NAME

Term::RawInput - A simple drop-in replacement for <STDIN> in scripts with the additional ability to capture and return the non-standard keys like 'End', 'Escape', 'Insert', etc.

SYNOPSIS

use Term::RawInput;

my $prompt='PROMPT : ';
my ($input,$key)=('','');
($input,$key)=rawInput($prompt);

print "\nRawInput=$input" if $input;
print "\nKey=$key\n" if $key;

print "Captured F1\n" if $key eq 'F1';
print "Captured ESCAPE\n" if $key eq 'ESCAPE';
print "Captured DELETE\n" if $key eq 'DELETE';
print "Captured PAGEDOWN\n" if $key eq 'PAGEDOWN';   

DESCRIPTION

I needed a ridiculously simple function that behaved exactly like $input=<STDIN> in scripts, that captured user input and and populated a variable with a resulting string. BUT - I also wanted to use other KEYS like DELETE and the RIGHT ARROW key and have them captured and returned. So I really wanted this:

my $prompt='PROMPT : '; ($input,$key)=input($prompt);

... where I could test the variable '$key' for the key that was used to terminate the input. That way I could use the arrow keys to scroll a menu for instance.

I looked through the CPAN, and could not find something this simple and straight-forward. So I wrote it. Enjoy.

NOTE: Backspace is not captured - but used to backspace. DELETE is captured. Also, no Control combinations are captured - just the non-standard keys INSERT, DELETE, ENTER, ESCAPE, HOME, PGDOWN, PGUP, END, the ARROW KEYS, and F1-F12 (but *NOT* F1-F12 with Windows Version of Perl - especially Strawberry Perl [ This is a limitation of the Term::ReadKey Module. ]; but, works with Cygwin Perl!). All captured keys listed will terminate user input and return the results - just like you would expect using ENTER with <STDIN>.

AUTHOR

Brian M. Kelly <Brian.Kelly@fullautosoftware.net>

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2011 by Brian M. Kelly.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License. (http://www.opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php).