Template:Key
This is a template to provide an easy and standard identification for keyboard keys when used in how-to guides. Many of our articles reference the keys inconsistently, such as CTRL-A, Cntrl + A, control and a, Ctrl-a, etc. This will help to keep key references standard and consistent through articles.
EditSteps
- Find the identifier you want to use in the "Current Listing" section below.
- Add it inside of the {{key}} template, after a pipe "|" symbol.
EditUsage
| Typing this: {{key|shift}} |
Will do this:
 |
|||
| (replace "shift" with the desired key to use) |
EditCurrent Listing
numbers : 0 through 9 letters : a through z keys whitespace : space, enter (return), tab page navigation : page_up (pg_up), page_down (pg_down), home, end arrows : up, down, left, right edit : insert (ins), delete (del), backspace function keys : f1 thru f12 PC modifiers : control (ctrl), alternate (alt), shift, application (app), windows (win), function (fn) Mac modifiers : command (open_apple), option other modifiers : meta locks : caps_lock, number_lock (num_lock), scroll_lock special keys : escape (esc) print_screen (prt_scr), pause_sys (break) symbols : tilde (~ or squiggly), acute (` or push), exclamation (! or not), at (@), pound (# or sharp or hash or number), dollar ($), percent (%), caret (^ or power), ampersand (& or amp or and), asterisk (* or multiply), open_parenthesis ((), close_parenthesis ()), minus (- or dash), plus (+), underscore (_), equals, open_brace ({), close_brace (}), open_bracket ([), close_bracket (]), pipe (bar), back_slash (\), colon (:), semicolon (;), quote (" or double_quote), single_quote ('), less_than (<), greater_than (>), comma (,), period (. or dot), forward_slash (/ or slash or divide), question_mark (? or question) multimedia : mute, volume_up (vol_up), volume_down (vol_down), play, pause, play_pause, stop, next, previous (prev), fast_forward (skip_ahead), rewind (skip_back) G15 keys : m1, m2, m3, mr, g1 thru g18, light
EditImage Listing
EditCreate Your Own
The original template image is located here in Adobe Photoshop .psd image format with layers (version 7 and above). The text is already formatted, so just highlight it and change to whatever text you need. Make sure you crop the size of the key to roughly match the size of the text.
EditCreating a new button
- Download one of the templates linked above.
- Open the template in GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, or similar graphics editing application.
- Select the text late titled either "Key Name Here" or "Character Here".
- Select the text tool.
- Click on the text.
- Edit the text to represent what you want.
- Click on another tool (text tool can't be selected for the next step).
- Flatten the image. From Photoshop, open the "Layer" menu, then click on "Flatten image".
- Save the image in any format, such as Portable Network Graphics (.png). From Photoshop, open the "File" menu, select "Save as...", then change the file type extension to "PNG".
EditCreating a new size for a button
- Select the text layer.
- Move the text layer with the move tool until it is within a few pixels of one edge of the button outline.
- Select the "Button Outline" layer.
- Select approximately 1/4 or 1/3 of the image, starting from the side opposite of where the text is now located. Make sure you select the entire height of the image, and include all pixels on that side.
- Change your tool to move the contents of the selection, then move it over to create an outline that looks good with the text.
- Select the new size of the button outline. Make sure no visible pixels are outside of this new selection.
- Trim the image to the selection.
- Flatten all layers.
- Save the image as a free format such as Portable Network Graphics (.png) or a JPEG file (.jpg).
Please use the exact key name as opposed to a nickname or other abbreviation for your first entry. For example: use print_screen instead of the actual key's abbreviation of Prt Scr. This will make it easier for others to reference it in articles they edit. If you have time, please create abbreviations and other references to it so that users can reference it either way. Make sure you don't use an existing reference as shown in the "Current Listing" section.
Use underscores to designate spaces; do not run the names together since wikiHow is not consistent with capitalization. Also, avoid using dashes since these are automatically swapped back and forth for spaces, with may lead to confusion.
