js: how to find out what character key is pressed?

Question

so that it would be cross browser

Answer 1

To ensure robust cross-browser support, use a library like jQuery: see keyboard events

Of course, there are other Javascript libraries out there:

• Prototype
• Motools
• Yahoo UI
• etc

Answer 2

Have a look at this site for cross browser inconsistencies http://www.quirksmode.org/js/keys.html

Answer 3

Use this one:

function onKeyPress(evt){
  evt = (evt) ? evt : (window.event) ? event : null;
  if (evt)
  {
    var charCode = (evt.charCode) ? evt.charCode :((evt.keyCode) ? evt.keyCode :((evt.which) ? evt.which : 0));
    if (charCode == 13) 
        alert('User pressed Enter');
  }
}

Answer 4

"Clear" JavaScript:

<script type="text/javascript">
        function myKeyPress(e){

            var keynum;

            if(window.event){ // IE     
             keynum = e.keyCode;
            }else
                if(e.which){ // Netscape/Firefox/Opera     
              keynum = e.which;
                 }
            alert(String.fromCharCode(keynum));
        }
</script>


<form>
    <input type="text" onkeypress="return myKeyPress(event)" />
</form>

JQuery:

$(document).keypress(function(event){
    alert(String.fromCharCode(event.which)); 
 })

Answer 5

There's a million duplicates of this question on here, but here goes again anyway:

document.onkeypress = function(evt) {
    evt = evt || window.event;
    var charCode = evt.keyCode || evt.which;
    var charStr = String.fromCharCode(charCode);
    alert(charStr);
};

The best reference on key events I've seen is http://unixpapa.com/js/key.html.