In my map vc file I have:

hookkey(key[SCAN_ESC],"menu");

This line is the last line contained in my start function. Everything else in the start function runs fine.

In my system.vc I have:

#include "menu.vc"

In menu.vc I have:

void menu()


{


  log("got this far");


  menuopen=1;


  menuchoice[0]=0;


  if(MenuMemory)


  {


    menuchoice[0]=MM_Main;


  }


  while(menuopen==1)


  {


    render();


    gradientwindow(5,5,100,300);


    showpage();


  }


  log("exited menu incorrectly");


}

When I press ESC once gaining control of the player character, it doesn't do anything. Verge.log doesn't even pick up the log() statements from the menu function.

Also, unless I'm off my rocker,

key[ANY_VALID_VALUE_HERE]

will always either evaluate to 0 or 1... since they key[SCAN_CODE] array is used for verifying if the key that the index represents is being pressed.

So that first snippet of code is fundamentally wrong. ditch the key[], and just leave the SCAN_CODE.

Here's an example from my Sully codebase-in-progress:

HookKey( SCAN_F10, "SaveScreenShot" );


HookKey( SCAN_F4, "mcg_print_all" );

These are temporary hookkeys, one to the screenshot function that one of you blokes out there coded (Zip? Ger? I forget offhand), and another to a heavy-duty logging function for debugging purposes.

Any questions?

Really? Out of sheer curiosity, what does each one light up with when active... their scancode's value?

But that's very right, kids. When testing the key array, do it like so:

if( key[SCAN_F10] ) {


   log( "F10 was molested!!!" );


}

NOT:

if( key[SCAN_F10] == 1 ) {


   log( "THIS IS BAD WRONG BADONG!!!" );


}

You guys rock. Thanks!

if someone presses a key, the key[] value will be non-zero. if they're still pressing the key then it will still be non-zero. if they release the key it will be 0 once more.

Yeah, it IS 'is key pressed' not 'has key been pressed'. If the key is held, it will remain true, unless you manually set it to 0. When you set a key to zero you are effectively unpressing it.

As to the non-zero value of the key, Idunno, its just the value that directinput gives me.

It sets the values back to 0 when the key is released, yes. For keys and for buttons, but obviously buttons have a more complicated unpress system involved.

All key updates occur when updatecontrols/showpage happens. If you are in a loop where you aren't doing either, you wont detect ANY key status change. A loop without showpage is silly though!