C#: Getting the correct keys pressed from KeyEventArgs' KeyData

c# enums enum-flags keyeventargs
Andreas Grech picture Andreas Grech · May 14, 2009 · Viewed 13.1k times · Source

I am trapping a KeyDown event and I need to be able to check whether the current keys pressed down are : Ctrl + Shift + M ?

I know I need to use the e.KeyData from the KeyEventArgs, the Keys enum and something with Enum Flags and bits but I'm not sure on how to check for the combination.

Answer

Mike Dinescu picture Mike Dinescu · May 14, 2009

You need to use the Modifiers property of the KeyEventArgs class.

Something like:

//asumming e is of type KeyEventArgs (such as it is 
// on a KeyDown event handler
// ..
bool ctrlShiftM; //will be true if the combination Ctrl + Shift + M is pressed, false otherwise

ctrlShiftM = ((e.KeyCode == Keys.M) &&               // test for M pressed
              ((e.Modifiers & Keys.Shift) != 0) &&   // test for Shift modifier
              ((e.Modifiers & Keys.Control) != 0));  // test for Ctrl modifier
if (ctrlShiftM == true)
{
    Console.WriteLine("[Ctrl] + [Shift] + M was pressed");
}

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