Keystrokes/Controls in libtcod and python?

Question

In the Python/Libtcod tutorial on Roguebasin the basic code for controlling your character uses the up down left and right keys. Is there a way to make it use WSAD or any other keys? Libtcod only allows me to use "special" keys, like the arrow keys, PGDN/PGUP, F1 F2 F3, but not regular alphanumeric keys.

#movement keys
def handle_keys():
    global playerx, playery


    if libtcod.console_is_key_pressed(libtcod.KEY_UP):
        playery -= 1

    elif libtcod.console_is_key_pressed(libtcod.KEY_DOWN):
        playery += 1

    elif libtcod.console_is_key_pressed(libtcod.KEY_LEFT):
        playerx -= 1

    elif libtcod.console_is_key_pressed(libtcod.KEY_RIGHT):
        playerx += 1

Answer 1

You'll have to do something like this:

    key = libtcod.console_check_for_keypress(libtcod.KEY_PRESSED)

    if key.vk == libtcod.KEY_CHAR:
        if key.c == ord('w'):
            playery -= 1
        elif key.c == ord('s'):
            playery += 1
        elif key.c == ord('a'):
            playerx -= 1
        elif key.c == ord('d'):
            playerx += 1

Check doc\console\console_check_for_keypress.html and doc\console\key_t.html in your libtcod folder.

Answer 2

You could also use only the ASCII code for each key to save code space:

if key.c == 119: #w
        playery -= 1
    elif key.c == 115: #s
        playery += 1
    elif key.c == 97: #a
        playerx -= 1
    elif key.c == 100: #d
        playerx += 1