Detect multiple keys on single keypress event in jQuery

Solution 1:

If you want to detect that the d, e, and v keys were all down at the same time, you have to watch both keydown and keyup and keep a map of the ones that are down. When they're all down, fire your event.

For example: Live copy | source

var map = {68: false, 69: false, 86: false};
$(document).keydown(function(e) {
    if (e.keyCode in map) {
        map[e.keyCode] = true;
        if (map[68] && map[69] && map[86]) {
            // FIRE EVENT
        }
    }
}).keyup(function(e) {
    if (e.keyCode in map) {
        map[e.keyCode] = false;
    }
});

I assume you don't care what order they're pressed down in (as that would be a pain to reliably press) as long as they're all down at the same time at some point.

Solution 2:

Similar to Vega's...but simpler

var down = {};
$(document).keydown(function(e) {
    down[e.keyCode] = true;
}).keyup(function(e) {
    if (down[68] && down[69] && down[86]) {
        alert('oh hai');
    }
    down[e.keyCode] = false;
});

Solution 3:

Perhaps a simpler key combination would be easier?

How about something like Shift + Alt + D? (You probably shouldn't use the Control key because most browsers already interpret Ctrl+D in one way or another)

The code for this would be something like this:

if(e.shiftKey && e.altKey && e.keyCode == 68)
{
  alert('l33t!');
}

Solution 4:

I have answer from T.J. Crowder in plain javascript for someone who would want to avoid Jquery.

//A W S D simultaneously
var map = {65: false, 87: false, 83: false, 68: false};
document.body.addEventListener('keydown', function (e) {
    var e = e || event; //to deal with old IE
    if (e.keyCode in map) {
        map[e.keyCode] = true;
        if (map[65] && map[87]) {
            console.log('up left');
        }else if (map[83] && map[68]) {
            console.log('down right');
        }else if (map[87] && map[68]) {
            console.log('up right');
        }else if (map[83] && map[65]) {
            console.log('down left');
        }
    }
});
document.body.addEventListener('keyup', function (e) {
    if (e.keyCode in map) {
        map[e.keyCode] = false;
    }
});

Solution 5:

You would need to capture the three key events separately and fire your action only after the third one.

var keys = {
        d: { code: 100, pressed: false, next: 'e' },
        e: { code: 101, pressed: false, next: 'v' },
        v: { code: 118, pressed: false, next: 'd' }
    },
    nextKey = 'd';

$(document).keypress(function(e) {
    if (e.keyCode === keys[nextKey].code) {
        keys[nextKey].pressed = true;
        nextKey = keys[nextKey].next;
    } else {
        keys.d.pressed = false;
        keys.e.pressed = false;
        keys.v.pressed = false;
        nextKey = 'd';
    }

    if (keys.d.pressed && keys.e.pressed && keys.v.pressed) {
        alert('Entering dev mode...');
    }
});

There's a number of ways to do this of course. This example doesn't require you to hold the keys down simultaneously, just that you type them in order: d e v.

If you used this, you might want to augment it to clear the pressed flags after some time interval.

Here's a working example.

_{Disclaimer: I realize the original question said that the keys should be "pressed together". This is just an alternative as other answerers have already provided sufficient solutions for the keys being pressed together.}