Lingo Dictionary > O-R > optionDown

 

optionDown

Syntax

the optionDown

Description

System property; determines whether the user is pressing the Alt key (Windows) or the Option key (Macintosh) (TRUE) or not (FALSE).

In Windows, optionDown doesn't work in projectors if Alt is pressed without another nonmodifier key. Avoid using optionDown if you intend to distribute a movie as a Windows projector and need to detect only the modifier key press; use controlDown or shiftDown instead.

On the Macintosh, pressing the Option key changes the key value, so use keyCode instead.

For a movie playing back with the Director player for Java, this function returns TRUE only if a second key is pressed at the same time as the Alt or Option key. If the Alt or Option key is pressed by itself, optionDown returns FALSE.

The Director player for Java supports key combinations with the Alt or Option key. However, the browser receives the keys before the movie plays and responds to and intercepts any key combinations that are also browser keyboard shortcuts.

Example

This handler checks whether the user is pressing the Alt or the Option key and if so, calls the handler named doOptionKey:

on keyDown
	if (the optionDown) then doOptionKey(key)
end keyDown

See also

controlDown, commandDown, key(), keyCode(), shiftDown