Key Layout in android

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In this blog, we will learn about key layout, key layout structure, storage location, types of key layout and description about keys.

Key layout

Key layouts are files in the format of .kl which use to run key event by Linux device. There are no of the specific predefined key used in the android device like home, back, menu and other keys. There are two types of keys in android one is hard to button keys and other is soft button keys.

Key Layout file storage Location

Around all key layout files are located in key layout folder which path is /system/user/keylayout/ and some files are may be located in  /data/system/device/keylayout/  folder in android device.

You can understand better with the picture.

The main file of the key layout is genric.kl which content all key of keyboard and joystick.

Key Declaration

There is an each key has the specific role and performs the specific action when press it in android device and each key assign a specific role just like that key 102 will be referred to home button so each key has some specific reason to use.

Some files are using some specific sentence. There is some sentences use with some key.

WAKE:  wake mean that this key use when the device will be wake or screen will be in on mode.

WAKE_DROPED:  wake mean that this key use when the device will be wake or screen will be in off mode.

SHIF: use for the shift.

CAPS_LOCK: use for Capital Letter.

ALT: use for alt key press. 

ALT_GR: use for right alt key press.

FUNCTION: use for function key press.

VIRTUAL: use for the softkey press.

MENU: use for menu key.

Keyboard Key

There are lots of keyboard key. It may be hard code key or soft key just like that home Manu back because some kind of device may contain hard code button or not.

