Keyboard Data

When using Microsoft® DirectInput®, consider the keyboard not as a text input device but as a game pad with many buttons. When your application requires text input, do not use DirectInput methods. It is far easier to retrieve the data from the normal Microsoft Windows® messages, which enable you take advantage of services such as character repeat and translation of physical keys to virtual keys. This is particularly important for languages other than English, which can require special translations of key presses.

The following sections give more information about obtaining and interpreting keyboard data:

• Immediate Keyboard Data
• Buffered Keyboard Data
• Interpreting Keyboard Data
• Checking for Lost Keyboard Input