ESC Key

[AGS]

Hi

I would like to know that the ESC Key is pressed. I have read that it has the RAWKEY code $45. This works, but only when I keep the ESC key pressed until the key-repeat starts (I guess). How to detect ESC key press immediately?

greets
A

[Asman]

Can you post your main loop. Did you using signals and Wait from exec.library ? Perhaps something ( function or it part ) takes too much time.

Here you are the example main loop from wb game (yep game is made by me ). And everything works like charm.

static void loop(void)
{
	g_bExitFromGame = FALSE;

	while (!g_bExitFromGame)
	{
		const ULONG signals = Wait(g_nWindowSignal | g_nMainTimerSig| g_nDemoTimerSig | g_nGamePortSignal | SIGBREAKF_CTRL_C);

		if (signals & SIGBREAKF_CTRL_C)
		{
			g_bExitFromGame = TRUE;
		}

		if (signals & g_nWindowSignal)
		{
			if (signalsWindow())
			{
				g_bExitFromGame = TRUE;
			}
		}

		if (signals & g_nGamePortSignal)
		{
			if (SignalsInput())
			{
				g_bExitFromGame = TRUE;
			}
		}

		if (g_bDemoMode)
		{
			if (signals & g_nDemoTimerSig)
			{
				DemoRun();
			}
		}

		if (signals & g_nMainTimerSig)
		{
			signalsMainTimer();
			g_nCnt++;
			(*g_pFnc)();
		}
	}
}

[Leffmann]

You can subscribe to IDCMP_RAWKEY events for your window, and you will receive an IECLASS_RAWKEY event with an ie_Code value of 69 immediately when ESC is pressed.

[AGS]

My mainloop is probably correct as any other keys and klicks are processed immediately. I receive IDCMP_RAWKEY events.

[thomas]

Esc is a key like any other. If you get cursor up and cursor down, for example, then you get Esc, too. Immediately. If it seems for you that Esc does not arrive immediately, then your check is wrong. Or you have some strange software patch installed which removes Esc key presses from your system.

[AGS]

I tried: When I replace the $45 of the ESC rawkey-code by for example $42 for shift-tab, the key is immediately reported. But with the value $45 it does not work. Happens in E-UAE, FS-UAE and OS4.1 environments.

[thomas]

I can assure you that the Esc key is not special. All of my programs quit when they receive an Esc key code. Immediately.

Have you set IDCMP_VANILLAKEY on your window, too? In this case you get VANILLAKEY events for all keys which have a single ASCII code. Only the remaining keys receive RAWKEY events.

The ASCII code for the Esc key is $1b.

You get a RAWKEY event for the Esc key when the repeat delay is expired.

For Tab you never get RAWKEY events when VANILLAKEY is set.

And you don't get key-up events when VANILLAKEY is set.

[AGS]

THIS was the solution. I /have/ VANILLAKEY set also. Thus the raw code $45 for Escape was only sent when the repeat delay was expired. This was the reason why I needed to hold they key pressed to get the $45. Thanks.

ps: I still get RAWKEY events for SHIFT+TAB. I don't know if there is a VANILLAKEY code for SHIFT+TAB?

[thomas]

Shift is a qualifier, not a key. You get a VANILLAKEY event for Tab because there is an ASCII code for tab (9). You don't get a VANILLAKEY event for Shift-Tab because there is no ASCII code for back-tab.

$42 is the raw key code for Tab, not for Shift-Tab. There is no difference in raw key codes for Tab or Shift-Tab. Like I said, Shift is a qualifier and Tab is the key.

[AGS]

So then do I need to add a SHIFT qualifier check to my compares that check for SHIFT+TAB? I never had a problem with this, just asking ...

[thomas]

Strictly yes. If you one day decice to remove IDCMP_VANILLAKEY then you'll get $42 for Tab, Shift-Tab, Alt-Tab, Ctrl-Tab, Amiga-Tab, whatever is pressed in combination with Tab.