key

key#

The system variable key always contains the value of the most recent key on the keyboard that was used (either pressed or released).

Examples#

# click on the window to give it focus,
# and press the 'b' key.

def draw():
    if py5.is_key_pressed:
        if py5.key in ['b', 'B']:
           py5.fill(0)
    else:
        py5.fill(255)

    py5.rect(25, 25, 50, 50)

Description#

The system variable key always contains the value of the most recent key on the keyboard that was used (either pressed or released).

For non-ASCII keys, use the key_code variable. The keys included in the ASCII specification (BACKSPACE, TAB, ENTER, RETURN, ESC, and DELETE) do not require checking to see if the key is coded, and you should simply use the key variable instead of key_code. If you’re making cross-platform projects, note that the ENTER key is commonly used on PCs and Unix and the RETURN key is used instead on Macintosh. Check for both ENTER and RETURN to make sure your program will work for all platforms.

There are issues with how key_code behaves across different renderers and operating systems. Watch out for unexpected behavior as you switch renderers and operating systems.

Underlying Processing field: key

Updated on March 06, 2023 02:49:26am UTC

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