ui-behaviour is a library for binding behaviours by keys or mouse-actions. The idea is similar to Swing's InputMap/ActionMap framework. The difference is that actions are atomic while behaviours (possibly) stretch over a period of time. For example, a DragBehaviour is initialized (e.g., with a mouse click) at certain coordinates, goes through a series of coordinate updates, and then ends (when the mouse is released).

The combination of modifiers, keys, mouse buttons etc. that initiates a behaviour is called a "trigger" and is constructed from a string description.

The basic syntax for a trigger description is a sequence of modifier and key names separated by whitespace. Examples are SPACE, button1, shift alt scroll, and ctrl F G.

Additionally, one can specify a combination of modifiers, keys, mouse buttons etc. that should be ignored when triggering the behaviour. This is a another sequence of modifier and key names separated from the trigger description by "|". For example, ctrl button1 | shift alt is triggered by pressing the left mouse-button while holding the ctrl key. If the shift and/or alt key are pressed simultaneously, the trigger still matches. To ignore all other modifiers and keys, the special name all is used. So, A | all is a trigger that matches when the A key is pressed, regardless which other modifiers, keys, or buttons are active at the same time.

The following modifiers can be used:

• ctrl
• alt
• altGraph
• shift
• meta
• win (the windows key)
• double-click (The trigger matches a double-click. This can include "double-clicks" on keys, e.g., shift double-click A works as expected.)

• button1 (left mouse button)
• button2 (middle mouse button)
• button3 (right mouse button)
• scroll (The trigger matches scroll events (both horizontal and vertical). Additional keys and modifiers may be present, e.g., shift A scroll matches when scrolling while pressing the shift and A keys. This modifier can only be used to trigger ScrollBehaviours.)

Key names are the usual alphanumeric and function keys:

• A ... Z (Note that letter keys are always upper-case.)
• 0 ... 9
• F1 ... F24

Moreover the following special key names are supported (as in the AWTKeyStroke.getAWTKeyStroke(String) method):

• ENTER
• BACK_SPACE
• TAB
• CANCEL
• CLEAR
• COMPOSE
• PAUSE
• CAPS_LOCK
• ESCAPE
• SPACE
• PAGE_UP
• PAGE_DOWN
• END
• HOME
• BEGIN
• COMMA
• PERIOD
• SLASH
• SEMICOLON
• EQUALS
• OPEN_BRACKET
• BACK_SLASH
• CLOSE_BRACKET

These are names for cursor keys:

• LEFT
• UP
• RIGHT
• DOWN

These are names for the numpad keys:

• NUMPAD0 ... NUMPAD9
• MULTIPLY
• ADD
• SEPARATOR
• SUBTRACT
• DECIMAL
• DIVIDE
• DELETE
• NUM_LOCK
• SCROLL_LOCK