# How do i use a variable to press a key with robot class
**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752
**Category:** Coding Questions
**Created:** [April 30, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752 "2021-04-30T17:09:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tobich](https://discourse.processing.org/u/tobich)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/1 "2021-04-30T17:09:47Z")
**Basically I’m trying to make a function that will type the key i need**
Because its a function i give it a string with a variable which is the key i need to press and the robot variable how do i do it?
---
### Author:  [@jb4x](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jb4x)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 5:26pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/2 "2021-04-30T17:26:03Z")
I’m sorry but I don’t understand what is it you try to do.
---
### Author:  [@tobich](https://discourse.processing.org/u/tobich)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/3 "2021-04-30T17:29:42Z")
Yea i dont really do too so
I need a function to press the button i need which will do something like this
```auto
void SendKey(String KeyINeed, Robot robot) {
robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_(key);
robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_(key);
}
```
so pressing a key and releasing it
---
### Author:  [@jb4x](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jb4x)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 6:23pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/4 "2021-04-30T18:23:59Z")
Still not sure I get what you want but I guess you are looking for the [keyPressed()](https://processing.org/reference/keyPressed_.html) function.
---
### Author:  [@tobich](https://discourse.processing.org/u/tobich)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 6:33pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/5 "2021-04-30T18:33:30Z")
i dont know how to explain it but
i have a function that should press a key that’s specified when it gets called
so the caller looks like this:
```auto
Presskey(robot, S)
```
and the PressKey function should press and release the second variable S in this example
---
### Author:  [@th75](https://discourse.processing.org/u/th75)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/6 "2021-04-30T18:50:44Z")
hi,
do you use
`import java.awt.Robot;` ?
where do you want to press a key? in an another app?
---
### Author:  [@tobich](https://discourse.processing.org/u/tobich)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/7 "2021-04-30T18:52:31Z")
Yes i am using it.
I want to emulate a keyboard press to make it work in another app
---
### Author:  [@th75](https://discourse.processing.org/u/th75)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-do-i-use-a-variable-to-press-a-key-with-robot-class/29752/8 "2021-04-30T19:15:27Z")
ok,
here is an example:
```auto
import java.awt.AWTException;
import java.awt.Robot;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
Robot robot;
String keyString="hello world";
void setup() {
size(100, 100);
try {
robot = new Robot();
}
catch (AWTException ex) {
System.out.println(ex.getMessage());
}
frameRate(1);
}
void draw() {
sendKeys(robot, keyString);
}
void sendKeys(Robot robot, String keys) {
for (char c : keys.toCharArray()) {
int keyCode = KeyEvent.getExtendedKeyCodeForChar(c);
if (KeyEvent.CHAR_UNDEFINED == keyCode) {
throw new RuntimeException(
"Key code not found for character '" + c + "'");
}
robot.keyPress(keyCode);
robot.delay(100);
robot.keyRelease(keyCode);
robot.delay(100);
}
}
```
run the sketch then go back to processing ide