KeyboardEvent: initKeyEvent() method

Warning: Do NOT use this method; Use the KeyboardEvent() constructor instead!

The method has been removed from the DOM specification and is not supported by any current browser. Firefox hides this method behind the preference (dom.keyboardevent.init_key_event.enabled) from version 93 and plans to remove it shortly afterwards.

Deprecated: This feature is no longer recommended. Though some browsers might still support it, it may have already been removed from the relevant web standards, may be in the process of being dropped, or may only be kept for compatibility purposes. Avoid using it, and update existing code if possible; see the compatibility table at the bottom of this page to guide your decision. Be aware that this feature may cease to work at any time.

The KeyboardEvent.initKeyEvent() method is used to initialize the value of an event created using document.createEvent ("KeyboardEvent"). Events initialized in this way must have been created with the document.createEvent ("KeyboardEvent") method. initKeyEvent() must be called to set the event before it is dispatched.

Syntax

initKeyEvent (type, bubbles, cancelable, view,
                    ctrlKey, altKey, shiftKey, metaKey,
                    keyCode, charCode)

Parameters

type: A string representing the type of event.
bubbles: A boolean value indicating whether the event should bubble up through the event chain or not (see bubbles).
cancelable: A boolean value indicating whether the event can be canceled (see cancelable).
view: Specifies the UIEvent.view; this value may be null.
ctrlKey: A boolean value that is true if the virtual key to be generated is a combination of keys containing the Ctrl key.
altKey: A boolean value that is true if the virtual key to be generated is a combination of keys containing the Alt key.
shiftKey: A boolean value that is true if the virtual key to be generated is a combination of keys containing the Shiftkey.
metaKey: A boolean value that is true if the virtual key to be generated is a combination of keys containing the Meta key.
keyCode: An unsigned long representing the virtual key code value of the key which was pressed, otherwise 0. See KeyboardEvent.keyCode for the list of key codes.
charCode: An unsigned long representing the Unicode character associated with the pressed key otherwise 0.

Return value

None (undefined).

Examples

const event = document.createEvent("KeyboardEvent"); // create a key event
// define the event
event.initKeyEvent(
  "keypress", // typeArg,
  true, // canBubbleArg,
  true, // cancelableArg,
  null, // viewArg, Specifies UIEvent.view. This value may be null.
  false, // ctrlKeyArg,
  false, // altKeyArg,
  false, // shiftKeyArg,
  false, // metaKeyArg,
  9, // keyCodeArg,
  0,
); // charCodeArg);

document.getElementById("blah").dispatchEvent(event);

Specifications

This implementation of keyboard events is based on the key events spec in the early versions of DOM 2 Events, later removed from that spec in favor of KeyboardEvent() that should be used instead.