key down to hold down a key

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

I am using this test script to test out whether you can actually hold down a key for any specified time.
I have two problems. I believe the “key down” command can do this but maybe I am not using it correctly and when specifying a key that doesn’t have a letter or number, what do you call it ie “left arrow”, “right arrow”…
i’m trying to get a safari browser to scroll down smoothly.
It appears this script just jumps down.
any suggestions?

tell application "Finder"
	set frontmost of process "Safari" to true
end tell
tell application "System Events"
	key down "down arrow"
	delay 3
	key up "down arrow"
end tell
#2

Untested but I would expect your script would look like this.

tell application "Safari"
	activate
	tell application "System Events"
		tell process "Safari"
			key down (ASCII character 31) -- Down arrow
			delay 3
			key up (ASCII character 31) -- Down arrow
		end tell
	end tell
end tell
#3

I think both of these work. It’s clear that they key is working since I can see the browser jump down.
I’m not sure this command though will hold the key down.
Anybody know for sure?

#4

Even though my math is wrong, this feels like one second…

tell application "Safari"
	activate
	tell application "System Events"
		tell process "Safari"
			repeat 30 times -- repeat 50 times -- feels like 3 seconds
				key down (ASCII character 31) -- Down arrow
				delay 1.0E-4
			end repeat
			key up (ASCII character 31) -- Down arrow
		end tell
	end tell
end tell

Tom

#5

As seen as you are using system events you may also want to try using the increment arrows this quick test worked just fine in a basic test for me.

tell application "Safari"
	activate
	open location "http://bbs.macscripter.net/viewtopic.php?id=27688"
end tell
-- Wait until page loaded
if page_loaded(5) is false then return
--
tell application "System Events"
	tell process "Safari"
		tell window 1
			if exists group 3 then
				tell group 3
					tell scroll area 1
						tell scroll bar 1
							set Page_End to false
							repeat until Page_End is true
								delay 0.5
								set x to get size of button 3
								set y to item 2 of x
								if y = 0 then set Page_End to true
								click button 1
							end repeat
						end tell
					end tell
				end tell
			end if
		end tell
	end tell
end tell
-- 
on page_loaded(timeout_value)
	delay 2
	repeat with i from 1 to the timeout_value
		tell application "Safari"
			if (do JavaScript "document.readyState" in document 1) is "complete" then
				return true
			else if i is the timeout_value then
				return false
			else
				delay 1
			end if
		end tell
	end repeat
	return false
end page_loaded
#6

I received the error

This script is also not exactly what I was trying to do. I was trying to use the arrow down key to use in a script to enable the 1x, 2x or 3x fast forward in the apple remote.
It was just easier to test out in a safari browser page.