Events & Keyboard Controls

Learn how to run code continuously and detect player keyboard presses.

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Running code every frame

Thread.Create()

A thread is how a mod runs code continuously. It is the heart of every mod, and the loader resumes it on every frame, around 60 times per second. This is where you check for key presses, draw HUD elements, or update game values.

Thread.Create(function()
    while true do
        -- This code runs constantly while playing
        Thread.Wait(0) -- hand control back until the next frame
    end
end)

Thread.Wait(ms) suspends the thread and resumes it later, without blocking the game or the other threads. Thread.Wait(0) simply waits for the next frame, which is what you want for per-frame code.

onUnload()

Called when your mod is stopped or reloaded. Use it to clean up objects, delete spawned cars, or save settings:

function onUnload()
    Log.Print("Mod stopped!")
end

Waiting between iterations

When you do not need to run on every single frame, wait longer. The thread sleeps, and costs nothing while it does.

Thread.Create(function()
    while true do
        SetCharHealth(GetPlayerChar(GetPlayerId()), 200)
        Thread.Wait(1000) -- once per second
    end
end)

This is the pattern ScriptHookDotNet mods are written against, so ported code keeps its structure.

Function	Effect
Thread.Create(fn, ...)	Starts a thread, returns an id. Extra arguments are passed to fn.
Thread.Wait(ms)	Suspends the current thread. Thread.Wait(0) resumes on the next frame.
Thread.Stop(id)	Stops a thread, returns true if it was still alive.
Thread.Count()	Number of live threads.

Two things worth knowing:

• An error inside a thread kills only that thread. It is logged, the thread is dropped, and the other threads keep running.
• Thread.Wait() counts real time, not game time. A paused game wakes nothing, and every expired delay fires at once when you resume.

Wait() alone does not exist

GTA IV has a native called WAIT, so the bare global Wait belongs to the game, not to the scheduler. Always write Thread.Wait(ms). The native stays reachable through Native.Call("WAIT", ...).

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Detecting Keyboard Keys (Input.IsKeyDown)

To check if a key is pressed, use Input.IsKeyDown(key_code).

Thread.Create(function()
    while true do
        if Input.IsKeyDown(0x73) then -- F4
            Log.Print("F4 was pressed!")
        end
        Thread.Wait(0)
    end
end)

Common Keyboard Key Codes Reference

Here are the most useful Windows Virtual-Key (VK) codes to copy and paste:

Key	Hex Code	Decimal	Description
F1	0x70	112	Function Key 1
F2	0x71	113	Function Key 2
F3	0x72	114	Function Key 3
F4	0x73	115	Function Key 4 (Trainer standard)
F5	0x74	116	Function Key 5
F6	0x75	117	Reserved (Built-in In-Game Editor)
F7	0x76	118	Function Key 7
F8	0x77	119	Function Key 8
F9	0x78	120	Function Key 9
Shift	0x10	16	Left or Right Shift
Ctrl	0x11	17	Left or Right Control
Alt	0x12	18	Alt Key
Space	0x20	32	Spacebar
Enter	0x0D	13	Return / Enter
Escape	0x1B	27	Escape
Tab	0x09	9	Tab Key
Arrow Up	0x26	38	Up Arrow
Arrow Down	0x28	40	Down Arrow
Arrow Left	0x25	37	Left Arrow
Arrow Right	0x27	39	Right Arrow
E Key	0x45	69	Letter E
T Key	0x54	84	Letter T
X Key	0x58	88	Letter X
Z Key	0x5A	90	Letter Z
0 to 9	0x30 - 0x39	48 - 57	Top number row (0-9)
Numpad 0-9	0x60 - 0x69	96 - 105	Numeric Keypad