Applies to: desktop apps only

Describes a keyboard input event in a console INPUT_RECORD structure.

Syntax

typedef struct _KEY_EVENT_RECORD {
  BOOL  bKeyDown;
  WORD  wRepeatCount;
  WORD  wVirtualKeyCode;
  WORD  wVirtualScanCode;
  union {
    WCHAR UnicodeChar;
    CHAR  AsciiChar;
  } uChar;
  DWORD dwControlKeyState;
} KEY_EVENT_RECORD;

Members

bKeyDown

If the key is pressed, this member is TRUE. Otherwise, this member is FALSE (the key is released).

wRepeatCount

The repeat count, which indicates that a key is being held down. For example, when a key is held down, you might get five events with this member equal to 1, one event with this member equal to 5, or multiple events with this member greater than or equal to 1.

wVirtualKeyCode

A virtual-key code that identifies the given key in a device-independent manner.

wVirtualScanCode

The virtual scan code of the given key that represents the device-dependent value generated by the keyboard hardware.

uChar

A union of the following members.

UnicodeChar

Translated Unicode character.

AsciiChar

Translated ASCII character.

dwControlKeyState

The state of the control keys. This member can be one or more of the following values.

Value	Meaning
CAPSLOCK_ON 0x0080	The CAPS LOCK light is on.
ENHANCED_KEY 0x0100	The key is enhanced.
LEFT_ALT_PRESSED 0x0002	The left ALT key is pressed.
LEFT_CTRL_PRESSED 0x0008	The left CTRL key is pressed.
NUMLOCK_ON 0x0020	The NUM LOCK light is on.
RIGHT_ALT_PRESSED 0x0001	The right ALT key is pressed.
RIGHT_CTRL_PRESSED 0x0004	The right CTRL key is pressed.
SCROLLLOCK_ON 0x0040	The SCROLL LOCK light is on.
SHIFT_PRESSED 0x0010	The SHIFT key is pressed.

 

Remarks

Enhanced keys for the IBM® 101- and 102-key keyboards are the INS, DEL, HOME, END, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, and direction keys in the clusters to the left of the keypad; and the divide (/) and ENTER keys in the keypad.

Keyboard input events are generated when any key, including control keys, is pressed or released. However, the ALT key when pressed and released without combining with another character, has special meaning to the system and is not passed through to the application. Also, the CTRL+C key combination is not passed through if the input handle is in processed mode (ENABLE_PROCESSED_INPUT).

Examples

For an example, see Reading Input Buffer Events.

Requirements

See also

PeekConsoleInput

ReadConsoleInput

WriteConsoleInput

INPUT_RECORD

Send comments about this topic to Microsoft

Build date: 5/5/2012