[macos] Where can I find a list of Mac virtual key codes?

I'm using CGEventCreateKeyboardEvent and need to know what CGKeyCode values to use.

Specifically, I am after the key code for the Command key. The docs give examples for other keys: z is 6, shift is 56.

There must be a list of Mac virtual keycodes somewhere?

This question is related to macos keyboard quartz-graphics keycode cgkeycode

The answer is


Found an answer here.

So:

  • Command key is 55
  • Shift is 56
  • Caps Lock 57
  • Option is 58
  • Control is 59.

Here's some prebuilt Objective-C dictionaries if anyone wants to type ansi characters:

NSDictionary *lowerCaseCodes = @{
                                @"Q" : @(12),
                                @"W" : @(13),
                                @"E" : @(14),
                                @"R" : @(15),
                                @"T" : @(17),
                                @"Y" : @(16),
                                @"U" : @(32),
                                @"I" : @(34),
                                @"O" : @(31),
                                @"P" : @(35),
                                @"A" : @(0),
                                @"S" : @(1),
                                @"D" : @(2),
                                @"F" : @(3),
                                @"G" : @(5),
                                @"H" : @(4),
                                @"J" : @(38),
                                @"K" : @(40),
                                @"L" : @(37),
                                @"Z" : @(6),
                                @"X" : @(7),
                                @"C" : @(8),
                                @"V" : @(9),
                                @"B" : @(11),
                                @"N" : @(45),
                                @"M" : @(46),
                                @"0" : @(29),
                                @"1" : @(18),
                                @"2" : @(19),
                                @"3" : @(20),
                                @"4" : @(21),
                                @"5" : @(23),
                                @"6" : @(22),
                                @"7" : @(26),
                                @"8" : @(28),
                                @"9" : @(25),
                                @" " : @(49),
                                @"." : @(47),
                                @"," : @(43),
                                @"/" : @(44),
                                @";" : @(41),
                                @"'" : @(39),
                                @"[" : @(33),
                                @"]" : @(30),
                                @"\\" : @(42),
                                @"-" : @(27),
                                @"=" : @(24)
                                };

NSDictionary *shiftCodes = @{ // used in conjunction with the shift key
                                @"<" : @(43),
                                @">" : @(47),
                                @"?" : @(44),
                                @":" : @(41),
                                @"\"" : @(39),
                                @"{" : @(33),
                                @"}" : @(30),
                                @"|" : @(42),
                                @")" : @(29),
                                @"!" : @(18),
                                @"@" : @(19),
                                @"#" : @(20),
                                @"$" : @(21),
                                @"%" : @(23),
                                @"^" : @(22),
                                @"&" : @(26),
                                @"*" : @(28),
                                @"(" : @(25),
                                @"_" : @(27),
                                @"+" : @(24)
                                };

In addition to the keycodes supplied in other answers, there are also "usage IDs" used for key remapping in the newer APIs introduced in macOS Sierra:

Technical Note TN2450

Remapping Keys in macOS 10.12 Sierra

Under macOS Sierra 10.12, the mechanism for key remapping was changed. This Technical Note is for developers of key remapping software so that they can update their software to support macOS Sierra 10.12. We present 2 solutions for implementing key remapping functionality for macOS 10.12 in this Technical Note.

https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2450/_index.html

Keyboard a and A - 0x04
Keyboard b and B - 0x05
Keyboard c and C - 0x06
Keyboard d and D - 0x07
Keyboard e and E - 0x08
...

Below is a list of the common key codes for quick reference, taken from Events.h.

If you need to use these keycodes in an application, you should include the Carbon framework:

Objective-C:
#include <Carbon/Carbon.h>

Swift:
import Carbon.HIToolbox

You can then use the kVK_ANSI_A constants directly.


WARNING

The key constants reference physical keys on the keyboard. Their output changes if the typist is using a different keyboard layout. The letters in the constants correspond only to the U.S. QWERTY keyboard layout.

For example, the left ring-finger key on the homerow:

QWERTY keyboard layout > s > kVK_ANSI_S > "s"
Dvorak keyboard layout > o > kVK_ANSI_S > "o"

Strategies for layout-agnostic conversion of keycode to string, and vice versa, are discussed here:

How to convert ASCII character to CGKeyCode?


From Events.h:

