Is there a way to modify focusing of control nodes?

Question

Hi all,

As the title says, is there any way to modify the default behavior of focusing nodes using the keyboard?

Default implementation (without mouse):

• uses ui_up, ui_down, ui_left and ui_right to navigate between neighbor control nodes
• uses the computer's (Windows) repeat rate in keyboard properties (when you hold a ui_key while testing a godot game/app)

What I am trying to achieve:

• remove the dependency on the computer keyboard's repeat rate property
• set a specific focusing/navigation speed while holding down a key (ui_down, ui_up, ui_left and ui_right)

I've tried playing with func _input(event) and accept_event() but could not achieve what I was hoping for.
Any thought on this?
Any advice would be helpful.

Answer 1

I did something like this recently, and I had a singleton node controlling things, and they had a variable that stored the currently focused Control, and an _input() function that checked if key was down, and then did whatever I needed...

If you add a variable that stores OS.get_system_time_msecs(), and each input you compare it against the current OS.get_system_time_msecs()then you can debounce the events and control how fast the repeat rate is.
Alternatively you can use the _physics_process(delta) event, and use the delta to control the repeat rate... you would still use Input.is_key_pressed()or Input.is_action_pressed()

Comments

How would I debounce events?
Is there any other method other than accept_event()?

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Have a var lastKeyTime = 0

On _input:
If abs(lastKeyTime - OS.get_system_time_msecs() ) < 100: Return lastKeyTime = OS.get_system_time_msecs()
Followed by whatever you actually want to happen. This will allow a max of one keypress per 100 milliseconds

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Awesome!

I'm finally making progress here.
I ended up doing:
- accept_event() in func _input(event)
- lastkeytime in func _physics_process(delta) by using is_action_just_pressed()
- and if OS.get_system_time_msecs() - lastKeyTime > 100: by using is_action_pressed()

thanks a lot for your help