTER_FRAME : String = "enterFrame"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an enterFrame event object.
Event
 InheritedFULLSCREEN : String = "fullScreen"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a fullScreen event object.
Event
 InheritedID3 : String = "id3"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an id3 event object.
Event
 InheritedINIT : String = "init"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an init event object.
Event
  KEY_DOWN : String = "keyDown"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a keyDown event object.
KeyboardEvent
  KEY_UP : String = "keyUp"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a keyUp event object.
KeyboardEvent
 InheritedMOUSE_LEAVE : String = "mouseLeave"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a mouseLeave event object.
Event
 InheritedOPEN : String = "open"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an open event object.
Event
 InheritedREMOVED : String = "removed"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a removed event object.
Event
 InheritedREMOVED_FROM_STAGE : String = "removedFromStage"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a removedFromStage event object.
Event
 InheritedRENDER : String = "render"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a render event object.
Event
 InheritedRESIZE : String = "resize"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a resize event object.
Event
 InheritedSCROLL : String = "scroll"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a scroll event object.
Event
 InheritedSELECT : String = "select"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a select event object.
Event
 InheritedSOUND_COMPLETE : String = "soundComplete"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a soundComplete event object.
Event
 InheritedTAB_CHILDREN_CHANGE : String = "tabChildrenChange"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a tabChildrenChange event object.
Event
 InheritedTAB_ENABLED_CHANGE : String = "tabEnabledChange"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a tabEnabledChange event object.
Event
 InheritedTAB_INDEX_CHANGE : String = "tabIndexChange"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of a tabIndexChange event object.
Event
 InheritedUNLOAD : String = "unload"
[static] Defines the value of the type property of an unload event object.
Event
Property detail
altKeyproperty
altKey:Boolean  [read-write]

Reserved for future use. This property is not currently supported.

Implementation
    public function get altKey():Boolean
    public function set altKey(value:Boolean):void
charCodeproperty 
charCode:uint  [read-write]

Contains the character code value of the key pressed or released. The character code values are English keyboard values. For example, if you press Shift+3, charCode is # on a Japanese keyboard, just as it is on an English keyboard.

Note: When an input method editor (IME) is running, charCode does not report accurate character codes.

Implementation
    public function get charCode():uint
    public function set charCode(value:uint):void

See also

ctrlKeyproperty 
ctrlKey:Boolean  [read-write]

Indicates whether the Control key is active (true) or inactive (false).

Note: The Command key modifier on Macintosh systems must be represented using this key modifier.

Implementation
    public function get ctrlKey():Boolean
    public function set ctrlKey(value:Boolean):void
keyCodeproperty 
keyCode:uint  [read-write]

The key code value of the key pressed or released.

Note: When an input method editor (IME) is running, keyCode does not report accurate key codes.

Implementation
    public function get keyCode():uint
    public function set keyCode(value:uint):void

See also

keyLocationproperty 
keyLocation:uint  [read-write]

Indicates the location of the key on the keyboard. This is useful for differentiating keys that appear more than once on a keyboard. For example, you can differentiate between the left and right Shift keys by the value of this property: KeyLocation.LEFT for the left and KeyLocation.RIGHT for the right. Another example is differentiating between number keys pressed on the standard keyboard (KeyLocation.STANDARD) versus the numeric keypad (KeyLocation.NUM_PAD).

Implementation
    public function get keyLocation():uint
    public function set keyLocation(value:uint):void
shiftKeyproperty 
shiftKey:Boolean  [read-write]

Indicates whether the Shift key modifier is active (true) or inactive (false).

Implementation
    public function get shiftKey():Boolean
    public function set shiftKey(value:Boolean):void
Constructor detail
KeyboardEvent()constructor
public function KeyboardEvent(type:String, bubbles:Boolean = true, cancelable:Boolean = false, charCode:uint = 0, keyCode:uint = 0, keyLocation:uint = 0, ctrlKey:Boolean = false, altKey:Boolean = false, shiftKey:Boolean = false)

Creates an Event object that contains specific information about keyboard events. Event objects are passed as parameters to event listeners.

