hotkeys
The hotkeys
module enables add-on developers to define hotkey combinations.
To define a hotkey combination, create a Hotkey
object, passing it the
combination and a function to be called when the user presses that
combination. For example, this add-on defines two hotkey combinations,
to show and hide a panel:
// Define keyboard shortcuts for showing and hiding a custom panel.
var { Hotkey } = require("sdk/hotkeys");
var showHotKey = Hotkey({
combo: "accel-shift-o",
onPress: function() {
showMyPanel();
}
});
var hideHotKey = Hotkey({
combo: "accel-alt-shift-o",
onPress: function() {
hideMyPanel();
}
});
Choosing Hotkeys
Choose hotkey combinations with care. It's very easy to choose combinations which clash with hotkeys defined for Firefox or for other add-ons.
If you choose any of the following commonly used Firefox combinations your add-on will not pass AMO review:
accel+Z, accel+C, accel+X, accel+V or accel+Q
If you choose to use a key combination that's already defined, choose one
which makes sense for the operation it will perform. For example, accel-S
is typically used to save a file, but if you use it for something
completely different then it would be extremely confusing for users.
No matter what you choose, it's likely to annoy some people, and to clash with some other add-on, so consider making the combination you choose user-configurable.
API Reference
Classes
Hotkey
Module exports Hotkey
constructor allowing users to create a hotkey
for the
host application.
Constructors
Hotkey(options)
Creates a hotkey whose onPress
listener method is invoked when key combination
defined by hotkey
is pressed.
If more than one hotkey
is created for the same key combination, the listener
is executed only on the last one created.
Options for the hotkey, with the following keys:
Any function key: "f1, f2, ..., f24"
or key combination in the format
of 'modifier-key'
:
"accel-s"
"meta-shift-i"
"control-alt-d"
Modifier keynames:
- shift: The Shift key.
- alt: The Alt key. On the Macintosh, this is the Option key. On
Macintosh this can only be used in conjunction with another modifier,
since
Alt-Letter
combinations are reserved for entering special characters in text. - meta: The Meta key. On the Macintosh, this is the Command key.
- control: The Control key.
- accel: The key used for keyboard shortcuts on the user's platform, which is Control on Windows and Linux, and Command on Mac. Usually, this would be the value you would use.
Function that is invoked when the key combination hotkey
is pressed.
Methods
destroy()
Stops this instance of Hotkey
from reacting on the key combinations. Once
destroyed it can no longer be used.