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.
@class
Module exports `Hotkey` constructor allowing users to create a `hotkey` for the
host application.
@constructor
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.
@param options {Object}
Options for the hotkey, with the following keys:
@prop combo {String}
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.
@prop onPress {Function}
Function that is invoked when the key combination `hotkey` is pressed.
@method
Stops this instance of `Hotkey` from reacting on the key combinations. Once
destroyed it can no longer be used.
[Mozilla keyboard planning FAQ]:http://www.mozilla.org/access/keyboard/
[keyboard shortcuts]:https://developer.mozilla.org/en/XUL_Tutorial/Keyboard_Shortcuts