Robotjs: typeString and keyTap write semicolon(;) for colon(:) on Ubuntu(vbox)

[EdSaleh]

typeString and keyTap write semicolon(;) for colon(:) on Ubuntu(vbox)

[srokatonie]

Same here on Raspberry Pi 3 (Raspbian Jessie)

[danieljpetersen]

Same here on Linux Mint 18.2 (not running in a virtual machine)

edit: seems to be special characters which require shift to be held down

The following code

var robot = require("robotjs");
robot.typeString("This is a test -- ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + ? | -- end");

Produces the following output

This is a test -- ` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ( ) - = / \ -- end

Same issue as this -- https://github.com/octalmage/robotjs/issues/324

[redparagon]

Same issue, linux mint

[aas395]

Same issue on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, works as intended on my Mac. I need this for a product demo in a few days -- is there anything I can do to help resolve this more quickly?

[arrraichu]

Very late here, but I ran into this issue recently and solved it with the following snippet of code:

const MATCH_REGEX = /[~!@#\$%\^&*()_+{}|:"<>?]/;
let str = 'test string ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"<>?';

// minimize delay between robot keyboard calls
robot.setKeyboardDelay(1);

while (str) {
   let match = str.match(MATCH_REGEX);

   if (match) {
      robot.typeString(str.substr(0, match['index']));
      robot.keyTap(match[0], ['shift']);
      str = str.substr(match['index']+1);
   }
   else {
      robot.typeString(str);
      str = null;
   }
}

Not a perfect or even a great solution, but this will do for now...

[zoutepopcorn]

When I write the output of the vars:
https://github.com/octalmage/robotjs/blob/e99b961a1f20c32dc8d1b6e7647f90d555422426/src/keypress.c#L243

Output logging from

String: Test@2test
c: T, 84, 0x24  >> n: 36 
c: e, 101, 0x35  >> n: 53 
c: s, 115, 0x43  >> n: 67 
c: t, 116, 0x44  >> n: 68 
c: @, 64, 0x10  >> n: 16 
c: 2, 50, 0x2  >> n: 2 
c: t, 116, 0x44  >> n: 68 
c: e, 101, 0x35  >> n: 53 
c: s, 115, 0x43  >> n: 67 
c: t, 116, 0x44  >> n: 68 

Now it will call toggleUniKey()
https://github.com/octalmage/robotjs/blob/e99b961a1f20c32dc8d1b6e7647f90d555422426/src/keypress.c#L234

When we call: toggleKey(c, down, true) all special chars like '@' will be there.. So we have to filter the special chars and set the boolean from toggleKey

Sorry, I'm not a C programmer, so I have no idea what I'm doing :

So maybe Implement something like:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdbool.h>

int main () {
  char string[55] ="!@#$%^&*()_+";
  char *p;
  p = strchr (string,'%');
  int index = (p - string + 1);
  bool isFound = index >= 0;
  printf ("Character i is found at position %d\n", index);
  if(isFound) {
    printf ("Yes I'm special\n");
  } else {
    printf ("NO I'm NOT\n");
  }
  return(0);
}

Replacing:
https://github.com/octalmage/robotjs/blob/e99b961a1f20c32dc8d1b6e7647f90d555422426/src/keypress.c#L280-L281

with:

          char *p;
          char specialChars[55] ="!@#$%^&*()_+";
          p = strchr(specialChars,c);
          int index = (p - specialChars + 1);
          bool isFound = index >= 0;
          printf ("Character i is found at position %d\n", index);
          if(isFound) {
            printf ("Yes I'm special\n");
            toggleKey(n, true, true);
            toggleKey(n, false, true);
          } else {
            toggleUniKey(n, true);
            toggleUniKey(n, false);
            printf ("NO I'm NOT\n");
          }

It seems it can type some chars now.

[reactor01]

Very late here, but I ran into this issue recently and solved it with the following snippet of code:

const MATCH_REGEX = /[~!@#\$%\^&*()_+{}|:"<>?]/;
let str = 'test string ~!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"<>?';

// minimize delay between robot keyboard calls
robot.setKeyboardDelay(1);

while (str) {
   let match = str.match(MATCH_REGEX);

   if (match) {
      robot.typeString(str.substr(0, match['index']));
      robot.keyTap(match[0], ['shift']);
      str = str.substr(match['index']+1);
   }
   else {
      robot.typeString(str);
      str = null;
   }
}

Not a perfect or even a great solution, but this will do for now...

Thanks for the code for me is working great just put typeStringDelayed because my ubuntu missed the chars

[oktapodia]

Thank you, looks like it has been solved :)