Key Identifiers Reference
The Key Identifiers Reference lists the valid key identifiers used to simulate keystrokes in a virtual machine.
Both the IVMKeyboard and IVMRCClientControl interfaces use these key identifiers to simulate individual keystrokes or in creating key sequence strings.
A key sequence string is a comma-delimited set of key identifiers which are used to simulate the key press and release sequence of a standard U.S. 101-key AT-style keyboard.
If a key identifier appears in the string without a preceding modifier, a key-pressed code is simulated, followed immediately by its corresponding key-released code. Key modifiers can be used to change this behavior.
For example, the DOWN modifier will send the key-pressed code for the following key identifier without sending the key-released code. This is useful for simulating Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys when they are held down while other keys are being sent. To release the key, it must be included in the key string again along with a preceding UP modifier.
The following list details the valid key identifier strings.
| Key identifier string | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Key_Escape | the Esc key |
| Key_F1 | the F1 key |
| Key_F2 | the F2 key |
| Key_F3 | the F3 key |
| Key_F4 | the F4 key |
| Key_F5 | the F5 key |
| Key_F6 | the F6 key |
| Key_F7 | the F7 key |
| Key_F8 | the F8 key |
| Key_F9 | the F9 key |
| Key_F10 | the F10 key |
| Key_F11 | the F11 key |
| Key_F12 | the F12 key |
| Key_SysReq | the SysReq key |
| Key_ScrollLock | the ScrollLock key |
| Key_Break | the Break key |
| Key_LeftApostrophe | the ` key |
| Key_1 | the 1 key |
| Key_2 | the 2 key |
| Key_3 | the 3 key |
| Key_4 | the 4 key |
| Key_5 | the 5 key |
| Key_6 | the 6 key |
| Key_7 | the 7 key |
| Key_8 | the 8 key |
| Key_9 | the 9 key |
| Key_0 | the 0 key |
| Key_Hyphen | the - key |
| Key_Equals | the = key |
| Key_Backspace | the Backspace key |
| Key_Insert | the Ins key |
| Key_Home | the Home key |
| Key_PageUp | the PageUp key |
| Key_NumLock | the NumLock key |
| KeyPad_Divide | the / key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_Multiply | the * key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_Minus | the - key on the keypad |
| Key_Tab | the Tab key |
| Key_Q | the Q key |
| Key_W | the W key |
| Key_E | the E key |
| Key_R | the R key |
| Key_T | the T key |
| Key_Y | the Y key |
| Key_U | the U key |
| Key_I | the I key |
| Key_O | the O key |
| Key_P | the P key |
| Key_LeftBracket | the [ key |
| Key_RightBracket | the ] key |
| Key_Backslash | the \ key |
| Key_Delete | the Delete key |
| Key_End | the End key |
| Key_PageDown | the PageDown key |
| KeyPad_7 | the 7 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_8 | the 8 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_9 | the 9 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_Plus | the + key on the keypad |
| Key_A | the A key |
| Key_S | the S key |
| Key_D | the D key |
| Key_F | the F key |
| Key_G | the G key |
| Key_H | the H key |
| Key_J | the J key |
| Key_K | the K key |
| Key_L | the L key |
| Key_SemiColon | the ; key |
| Key_SingleQuote | the ' key |
| Key_Enter | the Enter key |
| KeyPad_4 | the 4 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_5 | the 5 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_6 | the 6 key on the keypad |
| Key_LeftShift | the Left Shift key |
| Key_Z | the Z key |
| Key_X | the X key |
| Key_C | the C key |
| Key_V | the V key |
| Key_B | the B key |
| Key_N | the N key |
| Key_M | the M key |
| Key_Comma | the , key |
| Key_Period | the . key |
| Key_Slash | the / key |
| Key_RightShift | the Right Shift key |
| Key_Up | the Up key |
| KeyPad_1 | the 1 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_2 | the 2 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_3 | the 3 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_Enter | the Enter key on the keypad |
| Key_LeftCtrl | the Left Ctrl key |
| Key_LeftWindows | the Left Windows key |
| Key_LeftAlt | the Left Alt key |
| Key_Space | the Space key |
| Key_RightAlt | the Right Alt key |
| Key_RightWindows | the Right Windows key |
| Key_RightCtrl | the Right Ctrl key |
| Key_Application | the Application key |
| Key_Left | the Left key |
| Key_Down | the Down key |
| Key_Right | the Right key |
| KeyPad_0 | the 0 key on the keypad |
| KeyPad_DecimalPoint | the . key on the keypad |
The following list details the valid key modifier strings.
| Key modifier string | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DOWN | Send a key-pressed code for the following key identifier without sending a key-released code. |
| UP | Send a key-released code for the following key identifier. |
| HOLD | Pause 200 milliseconds before continuing to process the remainder of the key sequence string. |
Example Code
The following C++ example simulates typing "Hello World!" in a virtual machine session.
BSTR bHello=SysAllocString(L"DOWN,Key_LeftShift,Key_H,UP,"
"Key_LeftShift,Key_E,Key_L,Key_L,Key_O,Key_Space,DOWN,"
"Key_LeftShift,Key_W,UP,Key_LeftShift,Key_O,Key_R,Key_L,"
"Key_D,DOWN,Key_LeftShift,Key_1,UP,Key_Left_Shift");
HRESULT hr = pIVMKeyboard->TypeKeySequence(bHello);
SysFreeString(bHello);
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