===== Key (Function) =====
==== Format ====
key\\
key()\\
key([[booleanexpressions|getUnicode]])

returns [[integerexpressions|integer_expression]]

==== Description ====
Immediately returns an integer value corresponding to the currently pressed keyboard key (if the argument is omitted or false), returns the Unicode character number if the argument is true.  If no key has been pressed since the last call to the **key** function then the number zero (0) will be returned.

In Unicoide mode the key function will not return keypresses like backspace, escape, arrows, shift, alt, or the control keys.  It will return upper/lowercase letters.

==== Note ====
<code>
if key = 47 then print key
</code>
will not display the desired results, because it's calling key twice in succession, and will return different values each time.  This code will do what you want:
<code>
a = key
if a = 47 then print a
</code>
==== Partial List of Keys ====

|ESC=16777216|Space=32|||||||
|0=48|1=49|2=50|3=51|4=52|5=53|6=54|7=55|
|8=56|9=57|||||||
|A=65|B=66|C=67|D=68|E=69|F=70|G=71|H=72|
|I=73|J=74|K=75|L=76|M=77|N=78|O=79|P=80|
|Q=81|R=82|S=83|T=84|U=85|V=86|W=87|X=88|
|Y=89|Z=90|||||||
|Down Arrow=16777237|Up Arrow=16777235|Left Arrow=16777234|Right Arrow=16777236||||

[[http://qt-project.org/doc/qt-4.8/qt.html#Key-enum|Click here for a complete list of key values]]

==== Example====
<code>
#press any keys
loop:
pause 1
a = key
print a+"  "+chr(a)
goto loop
</code>

====Example====
<code>
# get unicode letters until you press a control x
while true
	k = key(true)
	if k <> 0 then
		print k, chr(k)
		if k = 24 then exit while
	endif
	pause .1
end while
</code>

==== See Also ====
{{page>en:start#Keyboard and User Input&noheader}}

==== History ==== 
|2.0.0.11|added optional Unicode character argument|