key 1     ESCAPE                   

key 2     1

key 3     2

key 4     3

key 5     4

key 6     5

key 7     6

key 8     7

key 9     8

key 10    9

key 11    0

key 12    MINUS

key 13    EQUALS

key 14    DEL

key 15    TAB

key 16    Q

key 17    W

key 18    E

key 19    R

key 20    T

key 21    Y

key 22    U

key 23    I

key 24    O

key 25    P

key 26    LEFT_BRACKET

key 27    RIGHT_BRACKET

key 28    ENTER

key 29    CTRL_LEFT

key 30    A

key 31    S

key 32    D

key 33    F

key 34    G

key 35    H

key 36    J

key 37    K

key 38    L

key 39    SEMICOLON

key 40    APOSTROPHE

key 41    GRAVE

key 42    SHIFT_LEFT

key 43    BACKSLASH

key 44    Z

key 45    X

key 46    C

key 47    V

key 48    B

key 49    N

key 50    M

key 51    COMMA

key 52    PERIOD

key 53    SLASH

key 54    SHIFT_RIGHT

key 55    NUMPAD_MULTIPLY

key 56    ALT_LEFT

key 57    SPACE

key 58    CAPS_LOCK

key 59    F1

key 60    F2

key 61    F3

key 62    F4

key 63    F5

key 64    F6

key 65    F7

key 66    F8

key 67    F9

key 68    F10

key 69    NUM_LOCK

key 70    SCROLL_LOCK

key 71    NUMPAD_7

key 72    NUMPAD_8

key 73    NUMPAD_9

key 74    NUMPAD_SUBTRACT

key 75    NUMPAD_4

key 76    NUMPAD_5

key 77    NUMPAD_6

key 78    NUMPAD_ADD

key 79    NUMPAD_1

key 80    NUMPAD_2

key 81    NUMPAD_3

key 82    NUMPAD_0

key 83    NUMPAD_DOT

# key 84 (undefined)

key 85    ZENKAKU_HANKAKU

key 86    BACKSLASH

key 87    F11

key 88    F12

key 89    RO

# key 90 "KEY_KATAKANA"

# key 91 "KEY_HIRAGANA"

key 92    HENKAN

key 93    KATAKANA_HIRAGANA

key 94    MUHENKAN

key 95    NUMPAD_COMMA

key 96    NUMPAD_ENTER

key 97    CTRL_RIGHT

key 98    NUMPAD_DIVIDE

key 99    SYSRQ

key 100   ALT_RIGHT

# key 101 "KEY_LINEFEED"

key 102   MOVE_HOME

key 103   DPAD_UP

key 104   PAGE_UP

key 105   DPAD_LEFT

key 106   DPAD_RIGHT

key 107   MOVE_END

key 108   DPAD_DOWN

key 109   PAGE_DOWN

key 110   INSERT

key 111   FORWARD_DEL

# key 112 "KEY_MACRO"

key 113   VOLUME_MUTE

key 114   VOLUME_DOWN

key 115   VOLUME_UP

key 116   POWER             WAKE

key 117   NUMPAD_EQUALS

# key 118 "KEY_KPPLUSMINUS"

key 119   BREAK

# key 120 (undefined)

key 121   NUMPAD_COMMA

key 122   KANA

key 123   EISU

key 124   YEN

key 125   META_LEFT

key 126   META_RIGHT

key 127   MENU              WAKE_DROPPED

key 128   MEDIA_STOP

# key 129 "KEY_AGAIN"

# key 130 "KEY_PROPS"

# key 131 "KEY_UNDO"

# key 132 "KEY_FRONT"

# key 133 "KEY_COPY"

# key 134 "KEY_OPEN"

# key 135 "KEY_PASTE"

# key 136 "KEY_FIND"

# key 137 "KEY_CUT"

# key 138 "KEY_HELP"

key 139   MENU              WAKE_DROPPED

key 140   CALCULATOR

# key 141 "KEY_SETUP"

key 142   POWER             WAKE

key 143   POWER             WAKE

# key 144 "KEY_FILE"

# key 145 "KEY_SENDFILE"

# key 146 "KEY_DELETEFILE"

# key 147 "KEY_XFER"

# key 148 "KEY_PROG1"

# key 149 "KEY_PROG2"

key 150   EXPLORER

# key 151 "KEY_MSDOS"

key 152   POWER             WAKE

# key 153 "KEY_DIRECTION"

# key 154 "KEY_CYCLEWINDOWS"

key 155   ENVELOPE

key 156   BOOKMARK

# key 157 "KEY_COMPUTER"

key 158   BACK              WAKE_DROPPED

key 159   FORWARD

key 160   MEDIA_CLOSE

key 161   MEDIA_EJECT

key 162   MEDIA_EJECT

key 163   MEDIA_NEXT

key 164   MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE

key 165   MEDIA_PREVIOUS

key 166   MEDIA_STOP

key 167   MEDIA_RECORD

key 168   MEDIA_REWIND

key 169   CALL

# key 170 "KEY_ISO"

key 171   MUSIC

key 172   HOME

# key 173 "KEY_REFRESH"

# key 174 "KEY_EXIT"

# key 175 "KEY_MOVE"

# key 176 "KEY_EDIT"

key 177   PAGE_UP

key 178   PAGE_DOWN

key 179   NUMPAD_LEFT_PAREN

key 180   NUMPAD_RIGHT_PAREN

# key 181 "KEY_NEW"

# key 182 "KEY_REDO"

# key 183   F13

# key 184   F14

# key 185   F15

# key 186   F16

# key 187   F17

# key 188   F18

# key 189   F19

# key 190   F20

# key 191   F21

# key 192   F22

# key 193   F23

# key 194   F24

# key 195 (undefined)

# key 196 (undefined)

# key 197 (undefined)

# key 198 (undefined)

# key 199 (undefined)

key 200   MEDIA_PLAY

key 201   MEDIA_PAUSE

# key 202 "KEY_PROG3"

# key 203 "KEY_PROG4"

# key 204 (undefined)

# key 205 "KEY_SUSPEND"

# key 206 "KEY_CLOSE"

key 207   MEDIA_PLAY

key 208   MEDIA_FAST_FORWARD

# key 209 "KEY_BASSBOOST"

# key 210 "KEY_PRINT"

# key 211 "KEY_HP"

key 212   CAMERA

key 213   MUSIC

# key 214 "KEY_QUESTION"

key 215   ENVELOPE

# key 216 "KEY_CHAT"

key 217   SEARCH

# key 218 "KEY_CONNECT"

# key 219 "KEY_FINANCE"

# key 220 "KEY_SPORT"

# key 221 "KEY_SHOP"

# key 222 "KEY_ALTERASE"

# key 223 "KEY_CANCEL"

# key 224 "KEY_BRIGHTNESSDOWN"

# key 225 "KEY_BRIGHTNESSUP"

key 226   HEADSETHOOK

