React Native KeyEvent

Capture external keyboard keys or remote control button events

Learn about Android KeyEvent here.

Installation

via npm

Run npm install react-native-keyevent --save

via yarn

Run yarn add react-native-keyevent

Linking

Android:

react-native link react-native-keyevent (for React Native <= 0.59 only)

iOS:

pod install inside your ios folder.

Note: You still must manually register module in MainActivity! (Instructions below under Configuration Android)

Linking Manually

Android

1. In android/setting.gradle

   ...
   include ':react-native-keyevent'
   project(':react-native-keyevent').projectDir = new File(rootProject.projectDir, '../node_modules/react-native-keyevent/android')
   

2. In android/app/build.gradle

   ...
   dependencies {
       ...
       compile project(':react-native-keyevent')
   }
   

3. Register module (in MainApplication.java)

   import com.github.kevinejohn.keyevent.KeyEventPackage;  // <--- import
   
   public class MainApplication extends Application implements ReactApplication {
     ......
   
     @Override
     protected List<ReactPackage> getPackages() {
         return Arrays.<ReactPackage>asList(
             new MainReactPackage(),
             new KeyEventPackage()      <------- Add this
         );
     }
   
     ......
   
   }
   

iOS

Follow the instrutions listed here: Manually Linking iOS.

Configuration

Android

Implement onConfigurationChanged method in MainActivity.java

    import android.view.KeyEvent; // <--- import
    import com.github.kevinejohn.keyevent.KeyEventModule; // <--- import


    public class MainActivity extends ReactActivity {
      ......
      @Override  // <--- Add this method if you want to react to keyDown
      public boolean onKeyDown(int keyCode, KeyEvent event) {

        // A. Prevent multiple events on long button press
        //    In the default behavior multiple events are fired if a button
        //    is pressed for a while. You can prevent this behavior if you
        //    forward only the first event:
        //        if (event.getRepeatCount() == 0) {
        //            KeyEventModule.getInstance().onKeyDownEvent(keyCode, event);
        //        }
        //
        // B. If multiple Events shall be fired when the button is pressed
        //    for a while use this code:
        //        KeyEventModule.getInstance().onKeyDownEvent(keyCode, event);
        //
        // Using B.
        KeyEventModule.getInstance().onKeyDownEvent(keyCode, event);

        // There are 2 ways this can be done:
        //  1.  Override the default keyboard event behavior
        //    super.onKeyDown(keyCode, event);
        //    return true;

        //  2.  Keep default keyboard event behavior
        //    return super.onKeyDown(keyCode, event);

        // Using method #1 without blocking multiple
        super.onKeyDown(keyCode, event);
        return true;
      }

      @Override  // <--- Add this method if you want to react to keyUp
      public boolean onKeyUp(int keyCode, KeyEvent event) {
        KeyEventModule.getInstance().onKeyUpEvent(keyCode, event);

        // There are 2 ways this can be done:
        //  1.  Override the default keyboard event behavior
        //    super.onKeyUp(keyCode, event);
        //    return true;

        //  2.  Keep default keyboard event behavior
        //    return super.onKeyUp(keyCode, event);

        // Using method #1
        super.onKeyUp(keyCode, event);
        return true;
      }

      @Override
      public boolean onKeyMultiple(int keyCode, int repeatCount, KeyEvent event) {
          KeyEventModule.getInstance().onKeyMultipleEvent(keyCode, repeatCount, event);
          return super.onKeyMultiple(keyCode, repeatCount, event);
      }
      ......

    }

iOS

This will need to be added in your AppDelegate.m file:

// react-native-keyevent
#import <RNKeyEvent.h>  // import our package after linking

@implementation AppDelegate

//....

/*!
 * react-native-keyevent support
 */
RNKeyEvent *keyEvent = nil;

- (NSMutableArray<UIKeyCommand *> *)keyCommands {
  NSMutableArray *keys = [NSMutableArray new];
  
  if (keyEvent == nil) {
    keyEvent = [[RNKeyEvent alloc] init];
  }
  
  if ([keyEvent isListening]) {
    NSArray *namesArray = [[keyEvent getKeys] componentsSeparatedByString:@","];
    
    NSCharacterSet *validChars = [NSCharacterSet characterSetWithCharactersInString:@"ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"];
    
    for (NSString* names in namesArray) {
      NSRange  range = [names rangeOfCharacterFromSet:validChars];
      
      if (NSNotFound != range.location) {
        [keys addObject: [UIKeyCommand keyCommandWithInput:names modifierFlags:UIKeyModifierShift action:@selector(keyInput:)]];
      } else {
        [keys addObject: [UIKeyCommand keyCommandWithInput:names modifierFlags:0 action:@selector(keyInput:)]];
      }
    }
  }
  
  return keys;
}

- (void)keyInput:(UIKeyCommand *)sender {
  NSString *selected = sender.input;
  [keyEvent sendKeyEvent:selected];
}

@end

Usage

Whenever you want to use it within React Native code now you can:

import KeyEvent from 'react-native-keyevent';

  componentDidMount() {
    // if you want to react to keyDown
    KeyEvent.onKeyDownListener((keyEvent) => {
      console.log(`onKeyDown keyCode: ${keyEvent.keyCode}`);
      console.log(`Action: ${keyEvent.action}`);
      console.log(`Key: ${keyEvent.pressedKey}`);
    });

    // if you want to react to keyUp
    KeyEvent.onKeyUpListener((keyEvent) => {
      console.log(`onKeyUp keyCode: ${keyEvent.keyCode}`);
      console.log(`Action: ${keyEvent.action}`);
      console.log(`Key: ${keyEvent.pressedKey}`);
    });

    // if you want to react to keyMultiple
    KeyEvent.onKeyMultipleListener((keyEvent) => {
      console.log(`onKeyMultiple keyCode: ${keyEvent.keyCode}`);
      console.log(`Action: ${keyEvent.action}`);
      console.log(`Characters: ${keyEvent.characters}`);
    });
  }

  componentWillUnmount() {
    // if you are listening to keyDown
    KeyEvent.removeKeyDownListener();

     // if you are listening to keyUp
    KeyEvent.removeKeyUpListener();

     // if you are listening to keyMultiple
    KeyEvent.removeKeyMultipleListener();
  }

TODOS

• iOS Support
• Add iOS Support for keyDown and multipleKeys
• Implement keyCode and action on iOS
• Support for TypeScript projects