How do I check if the left angle bracket key is pressed? - java

In Java, I have checked the list of Virtual Key Codes, and there is not a VK for '<'. I have tried "VK_LESS" with my program (which sounds like it could be '<'), but that did not work either.
I am wondering if I have to check to see if the Shift key is pressed down, and then check to see if the Comma key is also pressed down, but I am not sure how to do that in a KeyHandler class, using a switch statement for the keyPressed method.

The KeyHandler keyPressed method will receive a KeyEvent. You can call isShiftDown() on that KeyEvent to see if the shift key is currently pressed.
public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
if (e.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_COMMA && e.isShiftDown()) {
// do your thing!
}
}
You could also try doing:
public void keyTyped(KeyEvent e) {
if (e.getKeyChar() == '<') {
...
}
}
Note the use of keyTyped rather than keyPressed. keyTyped triggers only when a key press outputs a character, rather than on every key press. This method would be more likely to work for other types of keyboard. But I haven't tried it, so I don't know if it would work at all.

I believe you'd want to use VK_LESS and VK_GREATER for "<" and ">", respectively.

You can use KeyEvents.getKeyChar() method
public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
if (evt.getKeyChar().equals("<")) {
/*your code*/
}
}

Related

How to validate Regular Expression in real time on jtextbox?

I'm trying to validate/filter my jtextbox wwith this Regex:
^(([A-za-z]+[\s]{1}[A-za-z]+)|([A-Za-z]+))$
I want to filter two names with one space.
Tried using keytyped and keyreleased, but it just does not work (won't let me write anything on the textbox) and e.consume() does not work.
boolean StrCheck(String Exp,String str) {
return Pattern.matches(Exp,str);
}
#Override
public void keyTyped(KeyEvent e) {
if (e.getSource() == jTextField) {
String regexp = "^(([A-za-z]+[\s]{1}[A-za-z]+)|([A-Za-z]+))$";
if (jTextField.getText().length() == 25) {
e.consume();
} if (StrCheck(regexp,jTextField.getText())){
}else {
e.consume();
}
I've been searching, but the only possible answer I got, was to create a Documentlistene BUT can't find any example or how actually do it and make it work.
Neither KeylListener, neither DocumentListener will work. In most of this kind of cases you would need to use a DocumentFilter. Before you do though, take a look on how to use formatted textfields. It might be enough for you. If it does not, this answer is what you are looking for.

Distinguishing left and right shift keys in Processing 3

Alright, I'll say in advance I'm aware this isn't a new concept... But no matter what I research nothing seems to work. Basically, I want to be able to sense every key on my keyboard including the different shift/ctrl/alt/enter keys. Every key besides these returns a unique keyCode which is good, but I can't seem to distinguish these duplicates.
Without any modifications, the void keyPressed () will work just fine. I'm told that to distinguish the duplicate keys I can import java.awt.event.KeyEvent; and then use
void keyPressed (KeyEvent e) {
if (keyCode == SHIFT) {
int location = e.getKeyLocation ();
if (location == KEY_LOCATION_RIGHT) {
RShift = true;
}
if (location == KEY_LOCATION_LEFT) {
LShift = true;
}
}
}
However, some problems arise with this:
If I import the library, keyPressed () never gets called at all.
If I import the library but take out the KeyEvent parameter in keyPressed () it works as long as I comment out any reference to the nonexistent KeyEvent e.
If I DON'T import it and leave the parameter it just complains that getKeyLocation () doesn't exist, but that's it.
Do I need like a reverse override or something?? Help is much appreciated!
P.S. Another related question, how can I distinguish more than left, center, and right mouse buttons? I can get these and the scrollwheel but any other button just returns a mouseButton code of 0. Suggestions? Thanks!
https://processing.org/reference/keyPressed_.html
The keyPressed() function is called once every time a key is pressed. The key that was pressed is stored in the key variable.
if you want to override keyPressed you must use the same signature so no parameters, in the method you can reference the key variable of the PApplet
like this i believe
void keyPressed ()
**int location = key
edit: int location = keyEvent

