`keyman.interface` - the Keyboard API

The KeymanWeb core object window.keyman.interface exposes a number of functions for low-level processing of input, context and output. These functions are designed for use by keyboards compiled through Keyman Developer in order to facilitate input text processing and will also work for custom-coded KeymanWeb keyboards. These functions should only be called by keyboard code, and a good understanding of the Keyman Keyboard Language will prove extremely beneficial toward understanding the keyboard API functions enumerated in this section.

The KeymanWeb Keyboard API publishes a deprecated global KeymanWeb which is the same as keyman.interface. Use keyman.interface in preference to KeymanWeb.

Custom user interfaces should not use these functions. These functions are intended for use in a keyboard context, in particular during a keystroke event cycle.

any Function (Deprecated)

Returns whether or not the char ch is found within the any(store) string, setting an internally-tracked index for use in the indexOutput function.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KA

beep Function

Flash body or element as substitute for an audible feedback beep.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KB

beepReset Function

Cancels a previous feedback beep operation on a page element.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KBR

context Function (Deprecated)

Gets context for an ongoing keyboard operation relative to the caret's present position.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KC

contextExOutput Function

Emits the character or object at contextOffset from the current matched rule's context.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KCXO

contextMatch Function (Deprecated)

Context matching: Returns true if the specified context call matches a provided string.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KCM

deadkeyMatch Function (Deprecated)

Deadkey matching: Seeks to match the deadkey state dk at the relative caret position n.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KDM

deadkeyOutput Function

Deadkey output: Associates the deadkey state dk with the element at the current caret position, after overwriting nd characters.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KDO

deleteContext Function

Context deletion - removes the specified number of deadkeys and characters from the left of the caret.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KDC

focusLastActiveTextStore Function

Set focus to the currently-focused or most recently focused text store.

fullContextMatch Function

Context matching: Returns true if the current context matches the specified rule context specification.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KFCM

getLastActiveTextStore Function

Get the currently or most recently focused text store. This is for use by IME keyboards.

ifStore Function

ifStore compares the content of a system store with a string value.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KIFS

indexOutput Function

Index-based output: Outputs a mapped character according to a previous selection from a keyman.interface.any() call upon a store string, after deleting nd characters.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KIO

insertText Function

Inserts a text string and optional deadkey into the active output element.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KT

isKeypress Function

Returns true if the input event corresponds to a keypress event resulting in character output.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KIK

keyInformation Function

Returns an object with extended information about a specified keystroke event.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KKI

keyMatch Function

Keystroke matching: Returns true if the event matches the rule's shift mask and key code.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KKM

loadStore Function

Load an option store value from a cookie or default value if no prior stored value exists.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KLOAD

nul Function

nul context check: Returns true if the length of the context is less than or equal to n characters.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KN

output Function

Outputs the specified string to an element, overwriting characters before the caret if specified.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KO

registerKeyboard Function

Register the keyboard stub and load the keyboard.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KR

registerStub Function

Register the keyboard stub, return true if already registered.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KRS

saveFocus Function

Save focus: Temporarily saves keyboard processing data for the currently-focused control.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KSF

saveStore Function

Save an option store value to a cookie for the active keyboard.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KSAVE

setStore Function

setStore sets the value of a system store to a string.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KSETS

stateMatch Function

State-key matching: Returns true if the event matches the rule's state-key requirements.

Shorthand name: keyman.interface.KSM

Deprecated functions for IMEs

The following functions have been retained for compatibility with existing IME keyboards, but should not be used in any new keyboards or user interfaces.

GetLastActiveElement or getLastActiveElement Function (Deprecated)

Use keyman.interface.getLastActiveTextStore()

FocusLastActiveElement or focusLastActiveElement Function (Deprecated)

Use keyman.interface.focusLastActiveTextStore()

HideHelp or hideHelp Function (Deprecated)

Use keyman.osk.hide()

ShowHelp or showHelp Function (Deprecated)

Use keyman.osk.setPos() Use keyman.osk.show()

ShowPinnedHelp or showPinnedHelp Function (Deprecated)

Use keyman.osk.setRect()

Use keyman.osk.show()