How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts and Special Keys

Overview

Simulate keyboard input including typing, special keys, arrow keys, and keyboard shortcuts.

Basic Typing

Simulate character-by-character typing:

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Type "echo 'Hello World'"

Special Keys

Common keys:

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Enter           # Press Enter/Return
Backspace       # Delete previous character
Tab             # Tab key
Escape          # Escape key
Space           # Space bar

Arrow keys (with optional repeat count):

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Up              # Move up one line
Down 5          # Press Down 5 times
Left 10         # Move left 10 characters
Right           # Move right one character
Down@100ms 3    # Press Down 3 times with 100ms delay between presses

Navigation keys:

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PageUp          # Page up
PageDown        # Page down
Home            # Move to start of line
End             # Move to end of line
Delete          # Delete character at cursor
Insert          # Toggle insert mode

Keyboard Shortcuts

Combine modifier keys with other keys:

Common Ctrl combinations:

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Ctrl+C          # Interrupt/cancel
Ctrl+D          # EOF/exit
Ctrl+Z          # Suspend
Ctrl+L          # Clear screen
Ctrl+A          # Jump to line start
Ctrl+E          # Jump to line end
Ctrl+W          # Delete word
Ctrl+U          # Delete to line start

Other modifiers:

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Alt+Backspace   # Delete previous word
Shift+Tab       # Reverse tab
Ctrl+Alt+Delete # Multiple modifiers

String Quoting

Double quotes support escape sequences:

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Type "First line\nSecond line"        # \n = newline
Type "Tab\there"                      # \t = tab
Type "Quote: \"Hello\""               # \" = literal quote
Type "Backslash: \\"                  # \\ = literal backslash

Single quotes and backticks are literal:

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Type 'No escape sequences: \n \t'     # Types literally
Type `Also literal: \n`               # Types literally

For Windows paths, use single quotes or escape backslashes:

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Type 'C:\Users\Alice\Documents'       # Single quotes: literal
Type "C:\\Users\\Alice\\Documents"    # Double quotes: escape backslashes

Custom Typing Speed

To override typing speed for one Type command:

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Set TypingSpeed 50ms                  # Slightly faster than the 60ms default
  
Type "Normal speed text"
Enter
  
Type@10ms "Fast typing here"          # Override: type very fast
Enter
  
Type@200ms "Slow deliberate typing"   # Override: type slowly
Enter

Use slow typing for emphasis:

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Type "# Watch this carefully:"
Enter
Sleep 1s
Type@150ms "rm -rf /tmp/old-files"   # Slow typing draws attention
Sleep 500ms
Enter
Wait

Examples

Navigate an interactive TUI:

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Exec "npm create vite@latest"
Wait /Project name/
Type "my-app"
Enter
Wait /framework/
Down 2          # Navigate to React
Enter
Wait /variant/
Down 1          # Navigate to TypeScript
Enter
Wait

Edit a command with cursor movement:

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Type "echo 'Helo, World!'"
Sleep 300ms
Left 9          # Move cursor back to the typo
Backspace       # Delete 'o'
Type "ll"       # Type 'll' to make 'Hello'
Enter
Wait

Use keyboard shortcuts:

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Type "ping 127.0.0.1"
Enter
Sleep 4s
Ctrl+C          # Interrupt the ping
Wait

Troubleshooting

If Backspace doesn't work as expected: The terminal may use different backspace behavior. Try Ctrl+H instead:

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Ctrl+H          # Alternative backspace

If arrow keys don't work in TUI applications: Ensure the application has fully started before sending arrow keys:

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Exec "npm create vite@latest"
Wait /Project name/   # Wait for the prompt
Down 2                # Now arrow keys will work

If special characters don't appear correctly: Use escape sequences in double quotes or switch to single quotes:

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Type "Path: C:\\Windows\\System32"    # Escaped backslashes
Type 'Path: C:\Windows\System32'      # Or single quotes