/*
 *  Summary:
 *    Virtual keycodes
 *  
 *  Discussion:
 *    These constants are the virtual keycodes defined originally in
 *    Inside Mac Volume V, pg. V-191. They identify physical keys on a
 *    keyboard. Those constants with "ANSI" in the name are labeled
 *    according to the key position on an ANSI-standard US keyboard.
 *    For example, kVK_ANSI_A indicates the virtual keycode for the key
 *    with the letter 'A' in the US keyboard layout. Other keyboard
 *    layouts may have the 'A' key label on a different physical key;
 *    in this case, pressing 'A' will generate a different virtual
 *    keycode.
 */
enum {
  kVK_ANSI_A                    = 0x00,
  kVK_ANSI_S                    = 0x01,
  kVK_ANSI_D                    = 0x02,
  kVK_ANSI_F                    = 0x03,
  kVK_ANSI_H                    = 0x04,
  kVK_ANSI_G                    = 0x05,
  kVK_ANSI_Z                    = 0x06,
  kVK_ANSI_X                    = 0x07,
  kVK_ANSI_C                    = 0x08,
  kVK_ANSI_V                    = 0x09,
  kVK_ANSI_B                    = 0x0B,
  kVK_ANSI_Q                    = 0x0C,
  kVK_ANSI_W                    = 0x0D,
  kVK_ANSI_E                    = 0x0E,
  kVK_ANSI_R                    = 0x0F,
  kVK_ANSI_Y                    = 0x10,
  kVK_ANSI_T                    = 0x11,
  kVK_ANSI_1                    = 0x12,
  kVK_ANSI_2                    = 0x13,
  kVK_ANSI_3                    = 0x14,
  kVK_ANSI_4                    = 0x15,
  kVK_ANSI_6                    = 0x16,
  kVK_ANSI_5                    = 0x17,
  kVK_ANSI_Equal                = 0x18,
  kVK_ANSI_9                    = 0x19,
  kVK_ANSI_7                    = 0x1A,
  kVK_ANSI_Minus                = 0x1B,
  kVK_ANSI_8                    = 0x1C,
  kVK_ANSI_0                    = 0x1D,
  kVK_ANSI_RightBracket         = 0x1E,
  kVK_ANSI_O                    = 0x1F,
  kVK_ANSI_U                    = 0x20,
  kVK_ANSI_LeftBracket          = 0x21,
  kVK_ANSI_I                    = 0x22,
  kVK_ANSI_P                    = 0x23,
  kVK_ANSI_L                    = 0x25,
  kVK_ANSI_J                    = 0x26,
  kVK_ANSI_Quote                = 0x27,
  kVK_ANSI_K                    = 0x28,
  kVK_ANSI_Semicolon            = 0x29,
  kVK_ANSI_Backslash            = 0x2A,
  kVK_ANSI_Comma                = 0x2B,
  kVK_ANSI_Slash                = 0x2C,
  kVK_ANSI_N                    = 0x2D,
  kVK_ANSI_M                    = 0x2E,
  kVK_ANSI_Period               = 0x2F,
  kVK_ANSI_Grave                = 0x32,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadDecimal        = 0x41,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadMultiply       = 0x43,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadPlus           = 0x45,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadClear          = 0x47,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadDivide         = 0x4B,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadEnter          = 0x4C,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadMinus          = 0x4E,
  kVK_ANSI_KeypadEquals         = 0x51,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad0              = 0x52,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad1              = 0x53,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad2              = 0x54,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad3              = 0x55,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad4              = 0x56,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad5              = 0x57,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad6              = 0x58,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad7              = 0x59,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad8              = 0x5B,
  kVK_ANSI_Keypad9              = 0x5C
};

/* keycodes for keys that are independent of keyboard layout*/
enum {
  kVK_Return                    = 0x24,
  kVK_Tab                       = 0x30,
  kVK_Space                     = 0x31,
  kVK_Delete                    = 0x33,
  kVK_Escape                    = 0x35,
  kVK_Command                   = 0x37,
  kVK_Shift                     = 0x38,
  kVK_CapsLock                  = 0x39,
  kVK_Option                    = 0x3A,
  kVK_Control                   = 0x3B,
  kVK_RightShift                = 0x3C,
  kVK_RightOption               = 0x3D,
  kVK_RightControl              = 0x3E,
  kVK_Function                  = 0x3F,
  kVK_F17                       = 0x40,
  kVK_VolumeUp                  = 0x48,
  kVK_VolumeDown                = 0x49,
  kVK_Mute                      = 0x4A,
  kVK_F18                       = 0x4F,
  kVK_F19                       = 0x50,
  kVK_F20                       = 0x5A,
  kVK_F5                        = 0x60,
  kVK_F6                        = 0x61,
  kVK_F7                        = 0x62,
  kVK_F3                        = 0x63,
  kVK_F8                        = 0x64,
  kVK_F9                        = 0x65,
  kVK_F11                       = 0x67,
  kVK_F13                       = 0x69,
  kVK_F16                       = 0x6A,
  kVK_F14                       = 0x6B,
  kVK_F10                       = 0x6D,
  kVK_F12                       = 0x6F,
  kVK_F15                       = 0x71,
  kVK_Help                      = 0x72,
  kVK_Home                      = 0x73,
  kVK_PageUp                    = 0x74,
  kVK_ForwardDelete             = 0x75,
  kVK_F4                        = 0x76,
  kVK_End                       = 0x77,
  kVK_F2                        = 0x78,
  kVK_PageDown                  = 0x79,
  kVK_F1                        = 0x7A,
  kVK_LeftArrow                 = 0x7B,
  kVK_RightArrow                = 0x7C,
  kVK_DownArrow                 = 0x7D,
  kVK_UpArrow                   = 0x7E
};

Macintosh Toolbox Essentials illustrates the physical locations of these virtual key codes for the Apple Extended Keyboard II in Figure 2-10:

Virtual key codes for the Apple Extended Keyboard II


Here are the all keycodes.

Here is a table with some keycodes for the three platforms. It is based on a US Extended keyboard layout.

http://web.archive.org/web/20100501161453/http://www.classicteck.com/rbarticles/mackeyboard.php

Or, there is an app in the Mac App Store named "Key Codes". Download it to see the keycodes of the keys you press.

Key Codes:
https://itunes.apple.com/tr/app/key-codes/id414568915?l=tr&mt=12


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