tubestation/addon-sdk/source/doc/module-source/sdk/hotkeys.md

The hotkeys module enables add-on developers to define hotkey combinations. To define a hotkey combination, create a Hotkey object, passing it the combination and a function to be called when the user presses that combination. For example, this add-on defines two hotkey combinations, to show and hide a panel:

// Define keyboard shortcuts for showing and hiding a custom panel.
var { Hotkey } = require("sdk/hotkeys");

var showHotKey = Hotkey({
  combo: "accel-shift-o",
  onPress: function() {
    showMyPanel();
  }
});
var hideHotKey = Hotkey({
  combo: "accel-alt-shift-o",
  onPress: function() {
    hideMyPanel();
  }
});

Choosing Hotkeys

Choose hotkey combinations with care. It's very easy to choose combinations which clash with hotkeys defined for Firefox or for other add-ons.

If you choose any of the following commonly used Firefox combinations your add-on will not pass AMO review:

accel+Z, accel+C, accel+X, accel+V or accel+Q

If you choose to use a key combination that's already defined, choose one which makes sense for the operation it will perform. For example, accel-S is typically used to save a file, but if you use it for something completely different then it would be extremely confusing for users.

No matter what you choose, it's likely to annoy some people, and to clash with some other add-on, so consider making the combination you choose user-configurable.

@class

Module exports Hotkey constructor allowing users to create a hotkey for the host application.

@constructor Creates a hotkey whose `onPress` listener method is invoked when key combination defined by `hotkey` is pressed.

If more than one hotkey is created for the same key combination, the listener is executed only on the last one created.

@param options {Object} Options for the hotkey, with the following keys:

@prop combo {String} Any function key: "f1, f2, ..., f24" or key combination in the format of 'modifier-key':

  "accel-s"
  "meta-shift-i"
  "control-alt-d"

Modifier keynames:

• shift: The Shift key.
• alt: The Alt key. On the Macintosh, this is the Option key. On Macintosh this can only be used in conjunction with another modifier, since Alt-Letter combinations are reserved for entering special characters in text.
• meta: The Meta key. On the Macintosh, this is the Command key.
• control: The Control key.
• accel: The key used for keyboard shortcuts on the user's platform, which is Control on Windows and Linux, and Command on Mac. Usually, this would be the value you would use.

@prop onPress {Function} Function that is invoked when the key combination hotkey is pressed.

@method Stops this instance of `Hotkey` from reacting on the key combinations. Once destroyed it can no longer be used.