View source for Template:Key press/doc

__NOTOC__

This is the <code><nowiki>{{key press}}</nowiki></code> template primarily designed to illustrate keys and keystrokes on a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_technology computer keyboard]. With additional parameters, a single template can even illustrate a combination of multiple ''simultaneous'' keystrokes. A sequence of keystrokes, on the other hand, need to be demonstrated with separate templates.

Example
: <code><nowiki>{{key press|A}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|A}}

===Keystroke combinations===
To illustrate keystroke combinations, just use extra parameters:
: <code><nowiki>{{key press|Alt|P}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Alt|P}}
: <code><nowiki>{{key press|Ctrl|Alt|Del}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Ctrl|Alt|Del}}

When you feed several key names to this template, it adds a "+" (or whatever the contents of the optional ''chain'' parameter) with no spaces around. This means it won't line wrap. But when you show key combinations for instance in a table then that might cause too wide items. Then instead manually build the key combination with spaces around the "+" so it can line wrap:
: <code><nowiki>{{key press|Ctrl}}</nowiki></code> + <code><nowiki>{{key press|Alt}}</nowiki></code> + <code><nowiki>{{key press|Del}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Ctrl}} + {{key press|Alt}} + {{key press|Del}}
: <code><nowiki>{{key press|Ctrl|Alt|Del|5=chain=&amp;#32;+&amp;#32;}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Ctrl|Alt|Del|chain=&#32;+&#32;}}

On the other hand, to illustrate Windows [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alt_code Alt code]s you might want to use separate templates with no intervening punctuation or space. In most Windows systems in North America and Western Europe, for example, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plus%E2%80%93minus_sign plus-minus sign] (±) can be entered by holding down the Alt key while typing <code>0177</code> (with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numeric_keypad numeric keypad]):
: <code><nowiki>{{key press|Alt|0}}{{key press|1}}{{key press|7}}{{key press|7}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Alt|0}}{{key press|1}}{{key press|7}}{{key press|7}}

An example of a use case where more than 5 might be used is explaining usage of a macro (keyboard shortcut) created by a third-party application:
: <code><nowiki>{{Key press|Ctrl|Alt|Shift|Win|Menu|fn|L}}</nowiki></code> → {{Key press|Ctrl|Alt|Shift|Win|Menu|fn|L}}

===Wikilinks===
If there is an article about the key you can [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikilink wikilink] the key's name like any other wiki text. Like this:
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alt_key|Alt]]}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Alt}}

If you are wikilinking the keys, please ensure that you are piping to the correct page (e.g. <code><nowiki>[[Control key|Ctrl]]</nowiki></code> instead of <code><nowiki>[[Ctrl]]</nowiki></code>, which leads to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Disambiguation_page disambiguation page]).

===Wiki markup characters===
Some wiki markup characters, like the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipe_symbol pipe symbol], the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semicolon semicolon] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equals_sign equals sign], need to be entered using the <code><nowiki>{{!}}</nowiki></code>, <code><nowiki>{{;}}</nowiki></code> and <code><nowiki>{{=}}</nowiki></code> templates or as an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_entity HTML entity] &amp;#124;, &amp;#59;, &amp;#61; respectively:
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|{{pipe}}}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|{{pipe}}}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|&amp;#124;}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|&#124;}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|{{&#59;}}}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|{{;}}}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|&amp;#59;}}</nowiki></code> →  {{key press|&#59;}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|{{&#61;}}}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|{{=}}}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|&amp;#61;}}</nowiki></code> →  {{key press|&#61;}}

However, if the characters are marked as wikilinks, they can be entered as such:
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|[[&#124;]]}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|[[;]]}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|[[;]]}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|[[=]]}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|[[=]]}}

Most markup characters also have aliases:
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|pipe}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|pipe}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|semicolon}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|semicolon}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|equals}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|equals}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|colon}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|colon}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|asterisk}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|asterisk}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|hash}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|hash}}

===Key symbols===
Some key names have a fitting [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicode Unicode] character. This template automatically adds such "icons" to the following key names among others.
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Shift}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Shift}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Tab}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Tab}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Enter}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Enter}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Option}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Option}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Opt}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Opt}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Command}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Command}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Cmd}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Cmd}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Caps Lock}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Caps Lock}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Scroll Lock}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Scroll Lock}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Up}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Up}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Down}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Down}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Left}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Left}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Right}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Right}}
There are no characters for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_key|Windows key] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_key|Menu key]. So this template shows approximate characters for them, namely the {{sc2|SQUARED PLUS}} and {{sc2|STRICTLY EQUIVALENT TO}} from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_Operators|Mathematical Operators] Unicode block:
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Win}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Win}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|Menu}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|Menu}}

====Video games====
Video game controllers often have specialized input labels that do not map easily. The following are mappings for various game consoles and input features.

=====Directional input=====
The following should only be used when the input sequence uses something other than the primary input or mixes input between directional devices.
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|l-down}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|l-down}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|c-left}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|c-left}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|r-up}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|r-up}}

Stick specific diagonals are also supported:
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|l-nw}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|l-nw}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|c-se}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|c-se}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|r-ne}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|r-ne}}

=====PlayStation=====
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|ex}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|ex}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|circle}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|circle}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|triangle}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|triangle}}
* <code><nowiki>{{key press|square}}</nowiki></code> → {{key press|square}}
{{clear}}

===TemplateData===
This is the TemplateData docuementation for this template used by VisualEditor and other tools; see the monthly parameter usage report for this template.
====TemplateData for Key press====
Illustrates keys and keystrokes on a computer keyboard. Keys can include: Ctrl, Alt, Del, Opt, Menu, Left etc. console keys: ex, circle, triangle, square, and left right and center analog sticks: l-down, c-left, r-ne. The names are case insensitive.

{| class="wikitable"
!scope="col" colspan="2"|Parameter
!scope="col"|Description
!scope="col"|Type
!scope="col"|Status
|-
!scope="col"|First key.
|<code>1</code>
|First key
|Line
|'''required'''
|-
!scope="col"|Second key
|<code>2</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Third key
|<code>3</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Fourth key
|<code>4</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Fifth key
|<code>5</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Sixth key
|<code>6</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Seventh key
|<code>7</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Eighth key
|<code>8</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Ninth key
|<code>9</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Tenth key
|<code>10</code>
|Optional key press in combination as the first.
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Chaining character
|<code>chain</code>
|Character between chained key presses.<br>'''Default'''<br>+
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Chaining character
|<code>10</code>
|Character between first and second key press.<br>'''Default'''<br>+
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Chaining character
|<code>10</code>
|Character between second and third key press.<br>'''Default'''<br>+
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Chaining character
|<code>10</code>
|Character between third and fourth key press.<br>'''Default'''<br>+
|Line
|optional
|-
!scope="col"|Chaining character
|<code>10</code>
|Character between fourth and fifth key press.<br>'''Default'''<br>+
|Line
|optional
|}

===See also===
* <code><nowiki>{{Key top}}</nowiki></code> – produces a similar visual effect, but includes more symbols and does not directly support key combinations (e.g. <code><nowiki>{{key top|Caps Lock}}</nowiki></code>).
* <code><nowiki>{{Button}}</nowiki></code> – produces a similar visual effect but without the semantic markup (e.g. {{Button|sample text}}); more for representing interface elements.
* <code><nowiki>{{Playstation key press}}</nowiki></code> – to simulate gamepad buttons (e.g. <code><nowiki>{{Playstation key press|s}}</nowiki></code>).
* <code><nowiki>{{Kbd}}</nowiki></code> – to indicate user input (of any kind) without making it look like keys or buttons.