Automation Guide Action-based testing language Built-in actions System actions Keyboard

 type

type

Description

Simulate the typing of one or more keys into a window.

Arguments

• window

  TA name of the window into which keys are to be typed.

• keys

  Keys to type.

Valid contexts

This action may be used within the following project items: test modules and user-defined actions.

Notes

• This action does not support iOS devices.

• Note that this action does not include a control argument. In effect, type emulates typing keys with the character entry being directed to whichever control has focus at that point. To direct entry to a particular control, type is typically preceded by a focus control action.

• For special keys, the following notations are used:

  • Function keys: {F1} to {F12}
  • Named keys: {enter}, {esc}, {capslock}, {numlock}, {scrolllock} {spacebar}, {backspace}, {home}, {end}, {pause}, {delete}, {page down}, {page up}
  • Arrow keys: {up}, {down}, {left}, {right}
  • TAB key: {tab}
  • CTRL key combinations: Caret (^) plus the modified key. For example, Ctrl + a is represented by ^a.
  • ALT key combinations: The percent sign (%) plus the modified key. For example, %{F4} represents Alt + F4.
  • SHIFT key combinations: The plus sign (+) plus the modified key. For example, +a represents Shift + a.
  • WINDOW key combinations: {Win} or {WIN} plus the modified key. For example, {Win}r represents Window-r (used to display the Run dialog box).

• For special keys for Safari on macOS, the following additional notations are used:

  • COMMAND key combinations: {command} plus the modified key. For example, {command}c represents COMMAND + C.

  • OPTION key combinations: {option} plus the modified key. For example, {option}{delete} represents OPTION + Delete

    Restriction: 
    Currently, {capslock} is not supported for Safari running on macOS.

• For special keys on mobile operating systems, the following notations are used:

  • {home}, {back}, {menu}, {search}, {spacebar}, {enter}, {backspace}, {up}, {down}, {left}, {right}, {go}, {voldown}, {volup}.

• TestArchitect supports all basic characters that are present on a standard keyboard, including all letters, digits and symbols, including all of ` ~ @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + | } { ] [ ’ " ; : ? / > . < , " = -. However, certain symbol keys have special meaning in TestArchitect, and need to be “escaped” when you want to use them for straight character entry:

  • Since the caret, percent sign, and plus sign characters are used to represent the CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT keys, respectively, in order to effectively type ^, %, and + with this action, enclose these keys in curly braces. For example: {+} writes + to the specified window.
  • As the pound key ( # ) is used in TestArchitect as an expression indicator, you must prepend a backslash ( \ ) to it to escape that functionality as use the symbol itself. For example: \# cars writes # cars to the specified window.
  • For other symbolic keys, do not enclose them in curly braces. For example, use ? to write ? to the specified window.

• Curly braces that do not enclose strings recognized as special keys are treated as literal curly braces. For example, {xyz} writes {xyz} to the specified window, since xyz has no special meaning to TestArchitect. In the event you need to write a literal string that would otherwise be translated by TestArchitect as a special key, enclose the first curly brace in another pair of curly braces. Hence, to type the literal {home}, use {{}home}.

• This action supports the <ignore> modifier. If the string <ignore> is present as the value of any of the arguments, or any argument contains an expression that evaluates to <ignore>, the action is skipped during execution.

Applicable Built-In Settings

The following settings are applicable to this action: case sensitive, remove double quotes from cells, window wait.

Example

Action Lines

Result