Send Key to Terminal
Sends a key that represents a keyboard character or action to a terminal screen.
Command availability: IBM RPA SaaS and IBM RPA on premises
Script syntax
IBM RPA's proprietary script language has a syntax similar to other programming languages. The script syntax defines the command's syntax in the script file. You can work with this syntax in IBM RPA Studio's Script mode.
terminalSendKey --key(String) [--timeout(TimeSpan)] (Boolean)=value
Dependencies
Use one of the following commands to connect to a Terminal:
- Connect to Terminal (
terminalConnect) - Connect to Terminal via Telnet (
terminalTelnetConnect) - Connect to Terminal via SSH (
terminalSshConnect)
Use the Set Cursor (terminalSetCursor) command to position the mouse cursor over the terminal screen to send the key to the defined position.
Input parameters
The following table displays the list of input parameters available in this command. In the table, you can see the parameter name when working in IBM RPA Studio's Script mode and its Designer mode equivalent label.
| Designer mode label | Script mode name | Required | Accepted variable types | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key | key |
Required |
Text |
The key to send to the terminal. See the key parameter accepted keys section for details. |
| Timeout | timeout |
Optional |
Time Span, Number, Text |
Maximum wait time to send the key. Note:If no value is defined for the
Timeout parameter, the bot uses the context timeout defined by the Set Timeout (setTimeout)
command. If that command is not used on the script, the default timeout is 5 seconds. |
key parameter accepted keys
Enclose the key in curly brackets, like {ENTER}. You can send repeating keys by using the form {KEY NUMBER}. You must put a space between key and number, for example, {ENTER 3}. It sends the ENTER key 3 times.
The following table displays the accepted keys to use in the key input parameter for each terminal emulator.
| Key | Description | Supported terminal emulators |
|---|---|---|
| {A} | The A key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {B} | The B key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {C} | The C key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D} | The D key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {E} | The E key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {F} | The F key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {G} | The G key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {H} | The H key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {I} | The I key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {J} | The J key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {K} | The K key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {L} | The L key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {M} | The M key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {N} | The N key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {O} | The O key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {P} | The P key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Q} | The Q key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {R} | The R key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {S} | The S key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {T} | The T key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {U} | The U key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {V} | The V key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {W} | The W key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {X} | The X key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Y} | The Y key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Z} | The Z key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Add} | The addition key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Applications} | The Application key. ¹ | Telnet and SSH |
| {Attention} | The ATTN key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Attn} | The ATTN key. | TN3270 |
| {Backspace} | The BACKSPACE key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {BackTab} | Tab to beginning of current or last word. | TN3270 |
| {BrowserBack} | The Browser Back key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {BrowserFavorites} | The Browser Favorites key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {BrowserForward} | The Browser Forward key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {BrowserHome} | The Browser Home key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {BrowserRefresh} | The Browser Refresh key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {BrowserSearch} | The Browser Search key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {BrowserStop} | The Browser Stop key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {CircumNot} | TN3270 | |
| {Clear} | The CLEAR key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {CrSel} | The CURSOR SELECT key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {CursorSelect} | Cursor select. | TN3270 |
| {D0} | The 0 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D1} | The 1 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D2} | The 2 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D3} | The 3 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D4} | The 4 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D5} | The 5 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D6} | The 6 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D7} | The 7 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D8} | The 8 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {D9} | The 9 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Decimal} | The decimal key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {DeleteField} | TN3270 | |
| {DeleteWord} | Delete word. | TN3270 |
| {Delete} | The DELETE key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {Divide} | The division key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {DownArrow} | The DOWN ARROW key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Down} | Down cursor. | TN3270 |
| {Dup} | Dup character. | TN3270 |
| {End} | The END key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Enter} | The ENTER key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {EraseEndOfFile} | The ERASE EOF key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {EraseEOF} | TN3270 | |
| {EraseInput} | Erase input. | TN3270 |
| {Erase} | Erase last character. | TN3270 |
| {Escape} | The ESCAPE key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Execute} | The EXECUTE key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {ExSel} | The EXTEND SELECTION key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {F1} | The F1 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F2} | The F2 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F3} | The F3 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F4} | The F4 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F5} | The F5 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F6} | The F6 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F7} | The F7 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F8} | The F8 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F9} | The F9 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F10} | The F10 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F11} | The F11 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F12} | The F12 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F13} | The F13 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F14} | The F14 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F15} | The F15 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F16} | The F16 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F17} | The F17 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F18} | The F18 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F19} | The F19 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F20} | The F20 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F21} | The F21 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F22} | The F22 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F23} | The F23 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {F24} | The F24 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {FieldEnd} | Tab to last nonblank of current or next writable field. | TN3270 |
