get-key-code in key-event%

Gets the virtual key code for the key event. The virtual key code is either a character or a special key symbol, one of the following:

The special key symbols attempt to capture useful keys that have no standard ASCII representation. A few keys have standard representations that are not obvious:

If a suitable special key symbol or ASCII representation is not available, #\nul (the null character) is reported.

Under X, a 'wheel-up or 'wheel-down event may be sent to a window other than the one with the keyboard focus, because X generates wheel events based on the location of the mouse pointer.

Under Windows, when the Control key is pressed without Alt, the key code for ASCII characters is downcased, roughly cancelling the effect of the Shift key. Under Mac OS X, the key code is computed without Caps Lock effects when the Control or Command key is pressed; in the case of Control, Caps Lock is used normally if special handling is disabled for the Control key via special-control-key. Under X, the key code is computed with Caps Lock effects when the Control key is pressed without Alt.

See also get-other-shift-key-code.