KbdCharIn (FAPI)

This call returns a character data record from the keyboard.

Syntax

KbdCharIn (CharData, IOWait, KbdHandle)

Parameters

CharData (PKBDKEYINFO) - output

Address of the character data structure

IOWait (USHORT) - input

Wait if a character is not available.

0 - Requestor waits for a character if one is not available.

1 - Requestor gets an immediate return if no character is available.

KbdHandle (HKBD) - input

Default keyboard or the logical keyboard.

Return Code

rc (USHORT) - return

Return code descriptions are:

• 0 NO_ERROR
• 375 ERROR_KBD_INVALID_IOWAIT
• 439 ERROR_KBD_INVALID_HANDLE
• 445 ERROR_KBD_FOCUS_REQUIRED
• 447 ERROR_KBD_KEYBOARD_BUSY
• 464 ERROR_KBD_DETACHED
• 504 ERROR_KBD_EXTENDED_SG

Remarks

On an enhanced keyboard, the secondary enter key returns the normal character 0DH and a scan code of E0H.

Double-byte character codes (DBCS) require two function calls to obtain the entire code.

If shift report is set with KbdSetStatus, the CharData record returned reflects changed shift information only.

Extended ASCII codes are identified with the status byte, bit 1 on and the ASCII character code being either 00H or E0H. Both conditions must be satisfied for the character to be an extended keystroke. For extended ASCII codes, the scan code byte returned is the second code (extended code). Usually the extended ASCII code is the scan code of the primary key that was pressed.

A thread in the foreground session that repeatedly polls the keyboard with KbdCharIn (with no wait), can prevent all regular priority class threads from executing. If polling must be used and a minimal amount of other processing is being performed, the thread should periodically yield to the CPU by issuing a DosSleep call for an interval of at least 5 milliseconds.

Family API Considerations

Some options operate differently in the DOS mode than in the OS /2 mode. Therefore, the following restrictions apply to KbdCharIn when coding in the DOS mode:

• The CharData structure includes everything except the time stamp.
• Interim character is not supported.
• Status can be 0 or 40H
• KbdHandle is ignored.

Bindings

C

typedef struct _KBDKEYINFO { /* kbci */
  UCHAR    chChar;           /* ASCII character code */
  UCHAR    chScan;           /* Scan Code */
  UCHAR    fbStatus;         /* State of the character */
  UCHAR    bNlsShift;        /* Reserved (set to zero) */
  USHORT   fsState;          /* State of the shift keys */
  ULONG    time;             /* Time stamp of keystroke (ms since ipl) */
}KBDKEYINFO;

#define INCL_KBD

USHORT  rc = KbdCharIn(CharData, IOWait, KbdHandle);

PKBDKEYINFO  CharData;      /* Buffer for data */
USHORT       IOWait;        /* Indicate if wait */
HKBD         KbdHandle;     /* Keyboard handle */

USHORT       rc;            /* return code */

MASM

KBDKEYINFO struc
  kbci_chChar    db  ? ;ASCII character code
  kbci_chScan    db  ? ;Scan Code
  kbci_fbStatus  db  ? ;State of the character
  kbci_bNlsShift db  ? ;Reserved (set to zero)
  kbci_fsState   dw  ? ;state of the shift keys
  kbci_time      dd  ? ;time stamp of keystroke (ms since ipl)
KBDKEYINFO ends

EXTRN  KbdCharIn:FAR
INCL_KBD            EQU 1

PUSH@  OTHER   CharData      ;Buffer for data
PUSH   WORD    IOWait        ;Indicate if wait
PUSH   WORD    KbdHandle     ;Keyboard handle
CALL   KbdCharIn

Returns WORD