How to stop object from moving while key is still pressed

I'm a beginner in Java programming & I am making an application requiring an object to move around a grid filled with squares.
The object should only move one square at a time and if the user wants to move into another square, they must press the key again. My move method is the following:
public void move() {
x += dx;
y += dy;
}
I am using the KeyListener interface to implement the keyPressed, keyTyped and keyReleased methods and I have conditions like the one in the fragment below inside KeyPressed
//KeyPressed
int c = e.getKeyCode();
if (c == KeyEvent.VK_UP) {
player.setDy(-5);
}
This allows the object to move freely. However, it will clearly continue to move as long as the UP arrow is pressed.
Is there any way to have to object move up by say -5 once and then stop even if the key is still pressed?
I am unsure whether I need to change my move method or the KeyListener methods to do this.
I hope that I have been clear enough as to what I'm asking and I'd highly appreciate any pointers.
first of all : you should use Synchronization if you call class-methods from within listeners like keyPressed or keyReleased - thats because your listener-method can be called from multiple threads so your class-method (player.setDy()) can (and will) be called in parallel - you will need to make sure that each call to setDy happens before the next one.
Also : keyTyped is much better in many cases : https://stackoverflow.com/a/7071810/351861
An example could look like this:
public void keyTyped(KeyEvent arg0) {
if(arg0.getKeyCode() == KeyEvent.VK_UP)
{
synchronized(player)
{
player.setDy(-5);
}
}
}
this will call setDy sequentially and reliably. Now all you need to do is to make sure that setDy works as intended, hence sets the position only once
easiest would be to add a boolean to indicate, that a moving key is pressed
class member : boolean movingKeyPressed = false
in key pressed :
if (movingKeyPressed) {
return;
} else {
// do stuff
movingKeyPressed = true;
}
in key released method :
movingKeyPressed = false;

How to use a JTextPanel to get a string

I need to get an input from keyboard using a JtextPanel, saving it on a string when I press enter, then use that string to do some action based on line given in input ( example "help" or "quit"). I got this in my KeyListener for JTextPanel:
...
public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
int key = e.getKeyCode();
if (key == KeyEvent.VK_ENTER) {
inputString = textField.getText();
textArea.append(inputString + "\n");
textField.setText("");
}
}
....
, but I cant call this method directly. I would need something like
String input = processInput();
if((input).equals("help"))
............
else if ((input).equals("go"))
............
and processInput should be a method that waits for the (key== KeyEvent.VK_ENTER), like happens when you use the scanf in C or the bufferedReader in java, it waits for you giving a string from keyboard till you press enter.
EDIT
My app manages commands like that
while(!finished) {
finished = processInput()
}
processInput manages the command given in input. That's why I cant call processInput() from the keyListener
I hope i was clear, my english is so bad!
thanks
How about this approach, pretty simple.
KeyListener:
...
public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
int key = e.getKeyCode();
if (key == KeyEvent.VK_ENTER) {
inputString = textField.getText();
textArea.append(inputString + "\n");
textField.setText("");
processInput(inputString); //crunch it
}
}
....
And elsewhere
public void processInput(String input) {
if((input).equals("help"))
............
else if ((input).equals("go"))
............
}
I believe you are stuck on the architectural design of an event-driven interface.
The idea here is that you don't go "waiting" for input or whatever. You set up the interface, attach the KeyListener (you do have an addKeyListener() somewhere, right...), and then you're done. You give up control flow, let your main method end, done.
When the user does something noteworthy, you then deal with it, so say you had a method processText(String text), you would, in your keylistener there, say processText(inputString);.
Thus, when the user enters something and hits enter, it starts executing in the keyListener, which passes control flow into the processText() method, which would do whatever it should do because of that text.

Java Swing - KeyListener

How can I know when the key typed change my text? Or if the key is a char?
The interface KeyListener contain three methods:
void keyTyped(KeyEvent)
void keyPressed(KeyEvent)
void keyReleased(KeyEvent)
So, if you get the char in the KeyEvent object like:
if ("a".equals(KeyEvent.getKeyChar()))
System.out.println("It's a letter")
i guess you want to know wether typing a specific key actually prints a char or is some "invisible" control character or something:
in this case you can check the typed key in the KeyEvent which gets passed into the implemented methods of the KeyListener:
this quick example should work, although i didnt test it. It constructs a new String on the char returned by the KeyEvent, than invokes the length() method to chekc if the char created a readable character in the String. kinda hacky but i hope you get the gist of it
public void keyReleased(KeyEvent ke){
if (new String(ke.getKeyChar()).length() == 0){
// do something important...
}
}
alternativley you can use ke.getKeyCode() and check vs the static fields in KeyEvent (VK_F12,VK_ENTER...)
check here:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/awt/event/KeyEvent.html
You need a document listener. See the oracle docs for more information: How to Write a Document Listener

Categories