pressKeys()

Overview

Push one or more keyboard keys at the same time. Use this for keyboard shortcuts, navigation, and special keys.

Syntax

await testdriver.pressKeys(keys)

Parameters

Array<string>

required

An array of the keys to push at the same time

Returns

Promise<void>

Common Keys

Special Keys

'enter', 'tab', 'escape', 'backspace', 'delete'
'space', 'up', 'down', 'left', 'right'
'home', 'end', 'pageup', 'pagedown'

Modifier Keys

'ctrl', 'alt', 'shift'
'command' (macOS), 'win' (Windows)
'ctrlleft', 'ctrlright', 'shiftleft', 'shiftright'

Function Keys

'f1' through 'f24'

Examples

// Tab to next field
await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);

// Shift+Tab to previous field
await testdriver.pressKeys(['shift', 'tab']);

// Arrow keys
await testdriver.pressKeys(['down']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['up']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['left']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['right']);

// Home/End
await testdriver.pressKeys(['home']);  // Start of line
await testdriver.pressKeys(['end']);   // End of line

// Page navigation
await testdriver.pressKeys(['pagedown']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['pageup']);

Keyboard Shortcuts

// Copy (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'c']);

// Paste (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'v']);

// Save (Ctrl+S)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 's']);

// Select All (Ctrl+A)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'a']);

// Undo (Ctrl+Z)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'z']);

// Redo (Ctrl+Y)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'y']);

// Find (Ctrl+F)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'f']);

// New tab (Ctrl+T)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 't']);

// Close tab (Ctrl+W)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'w']);

// Refresh (F5 or Ctrl+R)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['f5']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'r']);

System Shortcuts

// Alt+Tab (Windows - switch apps)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['alt', 'tab']);

// Alt+F4 (Windows - close window)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['alt', 'f4']);

// Win+D (Windows - show desktop)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['winleft', 'd']);

// Win+L (Windows - lock screen)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['winleft', 'l']);

// Cmd+Tab (macOS - switch apps)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['command', 'tab']);

// Cmd+Q (macOS - quit app)
await testdriver.pressKeys(['command', 'q']);

Form Submission

// Submit form
await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']);

// Cancel/Close
await testdriver.pressKeys(['escape']);

// Check checkbox
await testdriver.pressKeys(['space']);

Text Editing

// Delete selected text
await testdriver.pressKeys(['delete']);

// Backspace
await testdriver.pressKeys(['backspace']);

// Select all and delete
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'a']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['delete']);

// Cut text
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'x']);

Best Practices

Wait after shortcutsSome keyboard shortcuts trigger animations or navigation:

await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 't']); // New tab
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500)); // Wait for tab
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'l']); // Focus URL bar

Use Tab for form navigationTab is more reliable than clicking multiple fields:

const firstField = await testdriver.find('email input');
await firstField.click();
await testdriver.type('user@example.com');

await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
await testdriver.type('password123');

await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']); // Submit

Platform-specific keysUse the appropriate modifier key for the platform:

Windows/Linux: 'ctrl'
macOS: 'command'

// For cross-platform, you might need to detect OS
const modKey = process.platform === 'darwin' ? 'command' : 'ctrl';
await testdriver.pressKeys([modKey, 'c']); // Copy

Use Cases

Form Navigation

// Fill form using Tab
const firstField = await testdriver.find('name field');
await firstField.click();
await testdriver.type('John Doe');

await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
await testdriver.type('john@example.com');

await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
await testdriver.type('555-0123');

await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']); // Submit

Text Manipulation

const textArea = await testdriver.find('comment textarea');
await textArea.click();

// Select all existing text
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'a']);

// Copy it
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'c']);

// Type new text
await testdriver.type('New comment');

// Undo if needed
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'z']);

Browser Navigation

// Open new tab
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 't']);
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500));

// Focus address bar
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'l']);
await testdriver.type('https://example.com');
await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']);

// Refresh page
await testdriver.pressKeys(['f5']);

// Close tab
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'w']);

Application Shortcuts

// Save document
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 's']);

// Print
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'p']);

// Find in page
await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'f']);
await testdriver.type('search term');
await testdriver.pressKeys(['escape']); // Close find

Complete Example

import { beforeAll, afterAll, describe, it } from 'vitest';
import TestDriver from 'testdriverai';

describe('Keyboard Navigation', () => {
  let testdriver;

  beforeAll(async () => {
    client = new TestDriver(process.env.TD_API_KEY);
    await testdriver.auth();
    await testdriver.connect();
  });

  afterAll(async () => {
    await testdriver.disconnect();
  });

  it('should navigate form with keyboard', async () => {
    await testdriver.focusApplication('Google Chrome');
    
    // Find first field
    const emailField = await testdriver.find('email input');
    await emailField.click();
    await testdriver.type('user@example.com');
    
    // Tab through fields
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
    await testdriver.type('John');
    
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
    await testdriver.type('Doe');
    
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
    await testdriver.type('password123');
    
    // Submit with Enter
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['tab']);
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']);
    
    await testdriver.assert('form submitted successfully');
  });

  it('should use keyboard shortcuts', async () => {
    // Open new browser tab
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 't']);
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500));
    
    // Focus address bar
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'l']);
    await testdriver.type('https://example.com');
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['enter']);
    
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));
    
    // Select all page content
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'a']);
    
    // Copy
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['ctrl', 'c']);
    
    // Refresh page
    await testdriver.pressKeys(['f5']);
  });
});

type() - Type text
click() - Click elements
scroll() - Scroll pages

Overview

Using TestDriver

Building & Maintaining Tests

Advanced Topics

Overview

Syntax

Parameters

Returns

Common Keys

Special Keys

Modifier Keys

Function Keys

Examples

Navigation

Keyboard Shortcuts

System Shortcuts

Form Submission

Text Editing

Best Practices

Use Cases

Complete Example

​Overview

​Syntax

​Parameters

​Returns

​Common Keys

​Special Keys

​Modifier Keys

​Function Keys

​Examples

​Navigation

​Keyboard Shortcuts

​System Shortcuts

​Form Submission

​Text Editing

​Best Practices

​Use Cases

​Complete Example

​Related Methods

Overview

Syntax

Parameters

Returns

Common Keys

Special Keys

Modifier Keys

Function Keys

Examples

Navigation

Keyboard Shortcuts

System Shortcuts

Form Submission

Text Editing

Best Practices

Use Cases

Complete Example

Related Methods