Check if a key is currently pressed?

How would I check if a key is currently being pressed?

Also how would I detect if a key is pressed without using the KeyDown event. The reason I am not using the keydown event is when the user holds down a key it calls the event, waits a second than keeps calling it. I do not want the wait period if a user is holding down a key.

The KeyDown event is what detects when a key is depressed so that's what you use. If you don't want to detect multiple events then you simply add a bit of logic to ignore all but the first one:

vb.net Code:

Public Class Form1
 
    Private ignoreKeyDown As Boolean = False
 
    Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, _
                              ByVal e As KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
        If Not Me.ignoreKeyDown Then
            Me.ignoreKeyDown = True
 
            'Process the key here.
        End If
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Form1_KeyUp(ByVal sender As Object, _
                            ByVal e As KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyUp
        Me.ignoreKeyDown = False
    End Sub
 
End Class

As for the first question, I'm not aware of a way to do that with managed code. I think you'd have to use the GetAsyncKeyState function from the Windows API. If you search the forum you will undoubtedly find examples.

Sorry what I meant was I do want it to detect multiple events. I just do not want that wait period in between the detection. Like how you hold down a key in a chat box it prints the key, than waits a second and continues printing the key if it is still pressed. I just don't want that one second wait.

Use this declaration at the top of your form:

Code:

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    Private Declare Function GetKeyState Lib "user32" (ByVal keyCode As Integer) As Integer

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Then create a Timer with an interval of 1 and use this in the Tick event.

Code:

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        If GetKeyState(Keys.Left) < 0 Then 'Do Stuff

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Keys.Left can be any key you want and whatever action is in 'Do Stuff will happen the instant the key is pressed and will not pause to repeat.

Quote:

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Sorry what I meant was I do want it to detect multiple events. I just do not want that wait period in between the detection. Like how you hold down a key in a chat box it prints the key, than waits a second and continues printing the key if it is still pressed. I just don't want that one second wait.

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In that case you'd have to ignore system settings, because that delay is part of Windows. It helps prevent people accidentally registering multiple key presses if they're a bit slow to release the key.

Start a Timer on the KeyDown event and then Stop it on the KeyUp event, then handle the Tick event of your Timer.