Simple way to get the current keypress - c++

Question

I've started using SFML as my base graphics framework for a code editor I'm working on, the only thing I can't seem get completely right is keyboard input.
What I'm used to in QB64 (a language similar to Visual Basic), is to get keypresses using either the _keyhit command (which returns a virtual keycode), or the inkey$ command (which directly returns the current keypress's character). I'm looking for a similar solution in C++ (not necessarily cross-platform, possibly easily implementable along with SFML)
What I've tried as of now is to use _getch, which doesn't seem to work with the Windows framework, nor SFML, perhaps I should use some of the Windows.h routines for this purpose, but judging from what I've seen, those check for specific keypresses, not exactly what I need. The SFML framework provides "sf::Keyboard::isKeyPressed", but that one also checks for a specific keypress, but not for the whole keyboard, I also tried creating an array that serves as a map from the "sf::Keyboard::Key" enum to ASCII characters, but its not convincing, furthermore, the keys seem to "stick" and the pressed key's character keeps getting read even after it has been released.

Answer 1

If you are using SFML, it is actually quite simple. You need to use the sf::Event::KeyEvent class (or in this case, the struct).
https://www.sfml-dev.org/documentation/2.5.0/structsf_1_1Event_1_1KeyEvent.php
Though the catch is you have to get the event from something. Generally this is used from an SFML window.
//assuming your code is already set up for these items...
sf::Event Event;
while (window.GetEvent(Event))
{
if (Event.Type == sf::Event::KeyPressed)
{
//to get the key code, use Event.Key.Code
//your code
//for example
switch(Event.KeyEvent.Code)
{
case(sf::Keyboard::Key::Y):
//do stuff
break;
}
}
}
Heads up, it has been a while since I have worked with SFML so I am not 100% sure if the it will work with switch statements. Comparing with == will work too, in an if-else if-else statement.
There may also be other ways to get the sf::Event defined without a window.
Otherwise, it is fairly simple.

Answer 2

If you are looking just to detect a keypress kbhit() is the fuction.(Borland family of compilers , conio.h , but not a part of C++ standards when I googled it ).
https://www.cprogramming.com/fod/kbhit.html
Alternative : Under Unix-like operating system you can use ncurses to emulate most conio behavior( see if it works for you)
https://www.quora.com/With-which-function-can-I-replace-kbhit-in-C++-because-the-header-conio-h-doesnt-exist-in-linux
If you are looking for a code that can detect which key was pressed (ie Numpad 1 and 1 above the alphabets or Something like Esc or arrow keys).This code worked for me on a borland compiler. When you fetch the scan code ( not ascii ) it is different for every key in keyboard ( even the non ascii ones have a value)
void getkey()
{
union REGS ii,oo;
while(!kbhit());
ii.h.ah=0;//service no for ascii and scan code
int86(22,&ii,&oo);
ascii=oo.h.al;
scan=oo.h.ah;
}
I used the above code in my school project, so I don't remember the exact source where I found it .But I think it was Let us C by Yashwant Kanetkar under the GUI part ( It was removed later so you are looking for a publication pre 2008).
Hope it helps.