key 256   BUTTON_1

key 257   BUTTON_2

key 258   BUTTON_3

key 259   BUTTON_4

key 260   BUTTON_5

key 261   BUTTON_6

key 262   BUTTON_7

key 263   BUTTON_8

key 264   BUTTON_9

key 265   BUTTON_10

key 266   BUTTON_11

key 267   BUTTON_12

key 268   BUTTON_13

key 269   BUTTON_14

key 270   BUTTON_15

key 271   BUTTON_16

key 288   BUTTON_1

key 289   BUTTON_2

key 290   BUTTON_3

key 291   BUTTON_4

key 292   BUTTON_5

key 293   BUTTON_6

key 294   BUTTON_7

key 295   BUTTON_8

key 296   BUTTON_9

key 297   BUTTON_10

key 298   BUTTON_11

key 299   BUTTON_12

key 300   BUTTON_13

key 301   BUTTON_14

key 302   BUTTON_15

key 303   BUTTON_16

key 304   BUTTON_A

key 305   BUTTON_B

key 306   BUTTON_C

key 307   BUTTON_X

key 308   BUTTON_Y

key 309   BUTTON_Z

key 310   BUTTON_L1

key 311   BUTTON_R1

key 312   BUTTON_L2

key 313   BUTTON_R2

key 314   BUTTON_SELECT

key 315   BUTTON_START

key 316   BUTTON_MODE

key 317   BUTTON_THUMBL

key 318   BUTTON_THUMBR

# key 352 "KEY_OK"

key 353   DPAD_CENTER

# key 354 "KEY_GOTO"

# key 355 "KEY_CLEAR"

# key 356 "KEY_POWER2"

# key 357 "KEY_OPTION"

# key 358 "KEY_INFO"

# key 359 "KEY_TIME"

# key 360 "KEY_VENDOR"

# key 361 "KEY_ARCHIVE"

key 362   GUIDE

# key 363 "KEY_CHANNEL"

# key 364 "KEY_FAVORITES"

# key 365 "KEY_EPG"

key 366   DVR

# key 367 "KEY_MHP"

# key 368 "KEY_LANGUAGE"

# key 369 "KEY_TITLE"

# key 370 "KEY_SUBTITLE"

# key 371 "KEY_ANGLE"

# key 372 "KEY_ZOOM"

# key 373 "KEY_MODE"

# key 374 "KEY_KEYBOARD"

# key 375 "KEY_SCREEN"

# key 376 "KEY_PC"

key 377   TV

# key 378 "KEY_TV2"

# key 379 "KEY_VCR"

# key 380 "KEY_VCR2"

# key 381 "KEY_SAT"

# key 382 "KEY_SAT2"

# key 383 "KEY_CD"

# key 384 "KEY_TAPE"

# key 385 "KEY_RADIO"

# key 386 "KEY_TUNER"

# key 387 "KEY_PLAYER"

# key 388 "KEY_TEXT"

# key 389 "KEY_DVD"

# key 390 "KEY_AUX"

# key 391 "KEY_MP3"

# key 392 "KEY_AUDIO"

# key 393 "KEY_VIDEO"

# key 394 "KEY_DIRECTORY"

# key 395 "KEY_LIST"

# key 396 "KEY_MEMO"

key 397   CALENDAR

# key 398 "KEY_RED"

# key 399 "KEY_GREEN"

# key 400 "KEY_YELLOW"

# key 401 "KEY_BLUE"

key 402   CHANNEL_UP

key 403   CHANNEL_DOWN

# key 404 "KEY_FIRST"

# key 405 "KEY_LAST"

# key 406 "KEY_AB"

# key 407 "KEY_NEXT"

# key 408 "KEY_RESTART"

# key 409 "KEY_SLOW"

# key 410 "KEY_SHUFFLE"

# key 411 "KEY_BREAK"

# key 412 "KEY_PREVIOUS"

# key 413 "KEY_DIGITS"

# key 414 "KEY_TEEN"

# key 415 "KEY_TWEN"

key 429   CONTACTS

# key 448 "KEY_DEL_EOL"

# key 449 "KEY_DEL_EOS"

# key 450 "KEY_INS_LINE"

# key 451 "KEY_DEL_LINE"

key 464   FUNCTION

key 465   ESCAPE            FUNCTION

key 466   F1                FUNCTION

key 467   F2                FUNCTION

key 468   F3                FUNCTION

key 469   F4                FUNCTION

key 470   F5                FUNCTION

key 471   F6                FUNCTION

key 472   F7                FUNCTION

key 473   F8                FUNCTION

key 474   F9                FUNCTION

key 475   F10               FUNCTION

key 476   F11               FUNCTION

key 477   F12               FUNCTION

key 478   1                 FUNCTION

key 479   2                 FUNCTION

key 480   D                 FUNCTION

key 481   E                 FUNCTION

key 482   F                 FUNCTION

key 483   S                 FUNCTION

key 484   B                 FUNCTION

# key 497 KEY_BRL_DOT1

# key 498 KEY_BRL_DOT2

# key 499 KEY_BRL_DOT3

# key 500 KEY_BRL_DOT4

# key 501 KEY_BRL_DOT5

# key 502 KEY_BRL_DOT6

# key 503 KEY_BRL_DOT7

# key 504 KEY_BRL_DOT8

Joystick Keys

Joy stick key use for play games just like that screen axis.

axis 0x00 X

axis 0x01 Y

axis 0x02 Z

axis 0x03 RX

axis 0x04 RY

axis 0x05 RZ

axis 0x06 THROTTLE

axis 0x07 RUDDER

axis 0x08 WHEEL

axis 0x09 GAS

axis 0x0a BRAKE

axis 0x10 HAT_X

axis 0x11 HAT_Y

Input key Event using command

We have already discussed in the previous blog that in android each key has a specific role and each key assign number and with help of this number we can activate this button or press button but the main question is that how we can use this number to activate button so we have one option to use this number that we can use with help of ADB command.

Ex: adb shell input keyevent <event code>

Here we are activating home button with help of ADB shell command.

There some other key which you can see in below picture.

from above picture you can do run all key event means you can perform any key event in your device using the command in android device.