# Key values This is an exhaustive list of special values accepted for the `key0` through `key8` or `nw` through `se` attributes on a key. Any string that does not exactly match these will be printed verbatim. A key can output multiple characters, but cannot combine multiple built-in key values. ## Escape codes Value | Escape code for :---- | :------ `\?` | `?` `\#` | `#` `\@` | `@` `\n` | Literal newline character. This is different from `enter` and `action` in certain apps. `\t` | Literal tab character. This is different from `tab` in certain apps. `\\` | `\` XML escape codes also work, including: Value | Escape code for :------- | :------ `&` | `&` `<` | `<` `>` | `>` `"` | `"` ## Modifiers System modifiers are sent to the app, which is free to do whatever they want in response. The other modifiers only exist within the keyboard. Value | Meaning :---------- | :------ `shift` | System modifier. `ctrl` | System modifier. `alt` | System modifier. `meta` | System modifier. Equivalent to the Windows key. `fn` | Activates Fn mode, which assigns letters and symbols to special characters. e.g. `fn` `!` = `¡` `compose` | Compose key. Enables composing characters using Linux-like shortcuts; e.g. `Compose` `A` `single quote` types `Á` (A with acute accent). `capslock` | Actives and locks Shift ## Special keys These keys are sent to apps, which are free to ignore them. The keyboard does not perform editing in response to these keys. `esc`, `enter`, `up`, `right`, `down`, `left`, `page_up`, `page_down`, `home`, `end`, `backspace`, `delete`, `insert`, `f1`-`f12`, `tab`, `copy`, `paste`, `cut`, `selectAll`, `pasteAsPlainText`, `undo`, `redo` ## Whitespace Value | Meaning :------ | :------ `space` | Space bar. `nbsp` | Non-breaking space. `nnbsp` | Narrow non-breaking space. `zwj` | Zero-width joiner. `zwnj` | Zero-width non-joiner. ## Keyboard editing actions These keys perform editing on the text without sending keys that the app can interpret differently or ignore. Value | Meaning :----------------- | :------ `cursor_left` | Moves the cursor position to the left directly, without sending a `left` key event. `cursor_right` | Moves the cursor position to the right directly, without sending a `right` key event. ## Other modifiers and diacritics Value | Meaning :------------------- | :------ `accent_aigu` | Acute accent. `á` `accent_caron` | Háček. `č` `accent_cedille` | Cedilla. `ç` `accent_circonflexe` | Circumflex. `â` `accent_grave` | Grave accent. `à` `accent_macron` | Macron. `ā` `accent_ring` | Ring accent. `å` `accent_tilde` | Tilde. `ã` `accent_trema` | Dieresis/umlaut. `ä` `accent_ogonek` | Ogonek. `ą` `accent_dot_above` | Dot accent. `ż` If applied to the lowercase `i`, removes the dot instead for Turkish. `ı` `accent_double_aigu` | Double acute accent. `ő` `accent_slash` | Slash through. `ø` `accent_arrow_right` | Right arrow above, used to denote a vector. `a⃗` `accent_breve` | Breve. `ă` `accent_bar` | Bar/strikethrough. `ɨ` `accent_dot_below` | Dot below. `ạ` `accent_horn` | Horn accent. `ơ` `accent_hook_above` | Hook accent. `ả` `superscript` | Superscript. `ᵃ` `subscript` | Subscript. `ₐ` `ordinal` | Turns `a` and `o` into `ª` and `º`. `arrows` | Turns `1`-`4` and `6`-`9` into arrows. `box` | Turns `1`-`9`, `0`, and `.` into single-line, thin box-drawing characters. ## Bidirectional Value | Meaning :------ | :------ `lrm` | Left-to-right mark. `rlm` | Right-to-left mark. `b(`, `b)`, `b[`, `b]`, `b{`, `b}`, `blt`, `bgt` | Sends the bracket characters, but with mirrored key legends for right-to-left languages. (`blt` and `bgt` print `<` and `>` respectively.) ## Hebrew Keys ending in `_placeholder` are normally hidden unless the Fn key is pressed. `qamats`, `patah`, `sheva`, `dagesh`, `hiriq`, `segol`, `tsere`, `holam`, `qubuts`, `hataf_patah`, `hataf_qamats`, `hataf_segol`, `shindot`, `shindot_placeholder`, `sindot`, `sindot_placeholder`, `geresh`, `gershayim`, `maqaf`, `rafe`, `ole`, `ole_placeholder`, `meteg`, `meteg_placeholder` ## Keyboard behavior keys Value | Meaning :--------------------- | :------ `config` | Gear icon; opens Unexpected Keyboard settings. `switch_text` | Switch to the text layer (main layer). `switch_numeric` | Switch to the numeric layer. `switch_emoji` | Switch to the emoji layer. `switch_back_emoji` | Switch to the text layer from the emoji layer. `switch_forward` | Change the keyboard layout, as long as Unexpected Keyboard has multiple keyboard layouts enabled in the settings. `switch_backward` | Change the keyboard layout to the previous one in the list. `switch_greekmath` | Switch to the Greek & Math Symbols layer. `switch_clipboard` | Switch to the clipboard pane. `change_method` | Open the input method picker dialog. `change_method_prev` | Switch to the previously used input method. `action` | Performs a special context-sensitive operation related to the Enter key. For example, in the Twitter (X) app, `enter` adds a new line, while `action` posts. `voice_typing` | Begin voice typing. `voice_typing_chooser` | Shows a menu where you can choose which voice typing provider to use, then begins voice typing when you make a selection. `shareText` | Emit a share Intent for the selected text. **Oddity:** This is in CamelCase. ## Unused These keys are known to do nothing. `replaceText`, `textAssist`, `autofill`, `removed` ## Placeholders These keys are normally hidden unless the Fn modifier is activated. `f11_placeholder` | `f12_placeholder` ## Complex keys More complex keys are of this form: ``` : : ``` Where `` is one of the kinds documented below and `` is a space separated list of attributes. `` depends on the ``. Attributes are: - `symbol='Sym'` is the symbol to be shown on the keyboard. - `flags=''` is a collection of flags that change the behavior of the key. `` is a coma separated list of: + `dim`: Make the symbol dimmer. + `small`: Make the symbol smaller. ### Kind `str` Defines a key that outputs an arbitrary string. `` is a string wrapped in single-quotes (`'`), escaping of other single quotes is allowed with `\'`. For example: `:str symbol='Sym':'Output string'`