Here's some stuff to use if you want. You can register a bunch of keys and handler with it.
Comments are in the code, but i short it goes like this:
It sets up a listener on the document
and manages a hash with the key combinations for which you want to listen.
* When you register a key (combination) to listen for, you submit the keycode (preferrably as a constant taken from the exported "key" property, to which you can add more constants for yourself), a handler function and possibly an options hash where you say if the ctrl and/or alt key are involved in your plans for this key.
* When you de-register a key (combination) you just submit the key and the optional hash for ctrl/alt-ness.
window.npup = (function keypressListener() {
// Object to hold keyCode/handler mappings
var mappings = {};
// Default options for additional meta keys
var defaultOptions = {ctrl:false, alt:false};
// Flag for if we're running checks or not
var active = false;
// The function that gets called on keyup.
// Tries to find a handler to execute
function driver(event) {
var keyCode = event.keyCode, ctrl = !!event.ctrlKey, alt = !!event.altKey;
var key = buildKey(keyCode, ctrl, alt);
var handler = mappings[key];
if (handler) {handler(event);}
}
// Take the three props and make a string to use as key in the hash
function buildKey(keyCode, ctrl, alt) {return (keyCode+'_'+ctrl+'_'+alt);}
function listen(keyCode, handler, options) {
// Build default options if there are none submitted
options = options || defaultOptions;
if (typeof handler!=='function') {throw new Error('Submit a handler for keyCode #'+keyCode+'(ctrl:'+!!options.ctrl+', alt:'+options.alt+')');}
// Build a key and map handler for the key combination
var key = buildKey(keyCode, !!options.ctrl, !!options.alt);
mappings[key] = handler;
}
function unListen(keyCode, options) {
// Build default options if there are none submitted
options = options || defaultOptions;
// Build a key and map handler for the key combination
var key = buildKey(keyCode, !!options.ctrl, !!options.alt);
// Delete what was found
delete mappings[key];
}
// Rudimentary attempt att cross-browser-ness
var xb = {
addEventListener: function (element, eventName, handler) {
if (element.attachEvent) {element.attachEvent('on'+eventName, handler);}
else {element.addEventListener(eventName, handler, false);}
}
, removeEventListener: function (element, eventName, handler) {
if (element.attachEvent) {element.detachEvent('on'+eventName, handler);}
else {element.removeEventListener(eventName, handler, false);}
}
};
function setActive(activate) {
activate = (typeof activate==='undefined' || !!activate); // true is default
if (activate===active) {return;} // already in the desired state, do nothing
var addOrRemove = activate ? 'addEventListener' : 'removeEventListener';
xb[addOrRemove](document, 'keyup', driver);
active = activate;
}
// Activate on load
setActive();
// export API
return {
// Add/replace handler for a keycode.
// Submit keycode, handler function and an optional hash with booleans for properties 'ctrl' and 'alt'
listen: listen
// Remove handler for a keycode
// Submit keycode and an optional hash with booleans for properties 'ctrl' and 'alt'
, unListen: unListen
// Turn on or off the whole thing.
// Submit a boolean. No arg means true
, setActive: setActive
// Keycode constants, fill in your own here
, key : {
VK_F1 : 112
, VK_F2: 113
, VK_A: 65
, VK_B: 66
, VK_C: 67
}
};
})();
// Small demo of listen and unListen
// Usage:
// listen(key, handler [,options])
// unListen(key, [,options])
npup.listen(npup.key.VK_F1, function (event) {
console.log('F1, adding listener on \'B\'');
npup.listen(npup.key.VK_B, function (event) {
console.log('B');
});
});
npup.listen(npup.key.VK_F2, function (event) {
console.log('F2, removing listener on \'B\'');
npup.unListen(npup.key.VK_B);
});
npup.listen(npup.key.VK_A, function (event) {
console.log('ctrl-A');
}, {ctrl: true});
npup.listen(npup.key.VK_A, function (event) {
console.log('ctrl-alt-A');
}, {ctrl: true, alt: true});
npup.listen(npup.key.VK_C, function (event) {
console.log('ctrl-alt-C => It all ends!');
npup.setActive(false);
}, {ctrl: true, alt: true});
It is not terribly tested, but seemed to work OK.
Look at http://www.cambiaresearch.com/c4/702b8cd1-e5b0-42e6-83ac-25f0306e3e25/Javascript-Char-Codes-Key-Codes.aspx to find a lot of keyCodes to use,