actual keystroke python

1# in command prompt, type "pip install pynput" to install pynput.
2from pynput.keyboard import Key, Controller
3
4keyboard = Controller()
5key = "a"
6
7keyboard.press(key)
8keyboard.release(key)

1import pyautogui
2
3# Holds down the alt key
4pyautogui.keyDown("alt")
5
6# Presses the tab key once
7pyautogui.press("tab")
8
9# Lets go of the alt key
10pyautogui.keyUp("alt")

1# Simulates actual physical action of pressing a keyboard key as opposed to programmatically
2# simulating a keypress. TIP: For cleaner code, save as separate file and import it.
3
4import ctypes
5from ctypes import wintypes
6import time
7
8user32 = ctypes.WinDLL('user32', use_last_error=True)
9
10INPUT_MOUSE    = 0
11INPUT_KEYBOARD = 1
12INPUT_HARDWARE = 2
13
14KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY = 0x0001
15KEYEVENTF_KEYUP       = 0x0002
16KEYEVENTF_UNICODE     = 0x0004
17KEYEVENTF_SCANCODE    = 0x0008
18
19MAPVK_VK_TO_VSC = 0
20
21# msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd375731
22VK_TAB  = 0x09
23VK_MENU = 0x12
24
25# C struct definitions
26
27wintypes.ULONG_PTR = wintypes.WPARAM
28
29class MOUSEINPUT(ctypes.Structure):
30    _fields_ = (("dx",          wintypes.LONG),
31                ("dy",          wintypes.LONG),
32                ("mouseData",   wintypes.DWORD),
33                ("dwFlags",     wintypes.DWORD),
34                ("time",        wintypes.DWORD),
35                ("dwExtraInfo", wintypes.ULONG_PTR))
36
37class KEYBDINPUT(ctypes.Structure):
38    _fields_ = (("wVk",         wintypes.WORD),
39                ("wScan",       wintypes.WORD),
40                ("dwFlags",     wintypes.DWORD),
41                ("time",        wintypes.DWORD),
42                ("dwExtraInfo", wintypes.ULONG_PTR))
43
44    def __init__(self, *args, **kwds):
45        super(KEYBDINPUT, self).__init__(*args, **kwds)
46        # some programs use the scan code even if KEYEVENTF_SCANCODE
47        # isn't set in dwFflags, so attempt to map the correct code.
48        if not self.dwFlags & KEYEVENTF_UNICODE:
49            self.wScan = user32.MapVirtualKeyExW(self.wVk,
50                                                 MAPVK_VK_TO_VSC, 0)
51
52class HARDWAREINPUT(ctypes.Structure):
53    _fields_ = (("uMsg",    wintypes.DWORD),
54                ("wParamL", wintypes.WORD),
55                ("wParamH", wintypes.WORD))
56
57class INPUT(ctypes.Structure):
58    class _INPUT(ctypes.Union):
59        _fields_ = (("ki", KEYBDINPUT),
60                    ("mi", MOUSEINPUT),
61                    ("hi", HARDWAREINPUT))
62    _anonymous_ = ("_input",)
63    _fields_ = (("type",   wintypes.DWORD),
64                ("_input", _INPUT))
65
66LPINPUT = ctypes.POINTER(INPUT)
67
68def _check_count(result, func, args):
69    if result == 0:
70        raise ctypes.WinError(ctypes.get_last_error())
71    return args
72
73user32.SendInput.errcheck = _check_count
74user32.SendInput.argtypes = (wintypes.UINT, # nInputs
75                             LPINPUT,       # pInputs
76                             ctypes.c_int)  # cbSize
77
78# Functions
79
80def PressKey(hexKeyCode):
81    x = INPUT(type=INPUT_KEYBOARD,
82              ki=KEYBDINPUT(wVk=hexKeyCode))
83    user32.SendInput(1, ctypes.byref(x), ctypes.sizeof(x))
84
85def ReleaseKey(hexKeyCode):
86    x = INPUT(type=INPUT_KEYBOARD,
87              ki=KEYBDINPUT(wVk=hexKeyCode,
88                            dwFlags=KEYEVENTF_KEYUP))
89    user32.SendInput(1, ctypes.byref(x), ctypes.sizeof(x))
90
91def AltTab():
92    """Press Alt+Tab and hold Alt key for 2 seconds
93    in order to see the overlay.
94    """
95    PressKey(VK_MENU)   # Alt
96    PressKey(VK_TAB)    # Tab
97    ReleaseKey(VK_TAB)  # Tab~
98    time.sleep(2)
99    ReleaseKey(VK_MENU) # Alt~
100
101if __name__ == "__main__":
102    AltTab()
103