More synchronic than GetAsyncKeyState?

[Jhd.Honza]

Hi again!

Some time ago, I asked for windows equivalent for dos Inkey$. I was warned about GetAsyncKeyState API function and I would like to thank you. But in Get... I must to determine if any of the key is pressed. Inkey$ always contains the pressed key - it is quicklier, and at the main point - it is more reliable: when I use Get... with very small interval, i will get the result sometimes more than 6x and when i use longer intervals, i will some keys forget. After some time with playing with it I find the correct interval, but the keys are not in correct order all the time.

Does anybody know something more powerfull, then GetAsynKeyState? I need to capture the key even if my apliation is not active!



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Thanks,
John, 14 years old

[Aaron Young]

The only other method is to use a Keyboard Hook, but that's only possible within you're Apps Thread unless you link it via a DLL, instead try this version of a Key Logger that I wrote using the GetAsyncKeyState API, it uses a fine Time Interval, but also prevents data repeatition.

Add a Timer to a Form..

Private Declare Function GetAsyncKeyState Lib "user32" (ByVal vKey As Long) As Integer
Private Declare Function GetKeyboardState Lib "user32" (pbKeyState As Byte) As Long
Private Declare Function ToAscii Lib "user32" (ByVal uVirtKey As Long, ByVal uScanCode As Long, lpbKeyState As Byte, lpwTransKey As Long, ByVal fuState As Long) As Long

Private Const VK_SHIFT = &H10 'Used by Win9x
Private Const VK_LSHIFT = &HA0 'Used by NT
Private Const VK_RSHIFT = &HA1 'Used by NT

Private Sub Form_Load()
'Need a Very Low Interval to Ensure the Keys are Captured in the Correct Order
Timer1.Interval = 10
Timer1.Enabled = True
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
Dim iKey As Integer
Dim iAsc As Long
Dim bKeys(255) As Byte

For iKey = 1 To 255
'Use GetAsyncKeyState to Monitor Keypress From Anywhere in the O/S.
If GetAsyncKeyState(iKey) And iKey <> VK_LSHIFT And iKey <> VK_RSHIFT And iKey <> VK_SHIFT Then Exit For
Next
If iKey < 256 Then
'Get the Current Keyboard State For the Shift Keys Etc..
Call GetKeyboardState(bKeys(0))
While GetAsyncKeyState(iKey)
'Wait for Key to be Released
Wend
'Conver the Key to it's ASCII Equivilant
Call ToAscii(iKey, 0&, bKeys(0), iAsc, 0&)
If iAsc Then
'Store Keypress to Log Here
Debug.Print Chr(iAsc);
End If
End If
End Sub



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Aaron Young
Analyst Programmer
aarony@redwingsoftware.com
ajyoung@pressenter.com



[This message has been edited by Aaron Young (edited 01-10-2000).]