| {FieldExit} | Field exit. | TN3270 |
| {FieldMark} | Field mark. | TN3270 |
| {Help} | The HELP key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Home} | The HOME key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {Insert} | The INSERT key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {Interrupt} | TN3270 | |
| {Key} | TN3270 | |
| {LaunchApp1} | The Start Application 1 key. ¹ ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {LaunchApp2} | The Start Application 2 key. ¹ ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {LaunchMail} | The Start Mail key. ¹ ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {LaunchMediaSelect} | The Select Media key. ¹ ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {Left2} | TN3270 | |
| {LeftArrow} | The LEFT ARROW key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {LeftWindows} | The left Windows logo key.¹ | Telnet and SSH |
| {Left} | Left cursor. | TN3270 |
| {MediaNext} | The Media Next Track key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {MediaPlay} | The Media Play and Pause key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {MediaPrevious} | The Media Previous Track key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {MediaStop} | The Media Stop key. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {Multiply} | The multiplication key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Newline} | TN3270 | |
| {NextWord} | TN3270 | |
| {NoName} | A constant reserved for future use. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad0} | The 0 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad1} | The 1 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad2} | The 2 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad3} | The 3 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad4} | The 4 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad5} | The 5 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad6} | The 6 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad7} | The 7 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad8} | The 8 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {NumPad9} | The 9 key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem1} | The OEM 1 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem2} | The OEM 2 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem3} | The OEM 3 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem4} | The OEM 4 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem5} | The OEM 5 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem6} | The OEM 6 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem7} | The OEM 7 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem8} | The OEM 8 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Oem102} | The OEM 102 key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {OemClear} | The CLEAR key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {OemComma} | The OEM Comma key on any country or region keyboard. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {OemMinus} | The OEM Minus key on any country or region keyboard. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {OemPeriod} | The OEM Period key on any country or region keyboard. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {OemPlus} | The OEM Plus key on any country or region keyboard. ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {PA1} | The PA1 key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {PA2} | The PA2 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA3} | The PA3 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA4} | The PA4 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA5} | The PA5 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA6} | The PA6 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA7} | The PA7 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA8} | The PA8 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA9} | The PA9 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA10} | The PA10 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA11} | The PA11 key. | TN3270 |
| {PA12} | The PA12 key. | TN3270 |
| {Packet} | The PACKET key. ³ | Telnet and SSH |
| {PageDown} | The PAGE DOWN key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {PageUp} | The PAGE UP key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {PAnn} | TN3270 | |
| {Pause} | The PAUSE key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Play} | The PLAY key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {PreviousWord} | TN3270 | |
| {PrintScreen} | The PRINT SCREEN key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Print} | The PRINT key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Process} | The IME PROCESS key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Reset} | Reset key, unlock keyboard. | TN3270 |
| {Right2} | TN3270 | |
| {RightArrow} | The RIGHT ARROW key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {RightWindows} | The right Windows logo key. ¹ | Telnet and SSH |
| {Right} | Right cursor. | TN3270 |
| {Select} | The SELECT key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Separator} | The Separator key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Sleep} | The Computer Sleep key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Spacebar} | The SPACEBAR key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Subtract} | The subtraction key on the numeric keypad. | Telnet and SSH |
| {SysReq} | Sys request. | TN3270 |
| {Tab} | The TAB key. | TN3270, Telnet, and SSH |
| {ToggleInsert} | TN3270 | |
| {ToggleReverse} | TN3270 | |
| {Toggle} | TN3270 | |
| {UpArrow} | The UP ARROW key. | Telnet and SSH |
| {Up} | Up cursor. | TN3270 |
| {VolumeDown} | The Volume Down key. ¹ ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {VolumeMute} | The Volume Mute key. ¹ ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {VolumeUp} | The Volume Up key. ¹ ² | Telnet and SSH |
| {Zoom} | The ZOOM key. | Telnet and SSH |
¹ Keys based on a Microsoft™ Natural Keyboard.
² Keys available on Windows™ 2000 or later.
³ Key used to pass Unicode characters with keystrokes.
You can also specify combinations of SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT with a key. For example, to hold down SHIFT while C is pressed, use "^{C}".
The following table displays the SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT keys code you can use to combine with the keys you enter on the key input parameter.
| Key | Code |
|---|---|
| Control | ^ |
| Alt | % |
| Shift |
|
Output parameters
| Designer mode label | Script mode name | Accepted variable types | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Success | value | Boolean |
Returns True if the key was sent, otherwise returns False. |
Example
The example connects to a terminal, sets the position of the mouse cursor to type into the terminal, and enters a command by using the Send Text to Terminal command. To send the command,
it uses the Send Key command to press the {Enter} key.
defVar --name terminalConnected --type Boolean
defVar --name sendKeySuccess --type Boolean
defVar --name cursorYPosition --type Numeric --value 20
defVar --name cursorXPosition --type Numeric --value 21
defVar --name cursorPositionSuccess --type Boolean
defVar --name terminalText --type String --value 1000
// Connects to a 3270 terminal.
terminalConnect --name example --hostname "example.com" --port 23 terminalConnected=value
// Positions the cursor over a specific position to send the key.
terminalSetCursor --column ${cursorYPosition} --line ${cursorXPosition} cursorPositionSuccess=value
// Sends a number of file to the terminal screen for a file inquiry.
terminalSendText --text "${terminalText}" --timeout "00:00:10"
// Sends the {Enter} key to the terminal screen to continue with the file inquiry.
terminalSendKey --key "{Enter}" --timeout "00:00:20" sendKeySuccess=value
// Logs the success to send the key.
logMessage --message "${sendKeySuccess}" --type "Info"
delay --timeout "00:00:10"
// Disconnects to a 3270 terminal.
terminalDisconnect --name example
Remember:Use a valid connection to connect to the server.