Keyboard routines

The Allegro keyboard handler provides both buffered input and a set of flags storing the current state of each key. Note that it is not possible to correctly detect every combination of keys, due to the design of the PC keyboard. Up to two or three keys at a time will work fine, but if you press more than that the extras are likely to be ignored (exactly which combinations are possible seems to vary from one keyboard to another).

On DOS, Allegro requires the user to specify the language of the keyboard mapping because it is impossible to obtain this information from the OS, otherwise the default US keyboard mapping will be used. Allegro comes with a prepackaged `keyboard.dat' file which you can put along with your binary. If this file is present, Allegro will be able to extract the keyboard mapping information stored there. However, the end user still needs to select which keyboard mapping to use. This can be acomplished through the keyboard variable of the system section in a standard `allegro.cfg' configuration file. Read chapter "Configuration routines" for more information about this.

install_keyboard - Installs the Allegro keyboard interrupt handler.
remove_keyboard - Removes the Allegro keyboard handler.
install_keyboard_hooks - Installs custom keyboard hooks.
poll_keyboard - Polls the keyboard.
keyboard_needs_poll - Tells if the keyboard needs polling.
key - Array of flags indicating key state.
key_shifts - Bitmask containing the current state of modifier keys.
keypressed - Tells if there are keypresses waiting in the input buffer.
readkey - Returns the next character from the keyboard buffer.
ureadkey - Returns the next unicode character from the keyboard buffer.
scancode_to_ascii - Converts a scancode to an ASCII character.
scancode_to_name - Converts a scancode to a key name.
simulate_keypress - Stuffs a key into the keyboard buffer.
simulate_ukeypress - Stuffs an unicode key into the keyboard buffer.
keyboard_callback - User specified keyboard callback handler.
keyboard_ucallback - User specified unicode keyboard callback handler.
keyboard_lowlevel_callback - User specified low level keyboard event handler.
set_leds - Sets the state of the keyboard LED indicators.
set_keyboard_rate - Sets the keyboard repeat rate.
clear_keybuf - Clears the keyboard buffer.
three_finger_flag - Flag to desactivate the emergency exit key combination.
key_led_flag - Flag to prevent the keyboard LEDs from being updated.

Allegro Manual

API

Keyboard routines