Is there a limit to how many key presses VB.NET can register at once?

Question

So I'm currently designing my A-level computing project, and I need to know if VB.NET can register multiple keypresses at the same time, e.g F&J, and be able to treat them as separate keypresses. I may need anywhere up to 4 keypresses at once so if VB.NET can't do it, my program will be limited (though only slightly).

If this is possible, do i just treat it as if they weren't pressed at the same time and check for both keys individually, or is there a special way of detecting this?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You can keep track of the keys you have pressed, and released.

Create a new winforms project and add a Label. This should give you a good starting point.

Public Class Form1

    Private pressedKeys As New List(Of System.Windows.Forms.Keys)()

    Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As KeyEventArgs) Handles MyBase.KeyDown
        If Not pressedKeys.Contains(e.KeyCode) Then pressedKeys.Add(e.KeyCode)
        printCurrentKeys()
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_KeyUp(sender As Object, e As KeyEventArgs) Handles MyBase.KeyUp
        If pressedKeys.Contains(e.KeyCode) Then pressedKeys.Remove(e.KeyCode)
        printCurrentKeys()
    End Sub

    Private Sub printCurrentKeys()
        If pressedKeys.Count > 0 Then
            Me.Label1.Text = pressedKeys.
                Select(Of String)(Function(k) Chr(k)).
                Aggregate(Function(s1, s2) s1 & ", " & s2)
        Else
            Me.Label1.Text = ""
        End If
    End Sub

End Class

(The above 8 keys made possible by my anti-ghosting keyboard, the Sidewinder X4.)