[p5.js 2.0 Bug Report]: misleading keyIsDown() documentation

[MrDuckyTesla]

Most appropriate sub-area of p5.js?

• Accessibility
• Color
• Core/Environment/Rendering
• Data
• DOM
• Events
• Image
• IO
• Math
• Typography
• Utilities
• WebGL
• Build process
• Unit testing
• Internationalization
• Friendly errors
• Other (specify if possible)

p5.js version

2.0.1

Web browser and version

Google Chrome Version 23H2 (Build 22631.4460)

Operating system

Windows 11

Steps to reproduce this

Steps:

1. Make new empty p5.js sketch
2. paste "console.log(keyIsDown(88));" as shown below
3. press down on "x" key and notice how console prints only false
4. change version to 1.11.5
5. run sketch again and notice how console prints true when key is down

Snippet:

function setup() {
  createCanvas(400, 400);
}

function draw() {
  background(220);
  console.log(keyIsDown(88));
}

[welcome]

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[mudit06mah]

I believe this error is arising due to the fact that event handling has changed in 2.x

[perminder-17]

I believe this error is arising due to the fact that event handling has changed in 2.x

That's correct @mudit06mah , it's a breaking change which happend on this PR: #7472

Now, you can't use any code inside keyIsDown() function, I think we need to fix the docs for it.

Thanks @MrDuckyTesla for catching this, it's another breaking change. keyIsDown, which now accepts the values of KeyboardEvent.key and KeyboardEvent.code instead of numeric codes
If you use the p5 constants like CONTROL_KEY then it works the same, but now CONTROL_KEY maps to 'Control' instead of a number.

Solution: We should fix the docs and remove the usage of code at description where it says it will work using code as well.

If anyone is interested in fixing this up, I am happy to assign to them. Thanks everyone for their inputs. 🙂

[perminder-17]

Also, if possible @MrDuckyTesla can you please update the heading of this issue so it would be easy for everyone to know what's getting fixed? Maybe it's an error in the docs, so we could write the same as heading?

[MrDuckyTesla]

@perminder-17 I hope that this title is more accurate regarding the issue.

[perminder-17]

@perminder-17 I hope that this title is more accurate regarding the issue.

Yes, this looks great.

[suhas-developer07]

The reason you're seeing false rapidly in the console is because the draw() function in p5.js runs about 60 times per second. Inside it, you're calling: console.log(keyIsDown(88));
So if the 'X' key (ASCII code 88) is not being pressed, keyIsDown(88) will return false, and that value is printed continuously — creating what looks like "spamming" in the console.

💡 Suggested Fix (to reduce console spam):

Only log when the key is actually pressed:

if (keyIsDown(88)) {
console.log("X is being held down");
}
This avoids unnecessary logs and makes testing easier.

Hope this helps!

[perminder-17]

The reason you're seeing false rapidly in the console is because the draw() function in p5.js runs about 60 times per second. Inside it, you're calling: console.log(keyIsDown(88)); So if the 'X' key (ASCII code 88) is not being pressed, keyIsDown(88) will return false, and that value is printed continuously — creating what looks like "spamming" in the console.

💡 Suggested Fix (to reduce console spam):

Only log when the key is actually pressed:

if (keyIsDown(88)) { console.log("X is being held down"); } This avoids unnecessary logs and makes testing easier.

Hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for the suggestons. I think it could be one of the reasons but only in 1.x versions of p5.js. If you do anything like

// this works with 1.x versions. in 2.x version it will console nothing. 
if (keyIsDown(88)) {
console.log("X is being held down");
}

in 2.x version, you could still see nothing in the console but if you do:

if (keyIsDown('x')) { // replace with x
console.log("X is being held down");
}

You could probably see it logs in the console.

[dpanshug]

It seems the main task is to update the JSDoc for keyIsDown() in src/events/keyboard.js so the description correctly reflects that it checks if any key is pressed down, not a specific one. This should clear up the documentation confusion mentioned.

@perminder-17 Could you please assign this to me?

[perminder-17]

It seems the main task is to update the JSDoc for keyIsDown() in src/events/keyboard.js so the description correctly reflects that it checks if any key is pressed down, not a specific one. This should clear up the documentation confusion mentioned.

@perminder-17 Could you please assign this to me?

Yes, correct. I have assigned this to you🙂