Parameters
type:String — The type of the event. Possible values are: KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN and KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP
 
bubbles:Boolean (default = true) — Determines whether the Event object participates in the bubbling stage of the event flow.
 
cancelable:Boolean (default = false) — Determines whether the Event object can be canceled.
 
charCode:uint (default = 0) — The character code value of the key pressed or released. The character code values returned are English keyboard values. For example, if you press Shift+3, the getASCIICode() method returns # on a Japanese keyboard, just as it does on an English keyboard.
 
keyCode:uint (default = 0) — The key code value of the key pressed or released.
 
keyLocation:uint (default = 0) — The location of the key on the keyboard.
 
ctrlKey:Boolean (default = false) — Indicates whether the Control key modifier is activated.
 
altKey:Boolean (default = false) — Reserved for future use (not currently supported).
 
shiftKey:Boolean (default = false) — Indicates whether the Shift key modifier is activated.

See also

Method detail
clone()method
public override function clone():Event

Creates a copy of the KeyboardEvent object and sets the value of each property to match that of the original.

Returns
Event — A new KeyboardEvent object with property values that match those of the original.
toString()method 
public override function toString():String

Returns a string that contains all the properties of the KeyboardEvent object. The string is in the following format:

[KeyboardEvent type=value bubbles=value cancelable=value ... shiftKey=value]

Returns
String — A string that contains all the properties of the KeyboardEvent object.
updateAfterEvent()method 
public function updateAfterEvent():void

Instructs Flash Player to render after processing of this event completes, if the display list has been modified

Constant detail
KEY_DOWNconstant
public static const KEY_DOWN:String = "keyDown"

Defines the value of the type property of a keyDown event object.

This event has the following properties:

PropertyValue
bubblestrue
cancelablefalse; there is no default behavior to cancel.
charCodeThe character code value of the key pressed or released.
ctrlKeytrue if the Control key is active; false if it is inactive.
currentTargetThe object that is actively processing the Event object with an event listener.
keyCodeThe key code value of the key pressed or released.
keyLocationThe location of the key on the keyboard.
shiftKeytrue if the Shift key is active; false if it is inactive.
targetThe InteractiveObject instance with focus. The target is not always the object in the display list that registered the event listener. Use the currentTarget property to access the object in the display list that is currently processing the event.

See also

KEY_UPconstant 
public static const KEY_UP:String = "keyUp"

Defines the value of the type property of a keyUp event object.

This event has the following properties:

PropertyValue
bubblestrue
cancelablefalse; there is no default behavior to cancel.
charCodeContains the character code value of the key pressed or released.
ctrlKeytrue if the Control key is active; false if it is inactive.
currentTargetThe object that is actively processing the Event object with an event listener.
keyCodeThe key code value of the key pressed or released.
keyLocationThe location of the key on the keyboard.
shiftKeytrue if the Shift key is active; false if it is inactive.
targetThe InteractiveObject instance with focus. The target is not always the object in the display list that registered the event listener. Use the currentTarget property to access the object in the display list that is currently processing the event.

See also

Examples

The following example uses the KeyboardEventExample class to show keyboard events and their listener functions. The example carries out the following tasks:
  1. It declares properties for later use in setting a square's background color and size.
  2. It creates a new Sprite instance named child.
  3. Using methods of Sprite, it draws a light-blue square that it displays on the Stage at default coordinates (0,0) by calling the addChild() method.
  4. It adds two keyboard type event listeners:
    • keyDown/keyDownHandler which is dispatched whenever any key is pressed. The subscriber method prints information about the event using the trace() statement.
    • keyUp/keyUpHandler which is dispatched when a key is released.

In some instances, you may need to click the Stage for the keyboard events to work.

package {
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.display.DisplayObject;
    import flash.events.*;

    public class KeyboardEventExample extends Sprite {
        private var bgColor:uint = 0x00CCFF;
        private var size:uint = 80;

        public function KeyboardEventExample() {
            var child:Sprite = new Sprite();
            child.graphics.beginFill(bgColor);
            child.graphics.drawRect(0, 0, size, size);
            child.graphics.endFill();
            addChild(child);
            stage.focus = child;
            child.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN, keyDownHandler);
            child.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP, keyUpHandler);
        }

        private function keyDownHandler(event:KeyboardEvent):void {
            trace("keyDownHandler: " + event.keyCode);
            trace("ctrlKey: " + event.ctrlKey);
            trace("keyLocation: " + event.keyLocation);
            trace("shiftKey: " + event.shiftKey);
            trace("altKey: " + event.altKey);
        }

        private function keyUpHandler(event:KeyboardEvent):void {
            trace("keyUpHandler: " + event.keyCode);
        }
    }
}




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