GetKeyNameText

The GetKeyNameText function retrieves a string that represents the name of a key.

int GetKeyNameText(
  LONG lParam,      // second parameter of keyboard message
  LPTSTR lpString,  // pointer to buffer for key name
  int nSize         // maximum length of key-name string length
);
 

Parameters

lParam

Specifies the second parameter of the keyboard message (such as WM_KEYDOWN) to be processed. The function interprets the following portions of lParam.

Bits	Meaning
16–23	Scan code.
24	Extended-key flag. Distinguishes some keys on an enhanced keyboard.
25	"Don't care" bit. The application calling this function sets this bit to indicate that the function should not distinguish between left and right ctrl and shift keys, for example.

lpString

Pointer to a buffer that will receive the key name.

nSize

Specifies the maximum length, in characters, of the key name, including the terminating null character. (This parameter should be equal to the size of the buffer pointed to by the lpString parameter.)

Return Values

If the function succeeds, a null-terminated string is copied into the specified buffer, and the return value is the length of the string, in characters, not counting the terminating null character.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

The format of the key-name string depends on the current keyboard layout. The keyboard driver maintains a list of names in the form of character strings for keys with names longer than a single character. The key name is translated according to the layout of the currently installed keyboard. The name of a character key is the character itself. The names of dead keys are spelled out in full.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Requires version 3.1 or later.
  Windows: Requires Windows 95 or later.
  Windows CE: Unsupported.
  Header: Declared in winuser.h.
  Import Library: Use user32.lib.
  Unicode: Implemented as Unicode and ANSI versions on Windows NT.

See Also

Keyboard Input Overview, Keyboard Input Functions